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Photo ID: 106531
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Sterling
Sterling, CO
1526
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Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots BNSF
This southbound is coming off the south end of the BNSF Angora Sub and is entering Restricted Limits at Sterling, leaving CTC bhind. The track way off to the far right is UP's track which runs to Julesburg, CO and the Overland Route. That track only sees about a train a week, when a local runs from Julesburg to Sterling and back.
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Photo ID: 106532
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Sterling
Sterling, CO
1371
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots Union Pacific
UP has a very minor presence in Sterling. They have a small, one-room yard office and (at this time) a single GP38-2 for switching. UP serves a few industries in Sterling, the cars for which are handled by a weekly local out of Julesburg, CO.
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Photo ID: 106533
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Sterling
Sterling, CO
1374
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots BNSF
After a quick crew change at the BNSF yard office a few blocks to the northeast, this westbound coal train is ready to continue toward Denver. The train had been a southbound on the Angora Sub, but has now switched to a westbound for the journey on the Brush Sub. The train is passing UP's yard office.
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Photo ID: 106534
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
MP 65.2
Atwood, CO
1228
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Julesburg (UP) BNSF
After leaving Sterling, I was able to get quite a ways ahead of this westbound BNSF coal train. I had some time to kill on the shoulder of US-6 and decided to setup for an "artsy" shot utilizing the rearview mirror!
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Photo ID: 106535
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
MP 65.2
Atwood, CO
1324
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Julesburg (UP) BNSF
BNSF's operation in northeast Colorado is something of an interesting one. BNSF's tracks stop in Sterling with the end of the Angora Sub to the north. BNSF's tracks do not start again until Union, CO, roughly 23 miles southwest of Sterling. Between Sterling and Union, BNSF trains operate on UP's Julesburg Sub. This UP line once ran from the Overland Route in Julesburg, CO to La Salle, CO. However, UP abandoned the tracks between Union and Greeley about 30 years ago. As a result, UP has no traffic at all between Sterling and Union. So even though UP owns the track, BNSF dispatches it! The 23 miles of track is governed by Track Warrants and Automatic Block Signals (ABS). There is a single siding over that 23 mile stretch...the siding of Messex which is 6,910 feet long. But because it is Track Warrants (and, thus, hand throws), very few meets actually take place there. Here, a westbound BNSF coal load passes by classic UP signals at Atwood.
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Photo ID: 106536
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Merino
Merino, CO
1252
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Julesburg (UP) BNSF
Just southwest of Merino, CO, US-6 crosses over from the north side of the tracks to the south side. A little elevation offers a nice shot of this westbound BNSF coal train, running at close to track speed (50 MPH).
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Photo ID: 106537
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Union
Morgan County, CO
1723
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Brush (BNSF) BNSF
At Union, this westbound BNSF coal load is now back on CTC as the DPU crosses County Road 34.2. The tracks leave the road here and cross the South Platte River before going through Hillrose, CO on the way to Brush.
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Photo ID: 106538
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Union
Morgan County, CO
1273
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Julesburg (UP) Union Pacific, BNSF
Once upon a time (about 30 years ago), there would have been a switch in this shot. This is where the UP Julesburg Sub continue on to La Salle and the BN line (now the BNSF Brush Sub) broke away to head to Brush and Denver. Now, there is simply a signal on their side. The track beyond the signal is in TWC/ABS limits and is owned by Union Pacific (although dispatched by BNSF). The track on the photographer's side of the signal is in CTC limits and is owned by BNSF. There is no train currently coming from behind the photographer. The signal is green because it is an automatic block signal. Since there is no track occupancy beyond the signal (or in the block beyond that), the signal is green.
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Photo ID: 106539
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Brush
Brush, CO
1607
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Subdivision
Railroad
Brush (BNSF) BNSF
At the location known as "Brush Center" (in Brush, CO), this BNSF coal load joins with the Akron Sub to continue west on the Brush Sub toward Denver.
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Photo ID: 106540
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, April 1, 2017 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Brush
Brush, CO
1609
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Brush (BNSF) BNSF
After a rainy few days, a nice, reflective puddle of water pooled up near the tracks at the signal at Brush Center. Train headed the opposite direction here can either continue on the Brush Sub to the north, or the Akron Sub to the east.
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