News & Current Events

This page shows interesting railroad happenings as well as breaking railroad news.  Check it often as you may learn the location or schedule of some interesting equipment in time to go out and get some great photographs! If you do go photo 'fanning, please share your pictures with and contact News Page Webmaster Wally Weart.

Photo specs: 800 X 600, max of 1024 X 800 72 dpi or ppi is standard for the web. GIF or TIF is preferred as these are considered lossless versus lossy  (A lossy compression (JPG) method is one where compressing data and then decompressing it retrieves data that may well be different from the original). I reduce all pictures to 640 x 480.

Click here to return to the home page.

Please remember that the photos are copyrighted and neither the pictures or text can be used without permission of the owner.

New Amtrak power inDenver

Denver Union Station, CO, new Amtrak 332 & 334, ALC-42, set out to track 5-! . © 2023 Chip

PVs on the Moffat Sub

PV's on late Amtrak train #5; business car Damberts Point, Pennsylvania lettered Colonial Crafts, and B&M Salisbury Beach. Denver, CO, May 23, 2023. Arrived Denver 10:50 AM - 3:30 hours late. © 2023 Chip	Private varnish Lamberts Point, Colonial Crafts, and Salisbury Beach enter tunnel one May 23, 2023. Amtrak train 5, the California Zephyr, on UP’s Moffat Tunnel line. ©2023 Chip

An experimental locomotive on the move

CSXT 1715, model designation ET23DCM, was at Cheyenne, Wyoming, going to the Colorado Pacific & Rio Grande RR at Walsenburg, Colorado. Sunday, May 21, 2023. ©2023 Chip
CCSXT 1715, model designation ET23DCM, was at Cheyenne, Wyoming, going to the Colorado Pacific & Rio Grande RR at Walsenburg, Colorado. Sunday, May 21, 2023. ©2023 Chip

Opps nothing to see here

Minor BNSF issue when an intermodal 3-pack split a switch at Rennix Yard, Denver, CO, May 18, 2023.  Hulcher had the issue well in hand.

New BNSF Intermodal service to link Port Houston with Dallas/Fort Worth and Denver

By Bill Stephens | May 16, 2023 Trains Newswire

As part of our continued commitment to adjusting to our customers’ and the marketplace’s needs to enable growth and the efficient movement of shipments, BNSF is expanding our network of lane offerings with new intermodal service options from the Barbours Cut Container Terminal at the Port of Houston,” BNSF said in a service advisory on Monday. “Taking advantage of the live lift capabilities and other expanded capacity and technology advancements at our Alliance, Texas, Intermodal Facility, this new on-dock terminal rail option will serve the greater Dallas/Fort Worth and Denver markets.”

Service between Barbours Cut and Alliance, as well as from Barbours Cut to Denver, will begin on June 2. Alliance-Barbours Cut service will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the Denver service will operate on Fridays.
According to the Journal of Commerce, Port Houston ranked No. 5 in loaded imports and No. 3 in loaded export containers for 2022. Transpacific was the top trade lane for loaded imports and grew 25.7% in 2022. Transatlantic was the top trade lane for loaded exports, increasing by 20.5% in 2022.
 

Colorado Crossings event at the Colorado Railroad Museum May 13-14-2023                             NEW Video added under bottom right picture!

No. 491 is handling the regular train and the Museum crew put two just restored tank cars in the consist so you could, by careful framing, exclude the passenger cars. The rest of the train consisted of an open car and two coaches. ©2023 Walter Weart	The theme of the day was the Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg exhibit in the lower level of the Station.  As part of the preparation, No. 20  followed the regular train so that they could pick up the excursion special. The train was to duplicate some of the trains that  Beebe and Clegg had used.  ©2023 Walter Weart
While No. 20 waits, the crew of No. 491 sets out the revenue train. Once this was accomplished, 491 took on water and ran light  to the roundhouse. Then No. 20 could begin haul the excursion train. ©2023 Walter Weart	The train consisted of freight cars, a caboose and both of the business cars, B-21 and B-8. Click here to watch a video of the train. ©2023 Walter Weart

