Photo ID: 113416 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 30, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 62 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF The snow looks to really be coming down hard here at Palmer Lake on the last day of November as a southbound coal load rolls away from the camera. The telephoto shot is actually making it appear to be snowing a bit harder than it actually is, but it is good to see a little precipitation coming down. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113415 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 30, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 45 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A pair of relatively new ES44ACHs (or ES44AHs) bring up the tail end of a southbound coal load on the single track main just south of Palmer Lake. This is the closest to a winter scene we've had so far in the 2025-2026 winter season. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113414 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 30, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 67 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF At the top of the Palmer Divide we find Palmer Lake at an elevation of roughly 7,200 feet above sea level. In the summer, the lake is a popular hang out for kids and family, using innertubes to play in the water. Things are significantly colder here at the end of November, the thermometer indicating 18°F (-8°C) outside. A BNSF coal load crests the top of the divide and gets ready to now head down grade to Pueblo and beyond. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113413 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 30, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 60 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Single track ahead! At Palmer Lake, two tracks come to an end and there is now a single track main for the next 32 miles. Snow is falling at a decent click here roughly 7,200 feet above sea level as a southbound coal load comes through the OS of Palmer Lake, right at MP 52. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113412 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 30, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 46 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF BNSF 3297 is looking a green signal at the "top of the hill" at Palmer Lake. A bit of snow is falling here at elevation, although nothing is really sticking to the ground. The track next to the main was often used way back in the caboose era. Heave coal trains sometimes had rear (manned) helpers cut in ahead of the caboose. The caboose would be temporarily set out in the side track so the manned helpers could run around and then attach the caboose to the back of the train. These days, of course, there is no need for such things, so the tracks has fallen into disrepair. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113411 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, November 30, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Greenland to Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 71 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Like the thousands of coal trains over decades before it, another southbound wraps its way through the S-curves just south of "The Sag" on Main 1 on the approach the Palmer Lake and the top of the climb. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113248 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Greenland to Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 71 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF BNSF typically keeps a "protection" unit on the stub track off of Main 1 just north of Palmer Lake. Southbound coal load typically can just make the climb up the grade from Denver to Palmer Lake with four units. However, if one fails, a rescue unit is needed. BNSF 6035 currently has that job, sitting and waiting on the stub track if or when it is needed. A southbound coal load, with all four of its unit online, pass by on Main 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112897 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake to Monument Palmer Lake, CO 365 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Amtrak A final look at this Amtrak special as it rolls south on the single track main between Palmer Lake and Monument. I had to get back up to Denver, so I was unable to chase the special any further south. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112896 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 386 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Amtrak On the south side of Palmer Lake, AMTK 22 and AMTK 134 are leading this Amtrak special south on the now-single track mainline on the Joint Line. The train is headed for the Transportation Technology Center just east of Pueblo, CO. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112895 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 367 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Amtrak At the "top of the hill", a reference to the highest point on the Palmer Divide at 7,297 feet (2,225 meters) above sea level, this Amtrak special is now on the single main track as it passes by Palmer Lake. As you can see, many people are out and enjoying the beautiful clear skies on this Friday morning, most likely unaware of the rare move passing by them. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112894 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Greenland to Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 333 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Amtrak This Amtrak Cascade's AIRO train set was built by Siemens in California. It is currently being taken by Amtrak to the TTC near Pueblo for testing. Of note, the Amtrak crew on this train are accompanied by a BNSF "pilot" crew. The Amtrak crew is, of course, not familiar with the Joint Line, so the BNSF crew goes with them to ensure the Amtrak crew knows everything they need to know about the route. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112893 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Greenland to Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 334 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Amtrak Amtrak Cascade's AIRO train set rolls by Carpenter Creek on Main 1, just north of "The Sag" on the Joint Line. The train is about four miles away from the top of Palmer Divide at Palmer Lake. The train set is headed for the Transportation Technology Center near Pueblo, CO for testing. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112892 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Greenland to Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 346 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Amtrak AMTK 22 and AMTK 134 lead an Amtrak Special southbound on Main 1 on the Joint Line, passes by a small pond that is part of Carpenter Creek, just a few miles north of Palmer Lake. Amtrak running on the Joint Line is exceptionally rare. Indeed, I believe this is the first time I've ever shot Amtrak equipment on the Joint Line. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112758 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 14, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 348 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Cresting the top the Palmer Divide at Palmer Lake, BNSF 6574 heads south on the single track main. Numerous people are enjoying the warm day, taking paddle boards out onto Palmer Lake itself. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112757 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 14, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Greenland to Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 407 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF As this southbound manifest approaches Palmer Lake on Main 1, take not of the abandoned track to the right. Back in the days of cabooses and manned helpers on coal trains, the manned helpers would sometimes be cut in ahead of the caboose. In those situations, the helpers would cut off the train and enter this track, leaving the caboose on Main 1 for the coal train to back up to, connect to, and continue south. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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