DENVER -- The Ski Train has left Denver.

The train that provided seasonal weekend service between Denver and the Winter Park resort for 69 years has been sold to Algoma Central Railway Inc., a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway Co.

The Anschutz Co. didn't disclose the sales price. Canadian National Railway said it would have no comment Wednesday.

"We're going to miss it," said Richard Scharf, president and chief executive officer of Visit Denver, the convention and visitors bureau. "Ski Train was certainly iconic for the capital of the Rocky Mountains."

The Anschutz Co. said Wednesday that its subsidiary operated the Ski Train at a consistent loss over the past 21 years.

Anschutz wasn't seeking a buyer but was approached about a sale around the same time the train faced challenges including effects of the weak economy and rising costs for liability coverage, said Jim Monaghan, a spokesman for billionaire Phil Anschutz.

The operation also had operational conflicts with freight traffic on the Union Pacific rail line that the Ski Train used and faced uncertainty over the city's plans to redevelop Union Station, where riders could catch it in Denver.

The Ski Train had carried skiers to Winter Park since 1940.

Yet half the train's riders didn't ski -- they took it for the scenery, Scharf said.

"We're sorry to see it go," said Jennifer DeBerge, spokeswoman for the Winter Park resort, which is owned by the city of Denver. "It brought us a lot of great exposure. It's a great way to connect Winter Park to Denver. I'm going to miss the whistle blow every day."

Scharf said he imagines there are companies looking to fill the void left by Ski Train's departure though he knows of no concrete plans yet.

Amtrak's California Zephyr stops in Denver and Fraser, near Winter Park.