Charles Clegg and Lucius Beebe were present for this event. Rob Kramer and Paul Hammond wore appropriate clothing and added a great deal to the over all ambience of this event. ©2023 Walter Weart	Messrs Clegg and Beebe were gracious enough to acknowledge the presence of the photographer. ©2023 Walter Weart
The Museum relocated Pikes Peak steam engine No. 1 and were able to represent the type of grade on which this engine operated. Note cog wheel behind the locomotive. The saddle tanks are awaiting complete restoration and will be placed back on the locomotive. .©2023 Walter Weart	The Museum also relocated the Pikes Peak car on grade similar to that of the steam engine. ©2023 Walter Weart

Another part of the weekend celebration was the completion of the restoration of what is possibly the last operating  "WigWag" grade crossing signal. ©2023 Walter Weart	Just in case you wanted to see the "regular" train, I've attached a picture. ©2023 Walter Weart Click here to watch a video of the train.

A BIG Thank You to the CRRM Train Crew!

Action on the BNSF with NS heritage visitor

NS 1071 on unit frac sand train and BNSF Officers Special passed at North Yard, Fort Collins, CO, Thursday, 11 May 2023.  BNSF Front Range Subdivision
BNSF 64 Marias Pass Pullman-Standard Regal series 4-4-2 sleeper.   BNSF CEO Katie Farmer rode theater inspection car 32 William B Strong between Denver, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming over BNSF's Front Range Subdivision.  Broomfield, CO, May 11, 2023. 2023 Chip	BNSF CEO Katie Farmer (left side of window) rode theater inspection car 32 William B Strong between Denver, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming over BNSF’s Front Range Subdivision.  Broomfield, CO, May 11, 2023.  2023 Chip
Norfolk Southern 1071 the Central RR of New Jersey heritage unit with BNSF loaded unit frac sand train. Rain provided plenty of puddles. BNSF North Yard, Fort Collins, CO, May 11, 2023. ©2023 Chip	Norfolk Southern 1071 the Central RR of New Jersey heritage unit was northbound with BNSF loaded unit frac sand train.  Rainy weather May 11, 2023 at Berthoud, CO.  ©2023 Chip

An equipment move at the Colorado Railroad Museum

Over the weekend, May 6-7, the crew at the Colorado RR Museum moved the Rio Grande #3011. This EMD GP-30 was recently painted by the staff and volunteers at the roundhouse. They have even re-created the decals and builder markings.  The diesel is now on display along the front fence of the museum.   ©2023 Dave Schaaf	©2023 Dave Schaaf
©2023 Dave Schaaf	©2023 Dave Schaaf

A unit grain train ion the Colorado Pacific RR

Sunrise at newly built WESKAN Grain elevator where first 102-car unit grain train was loaded. Colorado Pacific RR Kiowa Subdivision at Stuart east of Sheridan Lake, CO, May 3, 2023. ©2023 Chip	Sunrise at newly built WESKAN Grain elevator where first 102-car unit grain train was loaded. Colorado Pacific RR Kiowa Subdivision at Stuart east of Sheridan Lake, CO, May 3, 2023. ©2023 Chip
Newly built WESKAN Grain elevator loaded its first 102-car unit grain train. Colorado Pacific RR moved a Union Pacific supplied grain train to Stuart east of Sheridan Lake, CO, May 3, 2023. ©2023 Chip	Newly built 3 million bushel WESKAN Grain elevator loaded first 102-car unit grain train. Colorado Pacific RR placed Stuart sign east of Sheridan Lake, CO, May 3, 2023. ©2023 Chip

The Club visits the UP Steam Shop

Union Pacific Heritage Operations Manager Ed Dickens and Jim Ehernberger hosted Rocky Mountain Railroad Club members at the UP's Steam Shop Saturday, April 22, 2023. Some 32 club members traveled the treacherous icy I-25 highway from the Denver metro area up to Cheyenne, Wyoming, Saturday morning. 2023 Chip	Rocky Mountain Railroad Club members were hosted by Jim Ehrenberger, left, at UP's Steam Shop where UP 4014 Big  Boy  is maintained. Holding the banner in white hard hat was club president Andy Dell,. Randy Worwag and Jim Scoville at right  April 22, 2023.

