A very colorful (and well-powered) BNSF Provo-Denver manifest wraps its way through Little Ten curve near the west switch of Rocky. If nothing else, just having a trio of Warbonnets on the train is pretty dang nice!
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In brilliant morning light, an eastbound coal train makes its way through Little Ten Curve near the west end of Rocky. If only the lead unit had flags and wings! Still, I'm not complaining with the results.
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A nifty telephoto trick here with the MNYRO coming through Little Ten Curve near the west end of Rocky. The hopper cars on the right are actually close to a 1/4 mile back from the lead unit of the train!
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Sometimes, particularly in the summer, the clouds just simply don't cooperate with you. A little tip...in bad (overcast) lighting, I like to use black and white. When you bump up the contrast, you can still get a pretty descent (i.e. dramatic) shot. Such is the case here as the MNYRO charges west on the main at Rocky.
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The MNYRO enters Rocky on a clear signal. UP 1989 leads up the freight and the tail end can be seen still wrapping through Barbara's Gulch. The track to the left is the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead. The once-weekly LDB17 takes cars up the branch on Wednesdays.
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A pair of AC4400CWs push on the tail end of this coal empty as it works its way through Little Ten Curve at the west end of Rocky. Clouds peak over the mountains in the distance and check out the plains!
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A little help from BNSF! This Public Service coal empty, which is headed for the Energy Mine on the Craig Branch, has five units on the point, including a BNSF ES44AC.
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If only it were a few hours earlier! The eastbound coming through Clay is hiding in the shadows while a westbound ballast train waits on the main at Rocky.
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My eldest daughter - six years old here - stretches her legs and does a little posing for the camera as a westbound loaded ballast train approaches Little Ten Curve at the west end of Rocky.
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You can visibly see the decrease in snow as the tracks lose altitude along the Front Range. Above this train, you can see the tracks going through Clay. The train itself is now at Rocky, and there is considerably less snow. Note the mid-train swing helpers about to go through Little Ten Curve.
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An eastbound coal load approaches Little Ten at the west end of Rocky. The train is actually heading north (by the compass), but soon will make a long 150-ish degree curve toward the south and then back to the east.
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It was bound to happen sooner or later and on this day, it finally did! One of Kansas City Southern's new Retro-Belle units led a train over the Moffat. BNSF's Stockton to Denver (QSTDVJ) had KCS 4116 as the leader, as seen here coming into the siding at Rocky. The train would stop to meet the Rocky Local before continuing east.
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The head end power on this coal load is almost to MP 18. The end DPU (just coming into view) is right around MP 19.5! Close a mile and a half by rail, but only 3,200 feet as the crow flies. This is how trains have to gain altitude...the long and winding route!
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