Opening of Incline may be back on track
- Details
- Created on Friday, 24 June 2011 00:11
- Written by Dena Rosenberry
By Dave Philipps, The Gazette
The Manitou Incline is likely not enough of a railroad to fall under federal railroad abandonment laws, federal officials say.
If true, local planners don’t have to delay opening the Incline to hikers while they go through a lengthy federal railway abandonment process, as announced earlier this week.
News of the delay caused widespread grumbling among hikers waiting for the Incline to legally open.
But Dennis Watson, a spokesman for the Surface Transportation Board, which oversees all railroads in the United States, said Thursday there is likely no need to go through the process because, “The board has no jurisdiction over scenic railways because they don’t connect to other rails. There are no interstate commerce issues there.”
For almost a century the mile-long Incline was a tourist attraction that hauled riders 2,000 feet up into the foothills of Pikes Peak. Like many railways across the country, it was torn out in the late 20th century.
In the past decade, the derelict ties have become an unexpected workout sensation. As many as 500,000 people a year hike the steep trail to work their legs and lungs.
Read more about the Manitou Incline.
The federal government created abandonment laws to control the process by which commercial railways can desert lines. An abandonment can take up to four months to process once the required paperwork is filed.
This month, as Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs and the U.S. Forest Service were meeting to draw up an agreement concerning management of the Incline, representatives for the forest service questioned whether an abandonment document had been filed.
Lawyers involved in the agreement looked, but were unable to find the papers in question.
A librarian for the Surface Transportation Board contacted by The Gazette was also unable to find any documents.
Colorado Springs planning staff assumed, therefore, they would have to go through a formal abandonment process, which would stall the opening and renovation of the Incline for four to six months.
But it appears that won’t be necessary. Watson said the Incline is “not an ATB issue” and “does not need to go through the abandonment process” because it was just a small tourist railway.
“Wonderful,” said Bill Koerner, advocacy director of the local nonprofit Trails and Open Space Coalition, when he heard the news Friday.
TOSC has formed an Incline Friends group to repair the Incline. “Now we can go ahead with volunteer projects we have planned,” Koerner said.
City parks staff could not be reached for comment.
Barring other surprises, the Incline is expected to legally open to hikers in October.
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Contact the writer: 636-0223
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