Photo ID: 106265 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1232 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific A westbound local (based out of Roydale) rolls down the siding at Mesa, meeting with an eastbound coal load that is holding the main. With the local now in the clear of the east switch, DS-86 will throw the switch and get the coal train a light (and a track warrant) to head east. CTC was recently installed on the Limon Sub from Denver to East Mesa. At East Mesa, however, the track goes back to Track Warrant Control. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106264 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP K625 (East Mesa) Aurora, CO 1184 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific There are a handful of industries on UP's Limon Sub that are east of the immediate Denver-Metro area. On this Wednesday morning, the Roydale Switcher is return back toward town with three boxcars in tow. The pair of GP15-1s are taking the siding to meet an eastbound coal load. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104848 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 1, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP K627 (West Mesa) Aurora, CO 1380 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific This eastbound coal load is slowly approaching a red signal at the west switch of Mesa. The conductor was copying a new track warrant from DS-86, and a green signal would shortly follow. The bridge in the distance is new and will carry the commuter rail line north to Denver International Airport. A major fall thunderstorm is moving in to town from the west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104580 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Roydale Aurora, CO 1287 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific When RTD approached UP and asked to build the "East Line" along the Limon Sub right-of-way, UP had a few conditions. Specifically, they are getting CTC installed between the yard in Denver and Mesa. A stretch of about nine miles. In addition, a second main track is being added between the yard at Roydale (about four miles). There are several locals that work between Denver and Roydale and the addition of the second main will allow through trains to get through the limits much easier and faster. In this shot, you can see new signals - not yet fully installed or activated - near the west end of Roydale at Havana Street. Here, the second main will go back down to a single main. The track closest to the photographer is not yet active, but will become Main 2 once it is active. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104579 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Havana Street Aurora, CO 1475 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Yard Shots Regional Transportation District This shot looks east along RTD's future "East Line" commuter line from Union Station to DIA. The shot looks at the Havana Street grade crossing. Although no wire has been erected yet, most of the catenary poles are up along either side of the tracks. UP's Limon Sub is off to the left. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104577 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1515 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific The crew on board this westbound coal train sits patiently in the cab of the sole leader, waiting on the arrival of a van to drive them the rest of the way in to town to North Yard. Another crew will take the train the rest of the way to Denver so additional power can be added for the trip west to the mine. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104576 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1345 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific When one (or both) of the bypass tracks are open at North Yard, DS-86 will generally take westbound coal empties to one of the two tracks to tie down. However, when the tracks are not available, westbounds will generally tie down either in the siding of Sable or Mesa. Such was the case on this day as this westbound empty, led by a single C44AC-CTE, ties down in the siding at Mesa. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104575 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1536 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific I'm always a sucker for a roster shot of an EMD unit! Even when said EMD unit is a (not-so-aesthetically pleasing) SD70ACe. Not to say that I think they are ugly; they have grown on me. But they still don't match up to a spartan cab...or even the wide cab on an SD70M. It is somewhat hard to believe that it has been nearly 10 years since these units were being "sent through the wringer" by EMD. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104574 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1376 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific While most of the major rail lines in to and out of Denver have changed ownership (as the result of mergers) over the course of the past 30 years, the KP line has not. 30 years ago, this was UP's line to Denver from the east and that is still the case today. The line operates under track warrants with some CTC "islands" at seven sidings along the 200 mile stretch from Denver, CO to Sharon Springs, KS. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104573 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1585 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific This is probably my favorite shot of the day. A light dusting of snow from flurries over the weekend remains on the ground as the eastbound MDVSI (Manifest, Denver to Salina, KS) cruises along just east of Mesa with a warrant to MP 595, right at Byers, CO. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104572 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1227 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific The dispatcher set up a perfect meet at Mesa between a westbound coal empty (to the right, in the siding) and an eastbound manifest (to the left, on the main). The coal empty would ultimately tie down here in the siding as there was no spot for it (yet) on either of the bypass tracks at North Yard. The manifest is the daily MDVSI and would continue east to Salina, KS. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104571 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 2, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mesa (8,880ft) Aurora, CO 1359 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific While loaded coal trains can be some of the heaviest trains on a railroad, empty coal trains can be some of the lightest. This westbound empty, entering the siding at Mesa, has a pair of units for power. They are distributed and running in a 1x0x1 setup! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104176 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, March 20, 2012 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP K625 (East Mesa) Aurora, CO 1601 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific Most of the siding of Mesa is on a 1% grade, climbing to the east. However, very close to the east switch is the top of a small hill and the tracks head back down a 1% grade. Here, a coal load is cresting the top of the grade at east Mesa. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104175 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, March 20, 2012 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP K627 (West Mesa) Aurora, CO 1596 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific After spending the previous day in the mountains, this picture seemed particularly appropriate! This coal load is approaching the west end of Mesa on a clear signal. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104143 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, March 11, 2012 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP K625 (East Mesa) Aurora, CO 1723 (2 Comments Posted) Subdivision Railroad Limon (UP) Union Pacific About a mile east of the east switch of Mesa, this grain train has a warrant that'll take it another 30 miles without having to stop. It is up to track speed now and will quickly be leaving the Front Range of the Rockies behind. 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