After sitting still at Prospect Jct for nearly 90 minutes, this UP manifest is finally on the move southbound. A broken rail south of Littleton on Main 1 has all southbound trains stopped. This train, the MNYPU, typically runs on the Joint Line overnight in the dark, so catching it in daylight is a rare opportunity.
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It is really impressive to see a "blade train" as it rolls down the tracks. Those blades are the length of roughly three flat cars. The ends of the blades are supported by frames that can slide along the flatcar to accommodate turns as the train moves. These blades are starting the journey on the Joint Line just before sunset after coming south on the Front Range Sub earlier in the day.
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A C44-9W, still sporting Heritage 2 paint, leads a windmill blade train south on Main 1 at Hogan's Alley. A northbound coal empty is stopped next to it on Main 2. Off in the distance, you can see a snowy Longs Peak. It is only about 15 minutes before sunset.
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A pair of ES44ACs, but in pretty fresh and good looking paint, bring up the tail end of a northbound coal empty that has come to a stop on Main 2 along Hogan's Alley. Not sure if the train is waiting for a recrew or for some other reason before continuing north.
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A northbound BNSF coal empty runs alongside I-25 and Hogan's Alley on the south side of Denver. Both units on the point of the train are recently painted and look very good leading. BNSF 3315 is a Tier-3 "credit" unit, while BNSF 3637 is a brand new ET44AC, delivered earlier this year.
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The further into the 21st century we get, the less common SD70MACs are on BNSF. Came across BNSF 8838 as the third unit on a northbound manifest.
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KCS 4803 is the second of three units on a northbound BNSF manifest that is coming to Denver from Dodge City, KS. Good to get as many shots of KCS Retro Belles while they are still on the rails, before they are all repainted.
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In July 2005, Montana Rail Link updated their fleet of engines by adding some SD70ACes. Over a couple of years, MRL would add a total of 29 SD70ACes to their roster. Now, with MRL having been absorbed into BNSF at the start of 2024, MRL's SD70ACes have started to roam the BNSF system. Here, MRL 4305 is a DPU on a southbound coal load.
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This southbound unit ethanol train is crossing over Hwy 105 just north of the north switch of Monument. Although it is not quite visible in the shot, this bridge is still labeled as "Rio Grande". Today, Union Pacific owns the single track mainline through Colorado Springs, but BNSF dispatches it.
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At just shy of 7,200 feet above sea level, this colorful southbound unit ethanol train has reached the top of Palmer Divide. The CSX/CP mix of power rolls by several folks out fishing in Palmer Lake while enjoying the absolutely beautiful October morning.
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CSX 938 leads a southbound UP unit ethanol train into "The Sag" on Main 1, just north of Palmer Lake. Prior to the creation of the joint line, Santa Fe crossed over Rio Grande here. You can still see the abutment of the old bridge in the lower right. Now, Main 1 has a definite downhill grade as it descends from the original Santa Fe grade down the original Rio Grande grade.
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CSX 938, CSX 4742, CSX 313, and CP 8006 are some very colorful units leading a unit ethanol train south on the Joint Line. The train is just south of Blakeland, a few miles north of Palmer Lake and the top of Palmer Divide. There are a couple tiny ponds on the east side of Main 2, which offer up some nice scenery in the area. The ethanol train itself is on Main 1.
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An ES44AC, an SD70MAC, and two AC4400CWs lead a southbound unit ethanol train on Main 1 of the Joint Line, just south of Castle Rock. CSX blue looks mighty nice on this clear day, and is a welcome change from the usual railroad colors found in Colorado.
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CSX 938, leading a unit ethanol train, cross over West Plum Creek Parkway in Castle Rock, right by the I-25 interchange. Both West Plum Creek Parkway here, along with the bridge, were built roughly 15 years ago. The tracks had a minor realignment as the bridge was built.
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A unit ethanol train crosses over East Plum Creek on Main 1 of the Joint Line just south of Sedalia. The trees here are slowly starting to transform in to their fall colors.
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