| [an error occurred while processing this directive] |
|
|
|
 |
|
SL&RG NEW EQUIPMENT UPDATE
Posted Sunday, December 30 2007 at 2346 h MST
At least four of the domes have made it to Alamosa. On a somewhat roundabout trip home from Trinidad today (Sunday, 30-Dec-2007), I found RPCX 509, 510, 511, and 551 in the Alamosa yard. Don Gilchrist found the fifth dome - RPCX 554 - at the Walsenburg, CO, interchange yesterday. It wasn't there today, so either it's up on the pass somewhere, or buried in the East Alamosa yard. I've posted a few pictures of the cars on the SL&RG [here]. Don also sent a few photos of 554 that I'll be adding soon.
The two steam engines are inbound to Provo, UT. Nolan Coleman reported on the Utah Railroading list that the two should arrive around nooon tomorrow (Monday, 31-Dec-2007) on UP's MHKPV-29, and then move eastward on an MPVNY over the old Rio Grande system. Heads up out there! For those of you with trace capabilities, look for flatcars KRL 70967 and KRL 70902. - NDHolmes
SL&RG DOMES THROUGH PUEBLO
Posted Friday, December 28 2007 at 2057 h MST
John Rose, Jr., from Pueblo sent me a few photos of the new SL&RG (ex-HALX) domes passing through the Pueblo yard over Christmas. I've posted them here: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5.
The Pueblo Chieftain also had a story on the new cars and steamers published on Thursday, 27-Dec-2007. The article can be viewed at their website [here]. - NDHolmes
NEW TRIP REPORT - THE NEVADA NORTHERN
Posted Thursday, December 27 2007 at 2152 h MST
In between the busy parts of Christmas with my family here in Iowa, I've managed to finally put together some of my photos from my visit to the Nevada Northern last summer. I was on my way back from California and wandering across Nevada, and thought I should stop and see this uniquely complete historic railroad and museum. Inside, you'll see photos of NNRY 4-6-0 #40 on the Keystone line, a ride behind an Alco RS-2 on the Hiline, and a look at some of the goodies hidden inside the East Ely enginhouse. For those interested, the new photos can be found [here]. - NDHolmes
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
Posted Tuesday, December 25 2007 at 1511 h MST
I'm a little late on posting this, but hopefully all of you are spending time with loved ones today. I want to thank all of you who read the website regularly and those who also have contributed. DRGW.Net has helped keep me sane through a very trying year personally, and all of you are what make it time well spent. Merry Christmas! - NDHolmes
SL&RG DOMES IN DENVER
Posted Saturday, December 22 2007 at 1008 h MST
Joe McMillan spotted the five ex-HALX domes passing Arvada, CO, on the back of a Union Pacific manifest coming off the Moffat this morning (presumably M-PVNY). By the time I write this, they should be in North Yard. I still have no idea what reporting marks they're traveling under, so I can't provide more exact updates on their expected movements. That said, I'd expect them to be on the M-NYPU in the next day or so. (Update - 12/22, 1122h): For those who are members of Trainorders, Joe posted his photo of the cars [here]. - NDHolmes
5371 UPDATE
Posted Tuesday, December 18 2007 at 1229 h MST
After spending a good amount of time at Denver Diesel (Burnham Shops) for some unknown reason, 5371 is back out on the road again. It left the shops on Saturday, reportedly had its wheels turned at North Yard, and then left Sunday night on the westbound M-NYGJ-16. Matt Darling sent in a few pictures of it in the Grand Junction yards, which I've posted [here]. No word yet on whether it will catch an M-NYPV to continue towards Helper, or hang around Grand Junction for a while. If it does stay in Junction, we might once again see black and gold on the Potash job. - NDHolmes
NEW SL&RG STEAMERS ON THE MOVE, TOO
Posted Monday, December 17 2007 at 2231 h MST
As a follow-up to the earlier news that the new SLRG domes are on their way to Colorado, the two ex-Mt. Hood, exx-Grand Canyon, nee-LS&I 2-8-0s were loaded up on flatcars today in Hood River, OR. Trainorders.com user "Indecline" posted photos of the loading process in [this thread]. SLRG 20 is traveling on flatcar KRL 70967, and SLRG 18 on KRL 70902. No indication was given as to which cars would be transporting the tenders. - NDHolmes
SL&RG DOMES ON THEIR WAY
Posted Monday, December 17 2007 at 1648 h MST
I just noticed on Trainorders.com that "bluesman" spotted the SL&RG's five dome cars moving eastward at North Powder, OR, on the Union Pacific. The cars will come down to Ogden, and then from there may either go east via UP's Wyoming main, or come over the Moffat. Either way, they'll eventually wind up in Denver and be taken south to Pueblo on the M-NYPU, then down to the Walsenburg interchange on the overnight turn. If anybody sees them in transit, I'd very much appreciate photos. - NDHolmes
