Photo ID: 109642 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 351 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This southbound coal load has reached "the top of the hill" at Palmer Lake. Here, the Joint Line crests the Palmer Divide at 7,300 feet above sea level. This is now single track territory for the next 25 miles or so. The train will shifting in to dynamic brake mode now for the downgrade journey. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109641 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed The Sag Douglas County, CO 179 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF The head end of BNSF 9015 is descending down "The Sag" just north of Palmer Lake. On warm summer days when the traction motors on units are really hot, southbound coal loads will sometimes stop here at The Sag to allow the traction motors to cool before continuing south. On this October afternoon, the temperature is around 60°F, so the train will continue rolling south to Palmer Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109640 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed The Sag Douglas County, CO 340 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Prior to World War 1, when Rio Grande and Santa Fe operated their own mains separate from one another, there were several places where the two lines crossed one another. Few places are as apparent of this old artifact as at "The Sag" just north of Palmer Lake. Here, Santa Fe's main crossed over Rio Grande's main. The abutments of the bridge are still quite apparent, even though the bridge itself has been gone for over a century. with the creation of the joint line, the crossover were removed and the tracks of each railroad were connected to create the Joint Line. Here, the head end of this coal train is now on track owned by UP and the back end of the train is still on track owned by BNSF. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109639 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Spruce Douglas County, CO 286 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A southbound BNSF coal train continues the journey south on Main 1 just north of Palmer Lake. A nice pod offers up a great scene on a Sunday afternoon. Between the train and the pond, you can see the rails for Main 2. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109638 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Greenland Greenland, CO 179 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A BNSF coal load slowly grinds up the grade just south of Greenland. The train is just a few miles away from the "top of the hill" at Palmer Lake. There, the train will have successfully conquered Palmer Divide, and will continue downgrade on the single track main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109637 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Larkspur Larkspur, CO 299 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A pair of BNSF SD70ACes lead this southbound coal train across the old Santa Fe bridge on the south edge of Larkspur on a beautiful October morning. Unfortunately, this coal train had an ill-fated future as in 2 1/2 hours, it will derail just south of Bragdon when crossing over I-25. The crew on the train, thank God, will be okay. However, a semi truck driver, caught in the derailment, would not survive. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109636 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Castle Rock Douglas County, CO 160 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Along the I-25 frontage road, a southbound BNSF coal train passes by an intermediate signal at MP 38.6. The train is led by a pair of EMD SD70ACe. The train is heading almost directly into the sun, so both sides of the train are largely in the shadows. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109629 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Spruce Douglas County, CO 144 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A southbound BNSF coal load slowly climbs the grade on Main 1 as a northbound military train sits stopped on Main 2. The military train departed Fort Carson a few hours earlier, and unfortunately tripped a dragging equipment detector. The conductor is currently walking the train to find the culprit. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109628 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Spruce Douglas County, CO 136 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF An ES44AC and an SD70ACe lead this coal train south on Main 1, just south of Greenland. As we get deeper in to fall and closer to winter, the landscape loses more and more color, turning to a relatively flat yellow-brown color. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109627 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed South of Larkspur Douglas County, CO 141 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Just south of Larkspur, a southbound BNSF coal load navigates the curves on Main 1 as the train continues toward Greenland, Palmer Lake, and beyond. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109626 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Larkspur Larkspur, CO 138 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A trio of units serve as the rear DPU on this southbound coal load. The train is crossing over Spruce Mountain Road and West Fox Farm Road as it continues south toward Greenland. Spruce Mountain Road (on the left) is the road that will take cars further south to Palmer Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109625 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Larkspur Larkspur, CO 129 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF On the south edge of the small town of Larkspur, a southbound BNSF coal load crosses over the classic "Santa Fe" lettered bridge. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109624 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed BNSF Engine House Denver, CO 138 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Yard Shots BNSF There is a typical sea of orange at BNSF's Engine House in Denver as Sunday morning commuters on RTD's N-Line to Thornton sail by on a bridge. The commuter train is nearing the end of its southbound journey at Denver Union Station. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109623 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed BNSF Engine House Denver, CO 138 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Yard Shots BNSF As time marches onward, fewer and fewer "green and cream" units remain on BNSF's roster as repaints continue. However, you can still find them here and there. BNSF 9709 is one such example, sitting near the engine house in Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109622 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 15, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed BNSF Engine House Denver, CO 137 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Yard Shots BNSF BNSF keeps a HazMat cleanup train set stored at Denver. It includes this caboose and several tank cars, all painted in this eye-catching, bright-red paint scheme. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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