RTD track surfacing underway along N Line
No impacts to N Line service are anticipated but train horns will sound around crews and equipment
DENVER (Oct. 15, 2026) –– The Regional Transportation District (RTD)is conducting routine track surfacing work along the N Line from Union Station to Eastlake•124th Station in Thornton.
Planned maintenance began in early October and will continue through early November. From Oct. 12-23, crews will be working southbound on the N Line between the 100th Avenue crossing and Original Thornton-88th Station. All work will occur overnight, between 11 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Friday. No service impacts are expected; however, train horns will sound as trains pass work crews and equipment.
Running multiple trains across the lines throughout the service day inevitably leads to shifting and settling of the ballast, the rocks under the rail, beneath the tracks.
To protect trains, tracks and customers, RTD includes regular surfacing as part of its overall maintenance program. Resurfacing corrects rail alignment for a smoother ride and is essential for delivering safe and reliable transit service.
During the surfacing process, a tamper vehicle picks up the rail along with the rail ties, then pushes metal paddles into the ballast to vibrate and compact the ballast under the ties. This brings the track up to a specified height and eliminates dips in the rail. A regulator vehicle follows behind the tamper. The regulator distributes the ballast and smooths out the track bed to bring it to a uniform appearance. In addition to smoothing out any bumps along the alignment, the planned preventive track maintenance is an important way to extend the life of RTD’s rail system. RTD strives to be a good steward of its publicly owned infrastructure and keeping the rail in good condition will help it last longer.
The resurfacing program will go through various locations with homes nearby. While the machines will be noisy, the work is not expected to take more than two days in each location. Resurfacing work through stations is planned to take place outside of service hours or at times when customers are not present. The work is expected to be completed in early November, weather permitting.
Train Horns
Many circumstances require the use of train horns for safety purposes based on federal regulations, including work crews working on or near the tracks. Train horns will continue sounding until all underlying issues have been resolved or mitigated. RTD will always attempt to resolve issues as quickly as possible to minimize public impact.