This is the second coal train within a few weeks to arrive in Denver with a solid set of CSX power. The truly amazing part of this is that the SD40-2 that led was not removed or replaced when it arrived. Here, the train is headed west through Barbara's Gulch.
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Do not attempt to adjust your monitor! Here, in 2017, an SD40-2 is leading a westbound coal empty on the Moffat. Not only is it an SD40-2, but it is a Dark Future CSX SD40-2. Unheard of!
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Rail trains are actually quite cool as they transport welded rail. For those that are unaware, each rail that you see on this train is a single piece of steel about a quarter of a mile long. Each rail runs the length of the entire rail train. The rail simply bends around curves as the train moves down the track.
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A pair of SD70Ms lead a westbound rail train in Barbara's Gulch. The train is about to pass underneath CO-93 whose bridge was replaced about 15 years ago. The old bridge did not have a chain link fence along the road and allowed for photos from above the bridge.
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At the west end of Barbara's Gulch, a westbound rail train grinds up the grade toward a Diverging Approach (red over yellow) signal at the east end of Rocky.
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On a beautiful February day (that set a new record high in the Denver area at 72°F), an eastbound BNSF manifest glides past the old Mesa Oil plant located off CO-72. Mesa Oil moved to a new location in Denver over a year ago, removing a customer for UP's West Local to service. The plant has stood abandoned since Mesa Oil left.
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A Canadian National ES44DC - one of only 125 on the roster - visits Colorado on a BNSF manifest. I have to admit that I am a fan of the Canadian National paint scheme. Simple yet classy!
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After meeting a coal empty at Rocky, this Provo-Denver manifest is now rolling east through Barbara's Gulch with a clear shot the rest of the way into town. The original crew that took the train out of Grand Junction could only make it as far as Cliff. There, a Denver-based relief crew took over for the rest of the journey into Denver.
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The lead unit on this BNSF manifest is one of the newest units on BNSF's roster. BNSF had some "carbon credits" that they used to purchase some Tier-3 ES44C4s in 2017. BNSF 4204 is one such example of the credit units. It was delivered at the start of February.
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This westbound sand train, moving away from the camera, likely has all units on the train in Run 8 right now in order to maintain the 13 MPH they are currently mustering. However, they will likely throttle back to Run 7 as they come around Big Ten Curve, which happens to be visible near the top of the frame. High winds are necessitating a 10 MPH slow around for all trains around the curve.
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This shot is certainly on the wrong side of the tracks, lighting-wise, but I still like the look of the BNSF sand train pushing through the last bit of Barbara's Gulch as the train approaches Rocky.
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Looking over the top of this sand train in the foreground, we find a pair of units (an ES44AC and an SD70ACe) shoving on the tail end of the train, giving the train a total of 21,600 horsepower.
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A wider angled shot of Barbara's Gulch lets you see the actual gulch that the tracks follow on the approach to Rocky. A westbound BNSF sand train creeps along at 13 MPH through the gulch on clear signals.
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The westbound sand trains that BNSF has been running on the Moffat are quite heavy. And that is fortunate for me as it gives me plenty of time to reposition ahead of the train! After shooting the train near east Leyden, I was able to get ahead of it and set up in Barbara's Gulch for this shot. The train is making less than 15 MPH.
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If you look closely in this 400mm telephoto shot, not only can you see the tail end of the MRONY (with the CP DPU), but you can also see the four UP units on the point. They are located just to the left of the head of the intermediate (red) signal.
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