Doing the Crater curl
On the morning of July 31, 1996, a Southern Pacific coal train climbs through the Crater Loops at Crater, Colorado, on the former Rio Grande Craig Branch. Five Gen... (more)

Rock Creek Canyon
Right in the gut of rugged Rock Creek Canyon on Rio Grande’s Craig Branch, an eastbound coal train exits Tunnel 45 between Crater and Volcano, Colorado, on September ... (more)

An empty hopper train negotiates the loops at Crater as it ascends to Toponas Summit on the Craig Branch.

After negotiating the loops at Crater, westbound empties pass Crater Siding; Rock Creek Canyon is just ahead.

An empty coal train climbs through the Crater Loops on the former D&RGW Craig Branch.

Two ES44AC's and two SD70ACe/AH's lead coal empties up the 2-percent grade through Crater Loops near Volcano, Colorado along UP's Craig Branch on October 1, 2016.

Southern Pacific CSUX coal empties climb through the “double loops” at Crater, Colorado, on the afternoon of July 30, 1996. The head end has lone SP No. 298, while the mid-train DPUs (out of v... (more)

A Southern Pacific coal train climbs through the Crater Loops at Crater, Colorado, on the Craig Branch on the morning of July 31, 1996. Five General Electric AC4400CWs power the train, with two on... (more)

A Southern Pacific CSUX coal empty climbs through the “S curves” at Crater, Colorado, on the afternoon of July 30, 1996. The head end with lone SP AC4400CW No. 298 has already passed through t... (more)

On the morning of July 31, 1996, a Southern Pacific coal train climbs through the Crater Loops at Crater, Colorado, on the Craig Branch. Five General Electric AC4400CWs power the train, with two o... (more)

On the morning of July 31, 1996, a Southern Pacific coal train climbs through the Crater Loops at Crater, Colorado on the Craig Branch. Five General Electric AC4400CWs power the train, with two on... (more)

A view of a CSUX coal empty climbing through the “double S curves” at Crater, Colorado, on the afternoon of July 30, 1996. The head end has lone SP No. 298, while the mid-train DPUs are Nos. 2... (more)

Three D&RGW SD40T-2's (with 5398 up front) lead a westbound through dramatic Rock Creek Canyon near Crater, Colo. on the Craig Branch on Sept. 27, 1989. Near the end of this canyon, out of sigh... (more)

Before I moved to Colorado I made yearly visits and I was fortunate one year to catch the EMD demo units testing on the Craig Branch. Seen here at Crater with the dynometer car.

At 7600 feet above sea level, this loaded coal train works thru the 2% grade at Crater Loops. This is a very cool area to watch trains. Hard to believe they built tracks thru this rugged part of t... (more)