Photo ID: 104556 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 23, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Golden Golden, CO 1601 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Golden (BNSF) BNSF I have always been a fan of both the GP30 and the GP35. The smaller center radiator fan always made both of them a little different and fun to shoot. Ironically, GP35s seemed to disappear faster than GP30s (from the Class 1's). BNSF rebuilt a lot of them, creating GP30u's and GP35u's. One such example is GP35u 2572, sitting in the upper yard at Golden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104555 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 23, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Golden Golden, CO 1590 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Golden (BNSF) BNSF The power for the "Golden Switch" for the past week has included a very sharp looking GP35u and an SD40-2. It is the first time that I can specifically recall in which a four axle unit has served on the local. For many years, the local has always run with a pair of SD40-2s. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104554 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Ridge Road Arvada, CO 1769 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Golden (BNSF) BNSF With its switching duties for the day complete, the Golden Switch wobbles west down the Golden Sub back toward Golden at the foot of the Colorado Rockies. You can clearly see in this picture that the branch line has jointed rail and the max speed on the line is 20 MPH. If you are a beer drinker and enjoy Coors' products, then there is a pretty good chance your beer once rolled down these exact rails! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104553 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Ridge Road Arvada, CO 1563 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Golden (BNSF) BNSF For many years now, the Golden Switch has always utilized a pair of SD40-2s to perform all its switching duties. About three weeks ago, that changed as on of the SD40-2s was swapped for BNSF 2572, a GP35u. While it has been rebuilt, it still retains the standard GP35 car body, complete with a smaller center radiator fan! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104552 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Ridge Road Arvada, CO 2123 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Golden (BNSF) BNSF Considering the fact that it is a branch line, the Golden Sub is still fairly busy during the course of a 24 hour period. There are four "Beer Run" trains: two from Denver to Golden and two from Golden to Denver. The Beer Run primarily serves the Coors Brewing plant in Golden. However, the westbound Beer Run also brings cars for industries along the line. Those cars are dropped and sorted in a small yard in Golden. Then, five days a week, BNSF's Golden Switch runs east out of the yard in Golden and switches industries all along the track. In this scene, the Golden Switch is headed back for the yard in Golden. Its switching duties done for the day. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104551 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Ridge Road Arvada, CO 2030 (2 Comments Posted) Subdivision Railroad Golden (BNSF) BNSF On the way home after work, I was driving on Ridge Road and spied headlights on an approaching westbound on BNSF's Golden Sub. The headlights belonged to the Golden Switch, a local headed back to the yard at Golden. Note the tracks to the left. These tracks will ultimately serve as the commuter rail for the "Gold Line". This is a part of the FasTracks project that was started after a voter-approved tax increase in 2004. The line is scheduled to open in 2016. Tracks are being laid early here as BNSF will actually use the tracks temporarily (as a shoofly) so the existing tracks the local is on can be moved south (to the right). BNSF requires 25 feet of separation between their tracks and the commuter tracks. Otherwise, a retaining wall must be built (to protect the BNSF tracks from a possible commuter train derailment). To avoid that expense, BNSFs tracks will be shifted. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104546 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 17, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Titan Road Littleton, CO 2243 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This was the proverbial "money shot" for the day of the Norfolk Southern "Pennsy" Heritage Unit. While it was disappointing that the heritage unit was on the point, it was nice that it was facing southbound. This picture was taken from the Titan Road overpass on the south side of Littleton. If you look closely, you can see two deer bouncing around on the far right side of the picture. One of these deer was just a jump away from never seeing another sunrise! Fortunately, it jump left instead of right, which would have landed it directly in front of the plow. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104545 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 17, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Littleton Littleton, CO 2148 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF For southbounds, Littleton marks the location where CTC (and three main tracks) is left behind in favor of TWC/ABS (and only two main tracks). While southbounds may find themselves on any of the three tracks leading up to Littleton, south of Littleton they nearly always find themselves on Main 1. Such is the case here as a pair of GEs lead a BNSF manifest south on Main 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104544 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 17, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South Denver Denver, CO 2191 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF More often than not, South Denver is a pretty good place to find a few parked trains. When there is insufficient space in BNSF's Denver Yard and/or insufficient crews, northbounds coming off the Joint Line will frequently tie down on Main 2 or Main 3 along the triple track, starting at South Denver. They never tie down on Main 1. Granted at least one main needs to remain open, but it is always Main 1 because Main 1 is actually owned by UP. Main 2 and Main 3 are both owned by BNSF. Granted BNSF dispatches all three mains. BNSF also had trains tied down in the sidings at LoDo and Hogan's Alley. In this shot, a pair of coal empties sit on Main 2 (closest) and Main 3 (furthest) at South Denver, awaiting crews that will take them north. Main 1 lies empty in the foreground. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104542 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 17, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Hogans Alley Denver, CO 1924 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF, NS A quick roster shot of both BNSF 5282 and NS 8102. Both are somewhat unique (as of this date). While BNSF 5282 might not seem particularly special, it is actually one of the few "New Image" (or "Swoosh") C44-9Ws on BNSF's roster. They haven't repainted too many C44-9Ws yet in the latest scheme. NS 8102, of course, is one of Norfolk Southern's numerous heritage units. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104541 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 17, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Hogans Alley Denver, CO 2030 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF President's Day 2014 ended up being the first time I personally saw one of Norfolk Southern's Heritage Units. Specifically, the Pennsy unit (NS 8102). It came to Denver the day before on a BNSF manifest. It had a quick turnaround and was headed back south in the afternoon on BNSF's HDENAMS (Denver, CO to Amarillo, TX). Unfortunately, as seen here, the heritage unit did not lead. However, one of the few "New Image" or "Swoosh" painted BNSF C44-9Ws was on the point. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104532 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 9, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Tolland, CO 2141 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A BNSF manifest with an interesting consist sits in the siding at Tolland in the quickly falling snow. The crew will be here for a little over an hour while waiting on an eastbound still on the west side of the divide. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104531 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 9, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Tolland, CO 2000 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The snow has picked up a bit at Tolland where we find a westbound BNSF manifest (headed for Provo thanks to trackage rights) stopped short of the crossing in the siding and it is here the train will have to wait for another 70 minutes. The Moffat Tunnel is currently venting (after a westbound coal empty went through). And, after venting, an eastbound will get a turn at the tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104524 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 9, 2014 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS038 (West Cliff) Pinecliff, CO 1680 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF West Cliff is one of three locations on the Moffat (east of the tunnel) where UP has not yet replaced the signals. You can see the classic target signal standing along the main on the right side of this shot. Meanwhile, a colorful Denver-Provo manifest sits in the siding to allow the westbound Zephyr to pass. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 104484 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, October 19, 2013 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Lodo Denver, CO 1978 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF When EMD first introduced the SD9043MAC, I wasn't crazy about the car body. But, I must admit, over the years (and through the models...from SD9043MAC to SD70ACe), the look has grown on me. I am still not crazy about the funky notch-nose, but otherwise, I like the look of the SD70ACe. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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