The Railroad
The Colorado Pacific Railroad exists today due to the intervention of the Soloviev Group and its Chairman Stefan Soloviev. Neglected for many years and in disrepair, the line was nearly disassembled by a scrapping company and sold off for $30 million as scrap steel. However, because the line was constructed with Federal land grant funds, the railroad could not legally be abandoned if a financially-qualified company could operate it.
Recognizing the potential of the defunct line, Mr. Soloviev appeared before the Surface Transportation Board to appeal the decision to disassemble it. In 2018, the Surface Transportation Board awarded a forced sale to the Soloviev Group. It was the first forced sale of a railroad in 50 years.
The revitalized railroad is equipped with modern heavyweight rail with a capacity of 115 pounds per yard, enabling the transportation of railcars with a gross axle weight of up to 286,000 pounds. The railroad has more than 10 miles of passing sidings, facilitating efficient operation of bi-directional movements at the same time. The line meets FRA Class 2 standards for freight transportation at speeds of up to 25 miles an hour.