Western Railroad Discussion > Belle in UP local Ft. Collins, CREX to Horse Creek

Photo 1 - In the afternoon of 9-17, the UP LaSalle-Ft. Collins Local departs Fort Collins, CO over Spring Creek with a KCS SD70M Belle in second place.

Photo 2 - On 9-18, the same consist, after turning at Cheyenne overnight, departs Fort Collins one mile farther east amid bike trails and walking paths, and Autumn is starting in the trees.

Photo 3 - On 9-19, a northbound coal empty detour with CREX 1211 leading 3 BNSF units glides in light dynamic braking over the UP main lines on the C&S bridge at West Cheyenne as afternoon clouds roll in.

There's mooore...

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Photo 4 - The CREX-led coal empty departs the ex-C&S yard in Cheyenne, WY past the station sign.

Photo 5 - Leaving Restricted Limits on the railroad and the limits of the F.E. Warren Air Force Base north of Cheyenne, and entering Track Warrant Control territory.

Photo 6 - At Federal, WY, CREX 1211 met this southbound Great Falls - Denver with a striped widebody CN in second place, here it is gliding down the switchback curves from Altus, WY at Horse Creek before the meet. Horse creek has a siding, but it is not generally used for meets.

Coupla mooore...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/14 15:24 by highgreengraphics.

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Photo 7 - After the meet at Federal, the northbound coal empty charges around a curve at the former livestock-loading short siding at Islay Ranch, WY. I am standing on the dilapidated cattle loading chute here to gain some elevation. And the sun cooperated better. I had to raise my arm and pat the top of my head here. Any idea why?

Photo 8 - Racing the waning afternoon sun setting behind the mountains behind me as it crosses Horse Creek at Horse Creek, WY. In the foreground barely visible among the underbrush is the still-existing spur, and old north leg of a wye that existed, for the stub that goes to the unused Murke Limestone Quarries that used to supply limestone to Great Western Sugar as part of the sugar beet refining process. This is BIG country, I'm lonesome and going home!

Happy it's great to exercise again railfanning! === === = === JLH



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/14 19:15 by highgreengraphics.

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Wow, like the location of that last one, desolation at it's best.
JB

I REALLY LIKE Pics 6 and 8!!!!

Thanks - I should have mentioned that both views at Horse Creek were from the same spot - I climbed the side of the mountain twice. === === = === JLH

Sounds like a good day to buy Lotto Tickets, two trains on the same day is pretty good for that stretch of track. I wasn't sure who's land that is out there, they seem to get very particular about folks walking on the wrong side of the fence. The curves around Altus are quite a leftover, the geology is very interesting to work with.

Any info on when they stopped using the spur to the quarry, or the wye?
t4p.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/14 20:13 by TCnR.

I have no info on dates of shutdown of the quarries. I do remember in 1974 still many carloads in 50-ft red CB&Q gons of white limestone from Horse Creek going south through Cheyenne. === === = === JLH

Great chase

The Belle is a repainted SD70MAC :)

highgreengraphics Wrote:
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> Thanks - I should have mentioned that both views
> at Horse Creek were from the same spot - I climbed
> the side of the mountain twice. === === = === JLH

Says the guy with a recently rebuilt shoulder

Outstanding series of photos.

Ronda Thomas