Photo ID: 108386 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Larkspur Douglas County, CO 896 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF As storms start to build in the late morning, a northbound BNSF "blade train" clips along at track speed on Main 2 in between Larkspur and Castle Rock. While I knew a northbound was coming, the blade train was unexpected and a welcome surprise rather than the typical coal empty. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108385 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Sedalia Douglas County, CO 953 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Union Pacific Even if you are familiar with the Joint Line, the location of this spot may not immediately jump out at you! This bridge at MP 26.5 is a bit secluded and hard to see from US-85. The bridge crosses over East Plumb Creek and a pair of UP units bring a loaded coal train across the bridge. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108384 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Sedalia Douglas County, CO 975 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Union Pacific In between Louviers and Sedalia, UP 8837 and UP 7221 have this southbound coal load moving along well. The train is set up in a 2x2x1 configuration, actually giving it more horsepower than BNSF coal load on the Joint Line, which run 2x0x2. The extra unit makes a significant difference, and the train is making 20 MPH whereas BNSF trains are usually limited to 12-15 MPH. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108383 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Lift Douglas County, CO 986 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Union Pacific A southbound UP coal load on Main 1 grinds past Big Lift a few miles south of Littleton. Big Lift was originally built by Santa Fe to server as an intermodal facility. The intermodal trains ran between Denver (well, here at Big Lift) and La Junta, CO and vice versa starting in the late 1980s. The intermodal trains did not last, and the facility has been repurposed as an auto facility for BNSF. If you buy a car in the Denver-Metro area, there is a chance your car arrived via train and Big Lift! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108059 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Larkspur Douglas County, CO 755 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Main 2 north of Larkspur moves along the base of some lush hills, across the way from I-25 and Main 1. There is no real great way to access Main 2 from the ground, but I always though there could be a great shot of it if it could be accessed. Fortunately, modern technology finally made that possible as this elephant-style coal empty makes its way north. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108052 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 744 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This coal load is sitting stopped at an Approach (yellow) signal at MP 50.5 on Main 1. The dispatcher has some northbound trains aligned through the single track and on to Main 2 ahead at Palmer Lake. Coal trains will often sit at this signal when they know they cannot proceed beyond Palmer Lake. The train is straddling "the sag", which allows the traction motors on the units to cool after the long and hard climb up from Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108047 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Larkspur Douglas County, CO 879 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A different perspective of a southbound at Skyview Lane, north of Larkspur. I-25 fairly closely parallels Main 1 between Castle Rock and Skyview Lane, whereas Main 2 is much farther to the east, and much harder to get pictures of! No northbounds at the moment, but you can see the rails of Main 2 in the foreground. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108046 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 784 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF From a slightly elevated perch, the rock from which the town of Castle Rock gets its name is clearly visible to the right. Construction on adding a new toll lane in both directions of I-25 continue to progress. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108045 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 770 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF The minor changes in grade are apparent on Main 1, south of Castle Rock. However, the predominate grade is still a step one, meaning the four units on this southbound coal load (two on the point, two on the rear) are all in Run 8 and working as hard as they can to keep the 124-car coal train rolling south. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107947 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 866 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF It is a rather light day, traffic wise, on the Joint Line on this New Year's Eve. This southbound coal train is nearing the top of the hill at Palmer Lake and has a clear signal on to the single track and all the way through Colorado Springs. Much of the landscape is still covered in snow from a storm that hit three days earlier. Cold temperatures has kept the snow on the ground. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107944 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Larkspur Douglas County, CO 979 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF You could not ask for better lighting for this southbound coal train as it approaches the Sky View Lane grade crossing just a few miles north of Larkspur. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106548 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 1749 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Utah Railway, BNSF This will be the last time I see Utah Railway MK50-3 #5005. Well, I may see the unit again, but if I do, it'll be under KYLE Railroad ownership. This southbound BNSF manifest is approaching a yellow (Approach) signal between Castle Rock and Tomah Road. Note the new signals that have been erected (though not yet activated) on either side of Main 1. BNSF is in the process of slowly adding CTC to Main 1! Main 2 is likely to follow suit, in which case trains can easily be run in either direction, on either main, between Littleton and Palmer Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106547 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 1995 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Utah Railway Utah Railway's six MK50-3s lived on the roster for about 16 years, from 2001 to 2017. Utah Railway has typically leased its power, rather than buy it outright. The long term leases usually last anywhere from 10-15 years. That's how Utah Railway has had such a colorful variety of power over the years, including Alcos, ex-BN F45s, ex-SP SD45s, SD40s, and these MK50-3s. With their coal contracts complete and the leases up, the MK50-3s are being shipped to the KYLE Railroad. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106546 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 1810 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Utah Railway I do wish that this MK50-3 could have been turned around as the lighting was just perfect for a nice roster shot. Ah well! At least I was able to get a shot of UTAH 5005 on its journey south on the Joint Line. The unit is headed for the KYLE Railroad, its new owner. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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