Hayden Rail Spur
Project Overview
We have all the necessary approvals to begin construction on a rail spur to transport coal to the Hayden Generating Station.
The approval comes after the company spent nearly four years planning and negotiating an acceptable corridor for the rail spur. Hauling coal to Hayden Station by rail is needed to ensure a reliable source of fuel for the power plant well into the future.
Xcel Energy will use its existing right of way to build the rail line from the Union Pacific Mainline, over U.S. Highway 40 and into Hayden Station. No new right-of-way will be required.
We will use the rail spur at Hayden Station to transport coal to the power plant for generating electricity. Hayden Station has the capacity to produce 446 megawatts of electricity for use in the Yampa Valley and in other parts of Colorado. The plant is co-owned by Xcel Energy, PacifiCorp, and Salt River Project.
We will build the new rail line from the Union Pacific Mainline, over U.S. Highway 40, over a relocated section of Routt County Road 27 and into Hayden Station. Each of the highway crossings will involve separated rail bridges over the roads. In addition, new coal handling equipment will be installed at the plant. On the south end of the plant, a new railroad loop will be built. The reconstructed rail spur is scheduled to be ready for use at the end of 2011.
| Project Schedule |
Dates |
| Construction start-earthwork, bridge foundations, power line relocations, irrigation improvements, Routt County Road 27 relocation |
July 2009-October 2009 |
| Winter/No major construction activity |
November 2009-March 2010 |
| Erect bridge over US 40 |
Summer 2010 |
| Install coal handling equipment |
Summer 2010-Fall 2011 |
| Erect bridge over Routt County Rd 27 |
Spring 2011 |
| Install rail track |
Summer 2011 |
| Final grading, seeding and restoration work |
Fall 2011 |
| Project complete/new rail spur in-service |
October 2011 |
Project documents
Please visit these links to the following documents for more detailed information about the project:
- Hayden Parcels Map (72 KB PDF)
- View the Project Schedule (398 KB PDF)
- Signed Special Use Permit (80 KB PDF)
- Letter to Community (73 KB PDF)
- Looking East (before) (4.65 MB PDF)
- Looking East (after) (4.54 MB PDF)
- Looking West (before) (5.63 MB PDF)
- Looking West (after) (5.8 MB PDF)
Thank you for your patience while we complete this work.