Frontier Days Train on track toward big rodeo

The 27th annual Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days Train, revived in 1992 to mark the newspaper’s 100th anniversary, will carry a sold-out group of 700 riders to a day of Old Weststyle fun on Saturday.

The 15-car special, whose passengers were selected by a lottery system, departs from the Union Pacific freight yard at 45th Avenue and Brighton Boulevard near the Denver Coliseum at 7 a.m. Saturday. The train will leave Cheyenne at 5 p.m. and is expected to be back in Denver about 8:30 p.m.

Among the special guests onboard this year are Colorado Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne and Post publisher Mac Tully.

The day’s festivities include the roundtrip train ride, the big parade in downtown Cheyenne, a private barbecue at the rodeo grounds and prime seats to the “Daddy of ‘em All” rodeo. A light breakfast and supper will be served on the train.

This year’s train of 1950s era passenger cars will be pulled by the UP’s vintage steam locomotive 844, the last built for the railroad in 1944 and never removed from its active roster. The locomotive will be on display all day Friday in the Union Pacific freight yard.

Because of construction, the northbound lanes on Brighton Boulevard are closed at 38th Avenue, but access to the parking lots at the Coliseum is reachable from the Brighton exit off Interstate 70.

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Train is an event of the Denver Post Community Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that supports of programs benefitting arts and culture; children and youth; education and literacy, at the provision of basic human services. MDC Richmond American Homes Foundation is the train’s presenting sponsor.