About
The Colorado Pacific Railroad is a rail line that connects communities in eastern Colorado and western Kansas, allowing them to transport goods for domestic and international shipment via the Union Pacific or BNSF Railroads. The rail line runs from Towner, Colorado to NA Junction, about 27 miles east of Pueblo, and was originally built in the 1880s.
Recent History and Improvements
In 2018, the Soloviev Group purchased the railroad, which had fallen into disrepair and was nearly disassembled for scrap metal. Since the purchase, the group has undertaken complete refurbishment of the line, as well as major improvements, including track, bridge, and signal rehabilitation, and the construction of a new 8,000-foot siding at the western terminus to allow exchange of unit trains with the BNSF and UP. Other enhancements include a new shuttle train delivery siding at the west end of the line and upgrades to accommodate heavier and faster freight traffic.
In 2021, the Soloviev Group began construction on a grain shuttle loader facility alongside the line just west of Towner, Colorado. The facility is scheduled to open for commercial service in 2023 and will offer 3 million bushels of upright storage and 3 million bushels of ground storage space.
Additional Benefits
CPR offers over ten miles of siding capacity for long-term storage of railcars and plans to enroll in both the BNSF and UP grain shuttle loader programs for its new facility at Sheridan Lake. The railroad is also dedicated to serving small carload shippers and minimizing the duration of ground storage for local farmers.
Early History
The Colorado Pacific Railroad is a surviving segment of the former Missouri Pacific Railroad, which was built in 1887 and connected Colorado to the national rail network. The Missouri Pacific primarily served agricultural shippers and offered passenger service until 1971.
Colorado Pacific Railroad & Weskan Grain
Colorado Pacific Railroad is a rail line that runs from Towner, Colorado to NA Junction, east of Pueblo. It was purchased by the Soloviev Group in 2018 and enables communities in eastern Colorado and western Kansas to transport goods for domestic and international shipment via Union Pacific or BNSF Railroads. The Soloviev Group has refurbished and improved the line, including the construction of a new grain shuttle loader facility. It offers competitive tariff quotes and aims to minimize ground storage for local farmers and shippers.
Weskan Grain a state-of-the-art grain elevator facility servicing farmers from Avondale, CO to Dighton, KS. Our 2,200-acre tract has the largest storage capacity in the area, equipped with high-speed unloaders & highway access. Weskan Grain is considered the gold standard for farmers and we will have you on the move quickly & efficiently.
Service Area
The Colorado Pacific Railroad runs parallel to Colorado State Highway 96 and generally bisects the farmland holdings of the Soloviev Group in Colorado. Its strategic location and competitive tariff quotes make it the preferred rail line for local farmers and other shippers.
Through interchange agreements with the Union Pacific and BNSF railroads, the Colorado Pacific Railroad enables freight to be shipped not only throughout North America, but also internationally, either from the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Northwest. This offers a more cost-effective alternative to using the UP line to the north or the BNSF line to the south.
The Soloviev Group
The Soloviev Group is a financially qualified company that operates the Colorado Pacific Railroad. After purchasing the railroad, which was in a state of neglect, the group waged a major legal and regulatory effort to acquire the rail line. They then embarked on a complete refurbishment of the line and made significant improvements, including track, bridge, and signal rehabilitation, and the construction of a new 8,000-foot siding and shuttle train delivery siding. The group also began construction on a grain shuttle loader facility in 2021, which is scheduled to open for commercial service in 2023.
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