Steam in Abilene

Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (ASVR) will again operate former Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, 3415, 4-6-2 oil burner, starting Memorial Day weekend on selected weekends through October 8, 2023 out of Abilene, Kansas.  The 3415 was being ready for summer excursions at Abilene engine house April 19, 2023.  2023 Chip	Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (ASVR) will again operate former Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, 3415, 4-6-2 oil burner, starting Memorial Day weekend on selected weekends through October 8, 2023 out of Abilene, Kansas. The 3415 was being ready for summer excursions at Abilene engine house April 19, 2023. 2023 Chip
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (ASVR) will again operate former Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, 3415, 4-6-2 oil burner, starting Memorial Day weekend on selected weekends through October 8, 2023 out of Abilene, Kansas. The 3415 was being ready for summer excursions at Abilene engine house April 19, 2023. 2023 Chip	Abilene& Smoky Valley Railroad passenger coach. Enterprise number 2002 was being prepped for repainting into burgundy with yellow stripes and yellow lettering paint scheme at Abilene, Kansas, 18 April 2023. Three cars and locomotive number 4, an Alco S1, were repainted. 2023 Chip
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad generator car was in primer white.  Car was being prepped for repainting into burgundy with yellow stripes and yellow lettering paint scheme at Abilene, Kansas, April 18, 2023.  Three cars and locomotive number 4, an Alco S1, were repainted. 2023 Chip

Springtime in the Rockies

On the Joint Line ©2023 Erik Lindgren

An unique locomotive

UP Executives Visit Colorado

UP’s CEO & president Lance Fritz passenger special at La Salle, Colorado, Monday, 3 April 2023. Local government officials were dined aboard UPP 302 named Overland dining car and relaxed on UPP 9004 Harriman dome lounge. UP 4875, SD70M, was put to work - note derail was off. ©2023 Chip Lance M. Fritz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer became chairman of the board effective Oct. 1, 2015. Fritz became president and chief executive officer Feb. 5, 2015, when he also was elected to the corporation’s board of directors. He previously served as president and chief operating officer of Union Pacific Railroad, a position he had held since February 2014, after serving as executive vice president-Operations and vice president-Labor Relations, respectively. He began his Union Pacific career in July 2000 as vice president and general manager-Energy in the company’s Marketing and Sales Department.

Gensets to a new owner

Restoration progress on C&S caboose

Rocky Mountaineer test train

Rocky Mountaineer RMRX 8020 & 8021, GP40-3, handled westbound Denver, CO, to Glenwood Springs, CO, trip  Sunday, March 26, 2023. Train operated with 10-cars and no passengers. Trip was considered a training trip. Train was approaching Union Pacific's tunnel 1 in Coal Creek Canyon west of Arvada, CO. ©2023 Chip	Rocky Mountaineer domed coaches and lounge car entered UP's tunnel #1 on UP's Moffat Tunnel Subdivision March 26, 2023. No passengers rode this training trip. ©2023 Chip

Union Pacific OCS on the Joint Line

Tim was able to catch the OCS at Larkspur curve ©2023  Tim Tonge	and Greenland ©2023 Tim Tonge
and Greenland ©2023 Tim Tonge	and Monument ©2023 Tim Tonge
Larkspur curve ©2023 Tim Tonge

Bob Thiele caught this UP OCS south on the Joint Line. Note the train northbound main.©2023 Bob Thiele	Editor's note: The UP can still field a handsome train.

Heritage locomotives visit Denver

Union Pacific 1988, Katy Heritage SD70ACe, was one of 7-unit lashup on an empty auto unit train from Rolla, CO, to Laredo, Texas, March 19, 2023. The other Heritage unit was UP 1989 Rio Grande. ©2023 Chip	UP 1989 Rio Grande Heritage unit with UP 1989 Katy unit up front were on the empty auto train headed for Laredo, TX, by way of Cheyenne, WY, and North Platte, NE, March 19, 2023. UP Greeley Subdivision. ©2023 Chip

The U.S. Supreme Court has invited the federal government to weigh in on whether state and local governments can regulate how long trains can block railroad crossings..

The invitation means the high court might eventually give a full hearing to the appeal of a lower court ruling that invalidated Ohio’s blocked crossing law. There’s no guarantee the court will grant the appeal, but the March 20 court order keeps the door open for now.

The high court refused to hear a similar case last year in which Oklahoma argued that lower courts were split over which federal agency has authority over blocked crossings and asked the justices for clarification.

Stay Tuned!

