Photo ID: 107948 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 945 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A slightly different perspective from Palmer Lake! A southbound coal load starts to pick up a little speed as it comes over the top of the hill. Decades ago, when there were still two tracks through Colorado Springs (Rio Grande and Santa Fe), the Santa Fe main (Main 2) would have been visible toward the top right of the picture, on the opposite side of the lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107947 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Palmer Lake Douglas County, CO 867 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF It is a rather light day, traffic wise, on the Joint Line on this New Year's Eve. This southbound coal train is nearing the top of the hill at Palmer Lake and has a clear signal on to the single track and all the way through Colorado Springs. Much of the landscape is still covered in snow from a storm that hit three days earlier. Cold temperatures has kept the snow on the ground. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107946 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Larkspur Larkspur, CO 940 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A slightly different perspective on a classic bridge on the Joint Line. This old Santa Fe bridge spans both West Fox Farm Road (closer) and Spruce Mountain Road (further) on the south edge of Larkspur. These two units are the tail end DPUs bringing up the back of this southbound coal train in wonderful afternoon light. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107945 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Larkspur Larkspur, CO 910 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Long have I wanted to be able to get a good vantage point of the old Santa Fe bridge on Main 1 on the south edge of Larkspur. Thanks to the advent of drone photography, it was finally possible on New Year's Eve 2019! A pair of BNSF SD70ACes lead a coal train south across the impressive bridge. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107944 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Larkspur Douglas County, CO 979 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF You could not ask for better lighting for this southbound coal train as it approaches the Sky View Lane grade crossing just a few miles north of Larkspur. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107943 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO 894 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF An AC4400CW and an ES44AC bring up the tail end of this southbound coal load rolling along at about 15 MPH on Main 1. The train is climbing toward the top of the hill at Palmer Lake, and all four units on the train are in Run 8. In the distance, you can see one of Colorado's "14ers", Pikes Peak. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107942 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO 974 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Just south of Castle Rock (visible near the top left corner of the shot), a southbound BNSF coal load rumbles slowly along on Main 1, parallel to I-25. The Colorado Department of Transportation is undergoing a major project to add toll lanes to I-25 between Castle Rock and Monument. Main 2, currently unoccupied, is visible in the distance toward the top right of the shot. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107941 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO 849 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF The SD70ACe was a pretty large success for EMD, at least up through the Tier 3 model. The Tier 4 model, known as the SD70ACe-T4, has not yet found much success. UP ordered 100 units, but those have largely been kept in storage so far, allegedly due to some technical difficulties. These BNSF SD70ACes are leading a southbound coal load in Castle Rock. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107940 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO 976 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF On the north edge of Castle Rock, a pair of SD70ACes lead a southbound coal load on Main 1 along the seldom-used siding of Orsa. The train is approaches the relatively new North Meadows Drive underpass and will also pass by Castle View High School. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107939 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed North of Sedalia Sedalia, CO 928 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Just north of Sedalia, a southbound BNSF coal load makes its way south on Main 1 of the Joint Line. Main 1 is now entirely CTC and is dispatched by BNSF. Main 2 is still ABS with track warrants and is dispatched by UP. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106548 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 1749 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Utah Railway, BNSF This will be the last time I see Utah Railway MK50-3 #5005. Well, I may see the unit again, but if I do, it'll be under KYLE Railroad ownership. This southbound BNSF manifest is approaching a yellow (Approach) signal between Castle Rock and Tomah Road. Note the new signals that have been erected (though not yet activated) on either side of Main 1. BNSF is in the process of slowly adding CTC to Main 1! Main 2 is likely to follow suit, in which case trains can easily be run in either direction, on either main, between Littleton and Palmer Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106547 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 1995 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Utah Railway Utah Railway's six MK50-3s lived on the roster for about 16 years, from 2001 to 2017. Utah Railway has typically leased its power, rather than buy it outright. The long term leases usually last anywhere from 10-15 years. That's how Utah Railway has had such a colorful variety of power over the years, including Alcos, ex-BN F45s, ex-SP SD45s, SD40s, and these MK50-3s. With their coal contracts complete and the leases up, the MK50-3s are being shipped to the KYLE Railroad. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106546 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 1810 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Utah Railway I do wish that this MK50-3 could have been turned around as the lighting was just perfect for a nice roster shot. Ah well! At least I was able to get a shot of UTAH 5005 on its journey south on the Joint Line. The unit is headed for the KYLE Railroad, its new owner. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106545 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO 1687 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A southbound BNSF manifest heads south on Main 1 on the Joint Line, running on yellow signals. The train is following a slow-moving coal train just a few miles ahead. On the far right is I-25, with two crowded lanes of traffic in both directions. To left of that is the I-25 Frontage Road, which many cars utilize between Tomah Road and Castle Rock. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106544 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 2, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO 1930 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Utah Railway I shot UTAH 5005 several times on various trips over to Utah. It was great seeing it and its five siblings running on coal trains on Soldier Summit. Alas, after a century of hauling coal, Utah Railway lost their last coal contract at the end of 2016. They now serve businesses primarily between Provo and Ogden, largely interchanging traffic with BNSF. I never thought I'd see one of these MK50-3s on the Joint Line! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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