Cheyenne staff outline 15th Street railcar experience plan, set public meeting and timeline

City staff on Jan. 31 presented a refined master plan to the Cheyenne City Council for the 15th Street Railcar Experience — a downtown corridor project that would place historic railcars on 15th Street, add pedestrian amenities and street improvements, and install short-term infrastructure stubs for potential future restaurant or retail uses.

Tom Cobb, the city engineer, told the council the project’s immediate objective is to place four Economic Development Administration (EDA)–funded railcars on 15th Street and complete Phase 1 site work on a schedule that would have the cars in place by July 14, 2026. "The 15th Street Rail car experience quarter would be a living testament of its past while safely and comfortably moving people through its robust and accessible pedestrian friendly network," Cobb said, reading a project vision developed by staff and consultants.

The council heard that asbestos and lead abatement on four railcars already removed from the Swan site is complete. "The 4 railcars, the abatement for lead and asbestos is complete," said Paul Belotti, project engineer for the city. Belotti and engineering staff outlined four bid packages: (1) hazardous-material abatement (complete for the four cars), (2) exterior renovation/painting and a separate Old Sadie abatement/renovation package, (3) site design and Phase 1 construction (streetscape, sidewalk, curb, utility stubs), and…