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Western Railroad Discussion > Some Rock & Rail in ColoradoDate: 09/10/19 17:00 Some Rock & Rail in Colorado Author: ns2557 There are times when ya just can't get enough of one RR. Mine is the Rock & Rail in Colorado. I worked as a conductor while here over a 2 year period. Managed to shoot at one time or another over those years to get just about every unit that ran on the Rock & Rail. Like the SOO inspired paint job. But as of today and for the last few years all they run is these 3 GP40 variant units. So here ya go.
Shot 1. Here are all 3 of the current roster where they can usually be found at. This is the Holcim Cement Palnt in Portland Colo along the ex DRGW Tenn Pass Line about 3 miles east of Florence Colo on Colo Hwy 120. All 3 can usually be seen here and are right off the hiway here. The plant still has inactive OSSX GP9 3416 that is shootable also, but with a little more effort. RRRR GP40-3 501 sits at the west end of 2 units, the other being RRRR GP40 201 which replaced the original RRRR 201 an ex SP Factory Low Nose GP9. And the farthest unit of the 3 in shot is one of the original RRRR Units, 401, an ex CR-PC and DRGW unit. Shot 2. RRRR GP40-2 201, an ex SSW GP Unit gets ready to take on some fuel, soon. When I worked for RRRR we had to fuel the units, usually every other day, at the quarry at Parkdale Co., west of Canon City Colo. We had what amounted to a simple Diesel Pump type hrose. One had to stand there and attend the fueling process. Could and did lead to some interesting issues. Sure wish I would have had one of these types of Fuel Hoses and the connection attached. Shot 3. RRRR GP40 401. This is one of the original RRRR units from many yaers past. This is the ex PC-CR 3128 then DRGW 3140. Still going strong today. All shots at Portland Colo on Sept 2 2019. TFL. Ben Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/19 17:03 by ns2557. Date: 09/11/19 08:58 Re: Some Rock & Rail in Colorado Author: OregonOldGuy ns2557 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > > Shot 3. RRRR GP40 401. This is one of the > original RRRR units from many yaers past. This is > the ex PC-CR 3128 then DRGW 3140. Still going > strong today. > > All shots at Portland Colo on Sept 2 2019. > TFL. Ben Additional info on the history. When she arrived on the D&RGW, she was given a temporary number 3175, which she held until rebuilt at Mid-America car in Kansas City. There she got her 3140 number. One of ten given temproary numbers becaue the former PC units had the same numbers as existing D&RGW units. Rob Date: 09/11/19 10:52 Re: Some Rock & Rail in Colorado Author: F7sForever Good roster shots of a line that doesn't get a whole lot of attention paid to it. I have been here for a year and a half, and haven't taken more than a handfull of photos of the operation - and most of those were of rock trains with UP runthrough power.
Date: 09/11/19 14:17 Re: Some Rock & Rail in Colorado Author: texchief1 Nice shots! Where does the Rock&Rail go to/from?
Thanks. Randy Lundgren Elgin, TX Date: 09/11/19 14:45 Re: Some Rock & Rail in Colorado Author: ns2557 texchief1 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Nice shots! Where does the Rock&Rail go > to/from? > > Thanks. > > Randy Lundgren > Elgin, TX They operate on the ex DRGW Tenn Pass Line basically from Pueblo Co on the east end to Parkdale Colo west of the Royal Gorge near Canon City Colo. Power for the Rock & Rail is kept at the Holcim Cement Palnt in Portland Colo off of Colo Hwy 120 east of Florence Co. Offices are in Canon City Colo. They run a Rock Train from a quarry at Parkdale Co to a spot in Colorado Springs known as Drennan. This is worked off the Joint Line at Kelker, which is Colorado Springs. Think they run the rock train daily still and they use UP units to do so. Usually 2 6 axle's. The 4 axle units that Rock & Rail has, are used on some local's that work they area, including at least I think, Cement from the Mill at Portland. Trackage is jointly shared with the Royal Gorge Tourist Train from Canon City at 9th St to the west switch at Parkdale Co. UP has trackage Rights. Hope this helps. Ben Date: 09/13/19 09:37 Re: Some Rock & Rail in Colorado Author: SD45X First time I’ve seen all three there:)
Its an early morning railroad. Usually arrived Pueblo around sunrise. Quick flip and back to Portland. |