Even though it is on the plains, there are still a fair number of rolling hills and cuts in southeastern Colorado. As a result, there are smalls trestles from time to time to handle spring time flooding!
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A few miles south of Las Animas Junction finds this coal load charging up the 1% grade. Ever since September 3, 2003, only southbounds run on the Boise City Sub south of Las Animas Junction.
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After receiving a track warrant to proceed south, elephant-style GE's lead the Denver, CO to Belen, NM manifest south out of Las Animas Junction on the Boise City sub.
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The signal in the distance was dark for this manifest, which is creeping along at restricted speed. It may have been the 5°F weather that was contributing to signal problems. Note the coal load that is riding on the yellows of this manifest.
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A pair of C44-9Ws in H2 paint sandwich a Warbonnet C40-8W on the point of BNSF's Denver, CO to Belen, NM manifest. The train is running on the single track main between La Junta and Las Animas.
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After meeting the Southwest Chief, this southbound manifest is preparing to depart for Las Animas Junction on its way to Belen, NM.
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The last DPU units on this coal load pass over the Spring Switch at the west end of La Junta. This track is governed by ABS and track warrants, which is why there is only a single head on the signal even though there is a switch.
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By dawn's early light, this coal load is just about to leave the Pueblo Subdivision behind as it arrives in La Junta. Here, the train will receive a crew change before continuing on toward Texas.
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Just a couple miles north of Palmer Lake and we catch a meeting between a southbound manifest and a northbound coal empty. The manifest is headed for Kansas City while the coal empty is headed for the Antelope Mine in the Powder River Basin. The last spec of light from the day shines on the ES44ACs leading the coal empty.
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Literally minutes before the sun set behind the mountains, this BNSF manifest is nearing the top of the hill on the Joint Line at Palmer Lake. The train is on Main 1...you can see Main 2 in the background.
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BNSF's Denver, CO to Kansas City, MO manifest comes through the horseshoe curve along I-25 at Castle Rock.
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A pair of C44-9Ws lead up a nine-hour-late California Zephyr about 30 miles northeast of Denver along I-76. The train is running on clear signals on the approach to Tonville.
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BNSF's Denver, CO to Edgemont, SD manifest is pulling into siding at Tonville. Here, the train will wait for about 45 minutes for a very late westbound California Zephyr.
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A BNSF local is heading toward the Oil Refinery plant in Commerce City. The train is being led by a nicely painted GP38 and a GP40M.
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A clear signal at the east switch of Bijou indicates that a westbound train is approaching. That train is the Chicago to Denver Z-Train. However, despite the clear signal, the train would not arrive until well after the sunset.
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