The UP's rotary on the move

Sunset March 13, 2023 found Union Pacific’s rotary 900082 at Rawlins, Wyoming. Deep wind blown snow has hampered operations west of Rawlins in early March. Rotary departed Cheyenne, WY, March 12th for Rawlins. Unit behind the rotary was recently rebuilt UP 6500 now model C44ACM. ©2023 Chip	Union Pacific rotary snowplow 900082 was built in 1971 at the UP’s Omaha Shops (closed in 1988). Rotary reflected in water as a brief thaw was experienced at Rawlins, Wyoming, March 13, 2023. Meanwhile, UP forces and subcontractors were struggling west of Rawlins to free a snow trapped bare table train at Riner, WY, on main track 2. ©2023 Chip

UP 900082 rotary awaited the call at Rawlins, WY, March 13, 2023. ©2023 Chip

Action on the Joint Line

BNSF 4661 leads a northbound merchandise train at Pinon, CO, on Feb 20, 2023 ©2023 Tim Tonge	BNSF 4068 leads northbound merchandise H-SLADEN at Castle Rock, CO, on Feb 20, 2023  ©2023 Tim Tonge

MOW equipment on the move

Denver & Rio Grande Western lettered AX-41 Jordan spreader was removed from Granby, CO, by UP 3041, SD70AH-T4 Tier 4 unit on March 4th. Train was held at Rollinsville, CO, for Amtrak’s Winter Park Express and on time westbound California Zephyr on March 5, 2023. The Jordan spreader was needed at Rawlins, WY, for snow removal duty. ©2023 Chip

The KCS unit trails on shove move at Ft. Carson. Note the base red engines the background. ©2023 Ben Helsel

Kansas City Southern KCSM 4859 Safety Starts Here unit was at Union Pacific’s North Yard fuel track March 1, 2023. The Kansas City Southern Railway's newest special paint scheme is for their "Safety Starts Here” initiative was unveiled in March 2020. . The engine fireman's side is labeled KCSM and the compass emblem is in Spanish, the engineer's side reads in English and features the standard KCS octagon. ©2023 Chip
KCSM 4859 was at UP's North Yard, Denver, CO, March 1, 2023. The Safety Starts Here unit has made several trips to Grand Junction, CO, and one trip to Pueblo, CO. ©2023 Chip

A Canadian visitor

Another steam era disappears

Click here to read an article explains how the air brake system works and refute all the "comments" about "Civil War braking" that the "news" media included in their "factual reporting".

A KCS visitor

Joint Line Action

On Mon, Feb 20, 2023 at 3:39 PM H-SLADEN departing Crews at 15:35. © 2023 Tim Tonge	BNSF 4661 leads a northbound merchandise train at Pinon, CO, on Feb 20, 2023. © 2023 Tim Tonge

On the Denver & Rock Island

Shops on Franklin street © 2023 Denny Leonard	At Franklin Street shop. © 2023 Denny Leonard
Train along Franklin Street. © 2023 Denny Leonard

Fly by rail

Northbound BNSF 5410 had four new Spirit Aerosystems built fuselages headed to Boeing at Interbay, Washington. Train came north on the Joint Line and stopped at Oxford Street in Sheridan, CO, February 16, 2023. © 2023 Chip

1309 on a photo freight

Clinton  Webb, a member the Denver HO Model RR Club, attended a Photo Freight charter on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The C&O 1309 was, off course, the featured attraction . Clinton was kind enough to share these pictures with the Club and Rocky Mountain RR Club. as well  Both  photos ©2023 Clinton Webb
©2023 Clinton Webb	Helmstetter's Curve remains one of the most favored and photographed sites along the Western Maryland Railway.  ©2023 Clinton Webb
©2023 Clinton Webb

Rocky Mountain motors on the move

Judge rules Denver’s RTD does not have to pay more than $100 million in fight over grade-crossing malfunctions
Ruling also turns down transit agency’s countersuit for damages, bid to end contract

February 13, 2023 Trains Newswire

DENVER — The Regional Transportation District does not have to pay builders of its commuter rail lines more than $100 million to cover costs related to grade-crossing problems, a Denver judge ruled Friday, while also turning down an RTD countersuit and effort to cancel its contract with those builders.

The construction consortium, Denver Transit Partners, had sought $111 million in costs related to crossing-gate malfunctions that forced the consortium to use flaggers for years on the commuter line to Denver International Airport, and delayed opening of a second line [see “Digest: Commuter rail builders seek $111 million (Trains News Wire, Aug. 26, 2020) RTD had countersued for $27 million.

