Western Railroad Discussion > Some northern Front Range views

Some photos of the northern Front Range of Colorado, delayed somewhat by the Utah coverage.

Photo 1 - Like SD40-2's? Here are two Cascade Green ones on the Longmont Local June 15 going over the Cache La Poudre River bridge in Fort Collins, CO.

Photo 2 - Great Western Railway with a distinctive Canadian motive power appearance takes its turn going over the rushing waters of the Poudre River on June 15.

Photo 3 - Having changed ends at North Yard, the Longmont Local departs Fort Collins on the same day, led by the relatively rare SD45-2, this time over the Poudre River showing the raging high water beneath.

There's mooore...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/15 14:19 by highgreengraphics.

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Photo 4 - Then the UP LaSalle-Fort Collins Local shows up, and does its own crossing of the Cache La Poudre River while going up to the Holcim Cement Plant loadout near Boettcher, CO north of LaPorte. The river is rushing by in minor flood stage. Note the scaffolding hung on the side of the bridge pilings, which have been sinking in the main course of the river for some time. The trestle was shimmed and re-shimmed, but it kept sinking. These are being replaced right now with steel I-beam pilings, but only the ones with the scaffolding wrapped around them.

Photo 5 - The UP Local heads back across the Poudre Bridge after changing directions at Holcim, note that this SD70M has wings positioned lower than normal. Funny how dropping the wings just 6 inches makes the locomotive look quite different!

Photo 6 - Crossing the BNSF ex-C&S Main Line diamond in Fort Collins, CO.

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Photo 7 - This northbound coal empty has a CREX for a leader, here it departs North Yard in Fort Collins, CO with Long's Peak towering above in the distance...

Photo 8 - Rumbling on the bridge over a dry wash near Owl Canyon siding.

Photo 9 - To my surprise, it looks like Great Western lost the Inbev-Busch in-plant switching contract in Fort Collins, An MP15 and an SW-1500 have showed up there, this is the Blomberg-truck MP15.

There's mooore...

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/15 08:18 by highgreengraphics.

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Photo 10 -  Here is the other switcher at Bush, I have learned that FTRL does in-plant switching for Busch in St. Louis, MO, as the old Manufacturers Railway is long gone.

Photo 11 - On June 18, A Vestas wind-turbine blade train off the GWR at Johnstown, CO led by a Warbonnet waits for the passage of the Longmont Local (with less interesting power on this day) before it departs southbound from the South Siding Switch of North Yard in Fort Collins.

Photo 12 - The southbound Warbonnet-led turbine blade load whistles down Mason St. in Fort Collins.

There's mooore... 

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GREAT stuff...!! I like Pic 2 and the last one!!

Photo 13 - Southbound out of Loveland, CO, having crested Derby Hill and approaching Berthoud.

Photo 14 - On 6-25, This bare table train of empty wind-turbine cars has come down from the north with a CSX and Warbonnet leading, and is crossing the Poudre River a moment before the Conductor pops open the front door to climb down to throw the Transfer Track switch which is right at the end of the bridge. After clearing the ex-C&S main line, it will traverse the ex-C&S Greeley Branch to get to the Vestas wind-turbine plant just east of Windsor.

Photo 15 - Later that same day, UP is at the Holcim Cement Plant loadout with a string of cement loads.

One more and I'm TOADILY done with this...

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/15 14:48 by highgreengraphics.

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This toad looks none the worse for wear after I coaxed him or her out from under the tracks after a train passed and onto a landing of a nearby small building so he or she wasn't camouflaged so much. Then after having this portrait taken, he or she made their way back to the tracks. Can toads be railfans?

Happy local railfanning! === === = === JLH



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/15 15:19 by highgreengraphics.

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I saw about a million toads on my bike ride last night. yay!

Still have not caught 1515 yet.

Great photos.

Ronda Thomas