The Rio Grande Lives! The UP Colorado Springs Local works its way east under the ever-present eye of Pikes Peak on the ex-Rock Island main with four loaded centerbeam cars bound for a loca... (more)

The lone SD70MAC is outnumbered 3-to-1 by AC4400CWs on this southbound coal drag; a pretty remarkable feat considering the MAC holds a 7-to-1 advantage over its GE competitor on the BNSF roster! ... (more)

UP's Colorado Springs Local shoves four empty bulkhead cars west over Monument Creek. Notably missing from this shot is the Union Pacific Shield on the nose of 1445...score one for the graffiti a... (more)

After a broken rail halted traffic on the single track between the Air Force Academy and Monument, the floodgates opened with five northbounds passing by the Academy switch in about 45 minutes. H... (more)

After waiting on the Academy siding for five northbounds to pass, this TILX coal train is underway again with a nice ACe in the lead. Learn more at Railroad: BNSF Railway
Locomotive: EMD SD70ACe
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Locomotive #: BNSF 9150
Train ID: Unknown
Photo Date: March 14, 2009

A veteran MAC leads the charge up the last mile before cresting the Palmer Divide with another long string of coal empties.

A duo of ACes rumbles uphill as they pass over the old Santa Fe bridge in Larkspur on the rear of a southbound TGNX coal train. Hard to believe how weathered the Swoosh scheme can look after two ... (more)

Can you spot the new ACe? Even though these DPUs are both in the 9300-series, they were built more than two years apart...BNSF 9336 is a good glimpse at what BNSF 9311 will look like after a coup... (more)

Coal loads are passing by the remnants of the old flyover and starting the snake-like descent into "the sag" just prior to the Palmer Divide on a gorgeous and unseasonably warm Colorado afternoon.

It took 33 minutes to travel all of 6.8 miles from the Santa Fe bridge in Larkspur, but this southbound loaded coal train has finally made it to the old flyover just north of the Palmer Divide.

BNSF 6026 leads a MAC across the classic Santa Fe bridge in Larkspur with a long cut of AMTX coal hoppers bound for Texas. More info at Railroad: BNSF Railway
Locomotive: GE ES44AC
Location: Larkspur, Colorado, USA
Locomotive #: BNSF 6026
Train ID: Unknown
Photo Date: March 04, 2009

The classic Palmer Lake shot, this time of DPUs pushing coal empties up the last stretch of the Palmer Divide. Looks like this MAC with its partially missing cigar band is in line for a Swooshing... (more)

An old coal veteran leads an ACe and a string of shiny and relatively new TILX hoppers around the bend just south of the Academy siding as a jogger tries to keep pace on the New Sante Fe trail jus... (more)

After a northbound coal empty cleared, this short southbound manifest enters the single tracksage of the Joint Line as it starts its descent out of Palmer Lake. More info at Railroad: BNSF Railway
Locomotive: GE C44-9W (Dash 9-44CW)
Location: Palmer Lake, Colorado, USA
Locomotive #: BNSF 4151
Train ID: Unknown
Photo Date: February 16, 2009

A new, SD60M-booting 9200-series ACe leads coal empties north into Palmer Lake. That house on the hillside has been for sale since at least June '08...if the price drops low enough, I may just pu... (more)