Colorado Public Radio reports the system used new wireless technology mated with its positive train control system to control crossing gates, and it proved to be difficult to debug.
Denver District Judge Andrew McCallin said the failures of the system “appropriately rest” with the consortium. “This is a risk that DTP as the designer and builder of this system assumed when it entered into this public-private partnership,” he wrote in his 71-page decision. However, he also wrote, in determining that RTD could not void the ongoing contract, now that the system works, “it would be unfair to allow RTD to walk away from all of this.”

Both sides indicated they were reviewing the decision, but said it would not have an impact on operations.

Photos for Kansas

On February 1, 2023, a MP grain hopper was loading at Frontier Ag in Mingo, Kansas. The car had some interesting graffiti on  the side of the car. ©2023  Larry Dilts	On February 11, 2023, a westbound grain train passed through Mingo, Kansas with NS AC44C6M leading. The NS rebuilt the unit from a Dash 9-40C. The NS has painted several of these rebuilds in unique special paint schemes. Number 4004 was wearing one of three versions. Most of the rebuilds wear the more traditional paint scheme.. ©2023  Larry Dilts

Amtrak's OLI Commerative locomotive heads No. 5

|When Union Pacific Railroad senior manager Mike Upton encounters a news crew from The Weather Channel in downtown Truckee, California, he knows it's all hands on deck in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.
Upton, who manages track maintenance, and his fellow “Sierra Snow Fighters” are in charge of clearing the tracks and keeping the trains running in one of North America’s snowiest stretches of railroad track. ©2023 Erik Lindgren

Click here to read the full story and watch a video.

Military hardware on the move

Union Pacific SD70 ACe 8779 on home turf passes over the Kiowa Creek Bridge a structure with numerous alterations since it was constructed for the original Kansas & Pacific Extension the first transcontinental railroad more than 150 years originally contracted for the Chicago, Rock Island, & Pacific. A double intersection Warren Lattice steel truss built in the 1860s kept in service after a recent upgrade to the structure since 2019. In this frame SBTFC-01 with a full complement of military hardware is dashing on the K&P for Denver on the High Plains of Colorado after going on duty at Sharon Springs, KS at 0700 the 5th of February, 2023. A relief crew is called at Denver for 1345 for the trip south down the Colorado Joint Line to Fort Carson, CO. ©2023 Erik Lindgren
©2023 Erik Lindgren	Union Pacific Beaumont, Texas, to Fort Carson, CO, unit military train South Denver Colorado, February 5, 2023. M1A2 Abrams tanks rolled down the Joint Line. © 2023 Chip

On the Joint Line

Action on the Moffat Sub, the Joint LIne and at Coors

Palmer Divide heavy snow and Joint Line action. 12/29/22  ©2023 Erik Lindgren	Palmer Lake 12/29/22  ©2023 Erik Lindgren
Palmer Divide heavy snow and Joint Line action. 12/29/22  ©2023 Erik Lindgren	©2023 Erik Lindgren

©2023 Erik Lindgren	Coors Hops loading, Golden, Colorado 12/28/22  ©2023 Erik Lindgren

Action on the Kyle Railroad

Kyle Railroad 6843, SD40-2 ex-Burlington Northern, with Buffalo & Pittsburgh lettered 3333 stormed westward with the Goodland, KS, to Limon, Colorado, train on Saturday, February 4, 2023. In late January, one of their eastbound trains became stuck (January 26) in drifted snow west of Flagler, Colorado. ©2023 Chip	Buffalo & Pittsburgh 3333, SD40­2 is now assigned to Genesee & Wyomiing owned Kyle RR. B & P 3333 was switching at Bethune, Colorado, February 4, 2023. Note trackmobile lettered Kelly Hill Company 93. ©2023 Chip

Switching in Golden

On February 2, the crew of the Golden Local is making up their train but they'll be delayed for a bit. The "Beer" train is holding ahead of them as a MOW crew is working near the small bridge along 44th St.  ©2023 Walter Weart	I know the sign is hard to see but reads " Assigned Car, Do Not Reload, Penalties May apply". Are these assigned to Coors or one of the others industries which the BNSF serves?  ©2023 Walter Weart

OLI Amtrak locomotive on Number 6

Military hardware on the move

Denver RTD A Line commuter train to Denver International Airport ( DIA) crossed over UP westbound unit train Tuesday, 31 January  2023. ©2023 Chip