Yes, it was a display at the top of Boreas Pass. This well weathered panel gives its history. We spent two nights in the old railroad section house. Was really cool. (literally)
Very cool stuff Russell. Dumb question, but did the railroad actually cross the Continental Divide there at 11,482 Feet? I can't begin to imagine the operational difficulties in such an environment. By contrast in the east, the B&O, PRR and N&W all crossed between 2,240 and 2,050 Feet!
Found this today! Another set of Canadian National units. Problem is, I can NOT identify the 5th unit back! Behind the CN units. Gonna have to try over the weekend, and see IF I can get a better shot! Lead unit, BNSF 7554 spotted yesterday, on a CWR train, left on siding at Highland. Think they may be preparing for rail replacement! Not sure. If they are, track equipment isn't in town yet. Gonna have to keep an eye out. BNSF 7554, just before they return to Longmont, light.
Yes. The line was in operation until April of 1937. And yes, it was quite a challenge to keep going year round. There were a number of mountain passes over 10,000 feet in Colorado where they built railroads over.
Keith - The 5th unit back looks like it is an IC loco. Saw the other side of this burned GE And another burnt GE carbody...
Went to check up on units, for possibility of better photo(s), after I got back from Estes Park train show. Nothing in town!!
Don't know if this will help, I blew up pic of 5th engine which has BNSF markings and then I distorted to minimize angle. It seems there are 2 steps to cab and hand rail continues under window???
Looks that way. Wasn't able to get photos today, since everything I had seen yesterday was gone! Might have to look again Sunday. Maybe they'll be back. Kind of doubt it, but......
Perspective and images at the limit of resolution play tricks. It looks like that plain black unit is an SD50, 60 or early 70, either IC or a leaser. The air intakes near the cab indicate that's at least a 50 series SD, and it looks like a standard cab, limiting it to the early production of the SD70. I found another nice Google Earth view, this time of Canadian Pacific's St-Luc engine facility, including the roundhouse. CP_St-Luc_Roundhouse1 by Mike VE2TRV posted Feb 19, 2017 at 3:53 AM It's shared with Montreal's transit agency AMT. One can see a couple of F59PHIs, There's also an ALP45DP, which is the one to the left, with two sets of two radiator fans. The roof detail at the rear of the unit is the pantograph for working the overhead wire on the Deux-Montagnes commuter run, which goes through the Mount Royal tunnel, built and later electrified by Canadian Northern, a Canadian National predecessor. Off to the right and in the distance at top are several CP engines waiting either for service or assignment. Images like this are modeling gold. They show that yards and engine facilties are very messy places, with enough oil stains, randomly strewn equipment, and piles of junk and stuff to rival Possum Lake in disorderliness. And there's nothing more fun than modeling a mess.
Nice shot Russell. I miss Big Blue. Here's one at Bennington, PA from July 1980 with all four tracks still intact and in use.
Hey badlandnp, send it back east so that I can see it. Her sister locomotive No. 1111 is known as the "Barcode" unit, as the engine number on the cab side is simply four vertical lines.
1984 was a good year for train watching, in spite of George Orwell's book title. This was taken from up stairs in the old Santa Fe depot in Temple, Texas.
Here are some more from Temple, Texas. The same crappy camera, film and developing. But I was still having fun. Sometimes I don't realize how spoiled I am these days with the quality of photos I am capable of taking with modern photography equipment.
I'm absolutely sure it's an IC standard-cab SD70. I found this photo in my train folder (don't remember where I got it), and the trailing unit (1004) is identically oriented and just about at the same perspective angle as Keith's fifth unit. Ic1002-1004 by Mike VE2TRV posted Feb 22, 2017 at 7:38 PM Sans grime it's a dead ringer for Keith's mystery loco.
EJ&E boxcars on the roll, probably taken about 1975 when I was getting started in rail photography. The J ran close to our house and when I heard an air horn I would run or bicycle like mad to get trackside. I wonder if there were roller bearings hiding in those friction bearing trucks?
