Imagine being able to take a breathtakingly beautiful train ride from Denver to Winter Park or Steamboat Springs, enjoying the scenic mountain views without the stress of I-70.

State transportation officials on Monday said they’re studying the idea to bring back passenger rail in Colorado thanks to a $5 million investment.

The rail line would travel along the 191-mile Union Pacific Railroad route from Denver, terminating in Craig. The route hasn’t had passenger rail service since 1968, but Yampa Valley communities along the rail line would like to see it re-established, the Colorado Department of Transportation said.

“Convenient passenger rail would be amazing!” Gov. Jared Polis said in a news release.

Polis said expanding passenger rail service to the Yampa Valley would help with his administration’s top priorities of cutting traffic, reducing pollution and moving the community away from coal production.

“Funding for a service development plan for northwest mountain rail is a critical step toward making this passenger rail expansion a reality,” Polis said. “Passenger rail can create jobs and boost our mountain communities in the Yampa Valley.”

CDOT said it has been working for months on its vision to re-introduce mountain passenger rail, but recent developments have made the idea more feasible. One of those reasons is a decline in coal train traffic along the route, which already serves the California Zephyr and the Winter Park ski trains.

“We have an unusual confluence of favorable conditions in place right now,” CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said in a news release. “This is a rare opportunity for us to get significant funding for a project that we know is very doable.”

CDOT said the plan already has support from lawmakers, cities, towns and businesses along the route.

“This is exciting news for northwest Colorado!” Rep. Meghan Lukens, whose district includes Steamboat Springs, said in a news release. “We’ve been working hard to develop this critical rail option, and now we’re one step closer to making it a reality.”

The passenger rail line could help lower the cost of living in her district, Lukens said, create new job opportunities and connect people with more affordable housing options — ultimately growing the economy.

“I’m thrilled the Colorado Transportation Commission has approved our request to create a service development plan for this route,” Lukens said.

The passenger rail line would likely coordinate and complement bus service in the mountains, including the Bustang system, CDOT said.

The next step is to seek input from stakeholders along the route.

CDOT said in addition to mountain rail, it is working independently with the Front Range Passenger Rail District on a plan to offer rail service from Pueblo to Fort Collins, via Denver.