Colorado and BNSF Railway have reached a tentative agreement that could clear the way for expanded passenger rail service on the Class I carrier's freight corridors in the state.

The deal, reported by the Eno Center for Transportation, marks a procedural step in Colorado's long-running effort to add passenger trains along routes owned by the railroad. Details of the tentative agreement — including which corridors, service frequencies, or capital commitments it covers — have not been disclosed publicly.

For Colorado, the agreement addresses a central obstacle in its passenger rail ambitions: most of the track suitable for intercity service in the state belongs to BNSF, and no new passenger service can begin without the host railroad's consent on access, capacity, and liability terms.

Any resulting service would build on the state's existing passenger operations, which today include Amtrak's California Zephyr and Winter Park Express, both of which run on BNSF-owned track in Colorado. State planners have studied additional corridors that would likewise depend on BNSF infrastructure.

The tentative agreement now moves toward finalization. Until it is signed, the scope of the expansion — and the timeline for any new trains — remains undefined.