Denver area shots, UP 1989 on the Joint Line
News Story Posted By Kevin (Click Name To Email)
Monday, January 8, 2007 - Yesterday morning, I learned that UP 1989 (Search Photo Gallery) was tied down (on the point of the MPUNY) in the siding of Kelker just south of Colorado Springs. The train had departed Pueblo around 7:30pm on Saturday, but high traffic volumes (particularly on the single-track bottle neck) cause the train to be tied down in Kelker.
At 11:30am, a crew was called for the train and by 2:30pm, the train was (slowly) moving north. I counted at least five northbounds and five southbounds in between Larkspur and Colorado Springs, all trying to move. Northbounds got the go-ahead first and UP 1989 (Search Photo Gallery) was the fifth of the five trains.
The MPUNY was a mere eleven cars on this particular day...eleven cars with 12,900 horsepower seemed like a little overkill, but what the heck! In addition, at least two of the eleven cars were empty, and one was carrying wheel sets, so at a minimum, three of the cars were not generating any revenue on the trip.
Anyway, the train slowly made its way north (having to be flagged past the signals at Cimmaron as well as South Monument). The train got to Palmer Lake around 4:00pm in rapidly fading light. One more shot in the last bit of sun light at Tomah Road (just south of Castle Rock, north of Larkspur) would do it for the day.
In addition to the shots of UP 1989 (Search Photo Gallery), there are a few shots from Denver and two from Colorado springs as well. All-in-all, there are nine shots added for your viewing pleasure...the first nine shots from 2007! What a good way to start the new year...
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