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.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
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.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
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.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
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.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
I remember seeing pictures of southbound coal train with solid sets of Oakway SD60s in the 1980s from this location. 40 years later, three CSX units (in two different schemes) and a Canadian Pacific unit lead a (UP) ethanol train southbound at the same location.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The lighting at 9:30am at the start of October is about as good as you can get along Main 1 just south of Acequia on the Joint Line. A very unique variety of colors, all very unusual in Colorado, on the point of this ethanol train.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Fall colors are starting to show up on the trees in the Denver area. A very colorful (and unusual) consist leads a unit UP ethanol train south on Main 1, just south of Acequia. The train will be interchanged with the Colorado Pacific at NA Junction southeast of Pueblo.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A portion of the Joint Line in Denver parallels I-25. Much of the morning rush has passed and traffic is fairly free-flowing as CSX 938, two additional CSX units, and a CP unit lead a UP unit ethanol train southbound on Main 2. the BNSF train in the background is tied down in the siding at Hogan's Alley, waiting for a recrew to take the train south.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
After roughly an hour delay, CSX 938 is on the roll southbound on Main 2 alongside a BNSF manifest tied down in the siding at Hogan's Alley. A hand brake was left on on one of the cars on the train. The conductor released the hand brake and determined the wheels on the car were free-rolling and there was no damage. After walking back up to the head end, it was time to head south.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
CSX 938 leads a UP ethanol train south at the north end of the Joint Line on Main 2. The train is crossing underneath of the RTD W-Line. This is the Light Rail line that runs from Denver Union Station out to the Jefferson County Courthouse. In the background, you can see the top of Empower Field at Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The westbound Zephyr backs across the wye bridge on the Buck Main toward Union Station. Once the train clears the switch, the conductor will re-align the switch, and the train will continue in to the station. The crew have already contacted RTD dispatch for permission to back in to Track 4.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A conductor from the California Zephyr is on the ground on the wye bridge and has aligned the switch for the Buck Main. You can see a restricting signal at the diamond. The Zephyr will use this track to back in to Union Station for its schedule station stop.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
In between Sedalia and Orsa, a southbound BNSF J-Train (a special) rolls through an S-Curve. The train just crossed over East Plum Creek, or rather the dry creek bed as there currently is no water in the creek. The train, which includes new Department of Energy cars heading for the testing center near Avondale, CO.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A pair of SD70ACes brings up the tail end of this southbound BNSF coal load at Orsa just north of Castle Rock. A bit of dust is being kicked up along the right-of-way. The track to the left is the siding of Orsa, which is hardly ever use due to directional running on the Joint Line.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Just north of Colorado Springs, a southbound BNSF coal load on Main 1 passes by the only siding on Main 1 between Littleton and Palmer. The siding of Orsa. The siding is not CTC controlled and, since Main 1 is almost always limited to southbound traffic only, the siding is hardly ever used.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
