Freight Trains and the Growth of Winter Park and Fraser, Colorado

By Dan Weida - October 17, 2025

Freight trains played a central, though sometimes underappreciated, role in the development of Winter Park, Fraser, Tabernash, and the broader Fraser Valley in Grand County, Colorado. While most historical attention tends to focus on passenger services and the famous mountain tunnel nearby, freight operations were equally essential—if not more so—for the economic, social, and environmental shaping of the region.

Early Freight and Logging: Building the Fraser Valley

Long before Winter Park became known for skiing and tourism, the Fraser Valley’s economy centered on natural resources—chiefly lumber and ranching. The arrival of freight trains, with their sidings, helper engines, and maintenance shops, made it possible to extract timber on a scale that would have been impossible otherwise.

The town of Fraser, founded in 1905, became a key logistics point for the railroads. Because the terrain was challenging, freight lines required helper engines and sidings to push heavy trains up the steep mountain grades. Lumber milling was a major freight activity until World War II, and local mills depended entirely on the railroad to ship processed logs and receive supplies.

Tabernash, originally a small railroad siding, also served as a supply and service point. It included a roundhouse, maintenance shops, and support facilities for freight trains climbing the Continental Divide. These freight operations shaped settlement patterns: logging camps, worker housing, and stores all grew where the trains could serve them.

Freight as an Enabler of Growth and Infrastructure

Once the railroads reached the Fraser Valley, freight trains became the key to settlement and progress. They allowed supplies and materials to reach isolated high-elevation towns and influenced both population growth and economic diversification.

Building materials like lumber, steel, and hardware arrived by freight, making it possible to construct homes, stores, hotels, and later ski resort infrastructure in Winter Park and Fraser. Without freight service, construction in these remote mountain towns would have been far more costly and time-consuming.

Freight trains also hauled coal and other minerals that supported local industries. While the importance of coal freight has declined, it was once a primary source of revenue and employment for the region. In addition, freight cars transported agricultural goods and livestock, connecting local ranchers to distant markets and turning small-scale producers into participants in a statewide economy.

Freight vs. Passenger Rail: A Working Relationship

While passenger trains such as the famous Ski Train captured the public’s imagination, freight service dominated in shaping how the rail network operated. The capacity of the tracks—how many trains could run, when, and how often—was largely determined by freight schedules. Freight demand often dictated station size, sidings, and infrastructure design, influencing how passenger service evolved.

Even today, freight traffic continues to define the region’s rail system. The balance between freight and passenger trains has always been a key factor in how communities like Winter Park and Fraser use and maintain their rail connections.

Freight’s Role in Building Winter Park Resort

When Winter Park Resort opened in 1940, freight trains were essential to its creation. The materials used to build ski lifts, lodges, and mountain infrastructure arrived by rail. The nearby sidings and freight lines made it possible to transport heavy equipment into the valley long before modern highways existed.

Before Winter Park had its current name, the area was known as “Woodspur” or “Woodstock,” after a local lumber mill that supplied railroad ties for track construction over the mountains. The connection between the railroad and the early lumber industry was direct: freight operations made both logging and the eventual resort possible. Without freight trains, Winter Park’s transformation from a timber outpost into a world-class ski destination would have been impossible.

Economic Impacts Over Time

Freight rail brought enormous economic benefits to the Fraser Valley throughout the 20th century.

Positive Impacts:

Freight trains created employment in logging camps, rail maintenance, and depot operations.
They made it possible for small towns like Fraser and Tabernash to thrive as supply and service centers.
Freight service kept construction and supply costs low for Winter Park Resort and the growing tourism industry.
In the harsh mountain winters, trains provided a dependable transportation lifeline when roads were impassable.

Challenges and Declines:

As highways improved and trucking became more flexible, freight volume decreased.
Environmental regulations and reduced demand for timber and coal changed the nature of the region’s freight economy.
Some railroad infrastructure—roundhouses, sidings, and mills—was dismantled or repurposed as industries evolved.

Environmental and Community Legacy

Freight trains left a lasting imprint on the landscape and communities of Winter Park and Fraser. The physical infrastructure—railbeds, bridges, and sidings—became part of the valley’s geography. Many of these structures were later repurposed or preserved as historical sites that tell the story of the area’s industrial past.

The environmental impact of freight operations also shaped local awareness. Early freight activity contributed to deforestation and pollution, but it also set the stage for later conservation efforts. As the economy transitioned toward tourism and recreation, residents increasingly valued the balance between progress and preservation.

Modern Freight: The Present and the Future

Today, freight trains remain relevant to Winter Park and Fraser, even as tourism dominates the local economy. Freight service supports construction, resort operations, and the transport of goods throughout Grand County. The ongoing use of freight rail helps reduce truck traffic on mountain highways, cutting down on pollution, congestion, and road wear.

Recent efforts to expand and modernize rail service have emphasized cooperation between freight and passenger operations. Agreements between the state and the rail companies aim to preserve freight capacity while enabling more passenger service to Winter Park, showing that the legacy of freight continues to shape the region’s future.

As climate and sustainability concerns grow, rail freight is once again gaining attention as a greener alternative to highway transport. For mountain communities like Winter Park and Fraser, reducing heavy truck use and maintaining efficient freight connections is not only practical but essential for long-term sustainability.

Conclusion

Freight trains have been foundational to the history and development of Winter Park and Fraser, Colorado. They enabled the logging industry, supported settlement, built the ski resort, and connected the valley to the outside world. Though the nature of freight service has evolved, its influence remains embedded in the local economy, infrastructure, and identity.

From the earliest lumber shipments to the construction of modern resorts, freight rail has been the unseen engine driving the progress of the Fraser Valley. Its tracks tell a story of hard work, transformation, and enduring connection—linking Winter Park and Fraser not only to the rest of Colorado but to the spirit of progress that defines the American West.

Go Back

Deposit	$500	Upon Registration
Final Payment	Trip Cost Minus Deposit	90 days prior to trip start date *failure to pay final payment at 90 days will result in removal from trip