Photo ID: 105378 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed The Sag (MP 50) Palmer Lake, CO 2220 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This southbound BNSF manifest is just starting to pull south from "The Sag", about two miles north of Palmer Lake. While some coal trains stop here to cool off their traction motors after the climb from Denver, that was not the case with this train. No trains ran through Colorado Springs on this day due to a large maintenance window. This southbound had actually been tied down here for much of the day. The new crew is now on and is starting the pull toward Palmer Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105379 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed The Sag (MP 50) Palmer Lake, CO 2015 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A major summer thunderstorm passed through the area about an hour earlier. You can see the dark clouds now moving off to the east as a southbound BNSF manifest pulls through "The Sag" on Main 1, about two miles north of Palmer Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105380 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed The Sag (MP 50) Palmer Lake, CO 1773 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Hard to believe that it has now been ten years since BNSF changed its name from "Burlington Northern Santa Fe" to simply "BNSF" and introduced the "New Image" scheme. In that same time period, a new GE model caught wild fire with BNSF management. That model, seen here on the point of this southbound manifest, is the ES44C4. As of this photo, it is unique to BNSF. The center axle on both trucks is not powered, making this an A1A-A1A unit. BNSF first started testing this model toward the beginning of 2009. Six year later, they have over 1,100 on the roster! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105381 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 2072 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF The top of the hill! Southbounds leaving Denver on the Joint Line have a steady climb on a grade averaging between 1% and 1.4% up to Palmer Lake at the top of the Palmer Divide. At roughly 7,300 feet above sea level, the Palmer Divide separates runoff between the Arkansas River (to the south) and the South Platte River (to the north). It is also where double track (and directional running) ends and the single track begins (when headed south). This southbound manifest is just about to hit the switch, entering the single track main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105382 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 1866 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF I don't generally get the opportunity to be in Palmer Lake in the evening as I'm usually headed back home on days I chase on the Joint Line. On this particularly day, however, I was driving home from Colorado Springs after a short business trip. So, I decided to set up for a shot on the west side of Palmer Lake as this southbound BNSF manifest was coming through town. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105383 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Spruce (MP 48.8) Spruce, CO 1883 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This southbound manifest was just recrewed at Greenland after having spent a good portion of the day tied down on Main 1. Track maintenance in Colorado Springs was preventing trains from running in either direction for a good part of the day. Here, the train is on the move at Spruce as dark storm clouds linger to the east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105384 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Spruce (MP 48.8) Spruce, CO 1887 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A beautiful afternoon along the Joint Line a couple miles north of Palmer Lake. A strong afternoon thunderstorm has moved east, leaving fantastic afternoon lightning and awesome colors in its wake. A southbound coal load is pulling toward Palmer lake on clear signals. Oh how I wish the days of five units on the point of coal trains was still here! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105385 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, July 21, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Spruce (MP 48.8) Spruce, CO 2083 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This southbound BNSF coal load is climbing the 1.4% grade on Main 1 about three miles north of Palmer Lake. Once at Palmer Lake, the train with throttle back and start the descent toward Colorado Springs, Pueblo, La Junta, and places beyond. Clouds from a large summer thunderstorm make for a dramatic looking sky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.