Photo ID: 110566 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, June 9, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia to Orsa Castle Rock, CO 65 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF In between Sedalia and Orsa, a southbound BNSF J-Train (a special) rolls through an S-Curve. The train just crossed over East Plum Creek, or rather the dry creek bed as there currently is no water in the creek. The train, which includes new Department of Energy cars heading for the testing center near Avondale, CO. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110166 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, January 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Sedalia Douglas County, CO 123 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Between Castle Rock and Sedalia, a BNSF northbound snakes its way along on Main 2, parallel to CO-85. The train has a straight shot the rest of the way in to Denver, where it will terminate. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110155 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, January 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 113 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF BNSF 7654 and train are currently stopped on Main 1 in the small town of Sedalia, CO on the Joint Line. The train lost communication with the ETD (End of Train Device, sometimes referred to as a FRED). Consequently, the crew cannot tell if the air brakes on the train are working properly as they cannot see the amount of air in the brake line at the end of the train. After 45 minutes or so, the problem would be worked out, and the train would continue. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109912 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, December 17, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 167 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Sedalia is an unincorporated town along the Joint Line between Littleton and Castle Rock. As of the 2020 census, there were 177 residents in the town. Much of the town, including the "downtown" area, is actually located between Main 1 and Main 2 on the Joint Line. When there is a northbound and southbound passing through town simultaneously, the center part of town is cutoff (by car)! Here, a southbound crossing Manhart Avenue near the southeast side of town. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109911 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, December 17, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 131 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF On Main 1 at Sedalia, a southbound Q-train pulls up the grade with a pair of GEs on the point. The telephoto helps pull in the foothills of the Rockies in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109562 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sed Sedalia, CO 177 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Federal Railroad Administration The FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) has a handful of cars that it owns and can use for trips around the country. DOTX 220, which is part of the FRA Office of Safety, is paired with a gauge testing car on this particular day on the Joint Line. Note the lasers emanating from the bottom of the car, scanning for any defects that might require slow orders and repairs. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109561 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 138 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Federal Railroad Administration Commissioned in 2004, the FRA sends its "Gage Restraint Measurement Vehicle" out and over railroads around the United States. Beyond testing the gauge of rails, I am not certain what other functions it provides. If you look, you can see a fifth axle a little over halfway back. This is the axle that tests the gauge, and can be raised when testing is not in progress. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109560 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 141 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Union Pacific A pair of UP AC4400CWs pull a pair of FRA cars south on Main 1 in Sedalia. The FRA does indeed do periodic testing throughout the rail system in the United States. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109557 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 218 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This shot really highlights the location where the original Santa Fe grade crossed over (on a bridge) the original Rio Grande grade. With the creation of the Joint Line in World War 1, the bridge was removed and the tracks now run parallel through here, with a crossover between Main 1 and Main 2. The head end of this train is technically on track owned by BNSF while the back of the train is technically on track owned by UP. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109556 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 154 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A southbound BNSF coal load runs through an S-Curve on the south side of "downtown" Sedalia on the Joint Line. Main 1 is generally used for southbound traffic, has CTC (Centralized Traffic Control), and is controlled/dispatched by BNSF in Fort Worth. Main 2, which is located in the foreground, has TWC/ABS (Track Warrant Control with Automatic Block Signals), and is controlled/dispatched by UP in Omaha. 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: 108061 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 866 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF, Kansas City Southern Much to my delight, a Kansas City Southern ES44AC was bringing up the rear of this coal empty at Sedalia under cloudy skies. The unit was also facing the "right way" for a nice shot. Main 1 currently sits empty in the foreground, waiting for the next southbound to come grinding through south. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108060 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 733 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF If you've ever traveled on Hwy 85 around Sedalia, then you know you can pretty easily see Main 2 from the highway. However, you cannot see the rails for Main 1. That is because they are slightly lower than Main 2, hiding them from the highway. This is a location where Rio Grande and Santa Fe once crossed paths via a grade separation. Today, it is one of only two places between Littleton and Palmer Lake (the other being Big Lift) where there is a means of crossing over between the two mains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108044 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 23, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 845 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF An SD70ACe leads a southbound coal around the bend on Main 1 toward downtown Sedalia. The town of Sedalia would be a grea one to live in as a railfan as downtown is sandwiched by the Joint Line. Main 1 on the south side of downtown and Main 2 on the north side. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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