As a signal maintainer drives away from his work side for the day, an empty coal train approaches as it climbs the 1.5% grade over Palmer Lake (7,231 ft) which is less than a mile away.

This southbound BNSF coal train is just over 2 miles from the summit of Palmer Divide at the small town of Palmer Lake, Colorado. When it reaches Palmer Lake it will have climbed 2000 feet from De... (more)

After pushing the caboose of a southbound coal train onto the main at Palmer Lake, Colorado, the help... (more)

As soon as a southbound Burlington Northern coal train stopped on the single track at Palmer Lake, Colorado, the helpers... (more)

The helpers on a BN coal train slow as they enter the single track at Palmer Lake, Colorado. After the caboose has clear... (more)

To make the 2000-foot climb in elevation from Denver to Palmer Lake, Colorado made the Joint Line a helper district for heavy trains. Seen here is the rear of a Railroad: Burlington Northern Railroad
Locomotive: EMD SD40-2
Location: Palmer Lake, Colorado, USA
Locomotive #: BN 7280
Train ID: Unknown
Photo Date: March 24, 1983

A typical Burlington Northern coal train on Colorado’s Joint line in the 1980’s was powered by a mix of five 3000-horsepower six-axle units from GE and EMD. This train at Palmer Lake is no excepti... (more)

Burlington Northern’s Powder River coal trains usually had a mix of five 3,000-horsepower six-axle units. Here a Southern Pacific tunnel motor has worked its way into the normal solid green lineu... (more)

Nice set of BN power leads a coal train north on the Joint Line north through Palmer Lake.

KYLE Goodland Burlington turn eastbound east of Burlington

BNSF ACe 9280 and an assisting Ferromex pull a loaded coal train through Palmer Lake in a snowstorm.

The UP Rio Grande Heritage Unit leads the Denver North Yard to Pueblo manifest into Palmer Lake, CO and over the crest on the Colorado Joint Line.

UP 1989 leads the Denver North Yard to Pueblo manifest south into Palmer Lake on former Rio Grande trackage, after a brief stop for a northbound BNSF manifest. This is the second UP Heritage Unit ... (more)

UP 1989 leads the Denver North Yard to Pueblo manifest south into Palmer Lake on former Rio Grande trackage, after a brief stop for a northbound BNSF manifest. This is the second UP Heritage Unit... (more)

UP 1989 leads the Denver North Yard to Pueblo manifest south into Palmer Lake on former Rio Grande trackage, after a brief stop for a northbound BNSF manifest. This is the second UP Heritage Unit... (more)