One of the relatively few Tier 4 units on BNSF's roster, an ET44C4, leads BNSF's Provo-Denver in the siding at Eisele (Clay).
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
BNSF's daily Provo-Denver manifest is sitting in the siding at Eisele (Clay), waiting on the Zephyr, which is just minutes away on Big Ten Curve. After the Zephyr, the train will continue east to Denver.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Some (fairly common) afternoon thunderstorms have spilled off the Colorado Rockies south of Denver and have now moved east onto the plains. As you can see, a fair amount of rain is falling with the storms, as a northbound Denver, CO to Laurel, MT manifest pulls north on the (un-signaled) Front Range Sub.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
I managed to "dumb luck" into coming across the Denver-Laurel manifest as it was departing Denver. Here, the train passes by RTD's final B-Line commuter rail station. This is the line that, ostensibly, is supposed to eventually reach Boulder. But, after money ran out, the line never made it beyond Westminster.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Most cabooses that you see these days are actually "shoving platforms", with their doors and windows bolted or welded closed. BNSF 999015, however, is still a legitimate caboose. It sports "BNSF HAZ MAT" on the side, and is currently assigned to the fire train based in Denver.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
BNSF 933014 is one of three special tank cars that contain (non potable) water. The tank cars are interconnected with hoses, and this third tank car is equipped with pumps that allows the water to be sprayed out. The hoses between cars allows all the water to flow between the three cars.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The exact cause of the fire here alongside Big Lift (and further south) is not known for sure, but it seems fairly likely that a passing train was throwing up some sparks and accidentally start a few brush fires. Here, BNSF's fire train is working to make sure the flames are done.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
BNSF's fire train spent several minutes at this particular spot, spraying water. Not sure if there was a specific concern of fire flaring up here, or if there was some other reason for the focus.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
It is very fascinating to me how some brush fires can actually leave quite a bit of unburned foliage behind. That appears to be the case here, as BNSF's fire train sprays water along the right-of-way. Although there are clouds building up, there would not be any rain to offer relief from the heat today.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
You can very clearly see the areas where a brush far has burned away foliage on both sides of Main 1 along the Joint Line. High temperatures this July have contributed to the fires, as all but three days (so far) have been 90ºF (33ºC).
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
BNSF's "fire train" is making a reverse move on Main 1 (in CTC limits) as firefights unleash water on a few smoldering hot spots from a small brush fire that started earlier in the day.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Several firefighters spray water, pumped through these special tank cars, on hot spots from a brush fire that started alongside the tracks. The train is actually making a slow reverse move here, making multiple applications to the hotspots.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Did you know that BNSF actually has a firefighting train that is based in Denver? I've seen it many, many times, sitting at the yard in Denver. However, this is the first time I've actually seen it in action! A few small brush fires along Main 1 south of Littleton.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
This is a spot that I have thought about shooting at, but I never got around to it until today! Love the wall of trees that this southbound unit coal train is passing as it cuts into the 1.2% grade. Uncountable thousands of coal trains have passed this way since the Powder River Basin really started mining in the mid-to-late 1980s.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A southbound coal load parallels I-25 just north of Larkspur. Main 1 sticks pretty close to I-25 from Castle Rock to the I-25 exit for Larkspur. There, the highway continues over the ridge to Greenland, while the tracks cut through Larkspur, keeping the grade to roughly 1.2%.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