JOINT LINE CAMERA BACK
Posted Sunday, December 16 2007 at 1248 h MST
The Joint Line Cam has returned! After experiencing an unexpected failure a couple weeks back, I purchased a new Axis 210 camera and installed it at Rob's house in Monument earlier this week. The motion detection is going to require some tuning before it starts capturing trains reliably again, but it's pretty close now in bright, clear weather. I'll be traveling over the Christmas holiday, but will try to have it tuned before I leave. - NDHolmes
UP COAL TRAIN DERAILS IN DENVER, DAMAGES LIGHT RAIL
Posted Tuesday, December 11 2007 at 1357 h MST
Sometime early this morning (Tuesday, 11-Dec-2007), a southbound Union Pacific coal load derailed about twenty two TILX cars near milepost 11 (Littleton, CO) on the Joint Line. What happened next is still somewhat unclear, but an RTD light rail train on the adjacent tracks was also derailed. Reports differ on whether the derailment was caused all of the spilled coal covering the RTD line, or by impact with a derailed coal car. Fortunately the RTD operator noticed the derailment starting, and was able to slow the RTD car enough that the twenty-eight passengers onboard sustained only minor injuries. The light rail catenary was damaged when the derailing light rail vehicle took out one of the poles, so RTD is indicating that line south of the Oxford station will be closed for "an undetermined amount of time".
For those who are Trainorders.com members, you can see close-up photos of the incident [here] and about halfway down [here]. Otherwise, pictures and other accounts can be found on the [Denver Post] and [Rocky Mountain News] websites. - NDHolmes
CHRISTMAS TRAIN ROUND-UP
Posted Thursday, December 6 2007 at 2113 h MST
It's that time of year again - time for the Christmas-themed trains to start running. Actually I'm a little late on this - both the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad and the Cumbres & Toltec started running their holiday trains last weekend, and the Durango & Silverton has been running theirs since before Thanksgiving. So, here's a summary of some of the special trains running around Colorado in the upcoming weeks.
The Pueblo Railway Museum will be running the Pueblo Express on their short spur during the next three weekends. Power will be C&W GP7 103, pulling D&RGW caboose 01432 and MoPac caboose 1234. Runs will take place on December 8, 14, 15, 21, and 22. Trains will run from 1600h to 1900h on Fridays and 1000h to 1630h on Saturdays. [Details]
The Cumbres & Toltec "Antonito Cinder Bear Christmas Express" will run out of (appropriately enough) Antonito, CO, this Saturday, 8-Dec-2007. Trains will depart at 0930h, 1200h, and 1430h, and tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children. [Details and reservations]
The Durango & Silverton started running their Polar Express train several weeks back, and the schedule becomes more frequent over the next couple weeks. They're running up to three times a night, depending on the day - the schedule is too complicated for a brief explanation, so see their [official schedule]. Tickets are $26 for adults, $18 for children 2-11. [Details and reservations]
The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad (aka the passenger operations of the San Luis & Rio Grande) will be running their "North Pole Express" from La Veta eastward towards Walsenburg. The train, powered by one of the diesels, will depart at 1730h on December 8, 9, 15, and 16. Fares are $20 for adults, $10 for children 2-11, and children under 2 are free. [Details and reservations]
Wrapping up the Christmas Trains for 2008 is the Royal Gorge Route's Santa Express Train, running on December 9th, and then daily from December 15th through the 24th. [Details and reservations] - NDHolmes
NEW TRIP REPORT - GHOSTS OF THE UINTAH RAILWAY
Posted Sunday, December 2 2007 at 1521 h MST
Even before moving out to Colorado, I had a fascination with the Uintah Railway. Here was nearly 70 miles of remote narrow gauge railway, built long after the narrow gauge boom was over, in order to haul a single commodity - gilsonite / uintaite. Running through an area that can only be described as a middle of nowhere, the route had some of the most challenging track ever constructed - 5 miles of 7.5% grade, another 7 of 5%, and a pair of 66 degree curves (that's a radius of 87 feet!). Yet the Uintah rostered two of the largest narrow gauge steam engines ever constructed - a pair of massive 2-6-6-2T Baldwin articulateds, specifically engineered for the line.
About a month ago, after a few weeks of dry weather to assure the route was passable, I took off to go drive the route and see what remained. The results of that trip are posted in a new trip report [here]. - NDHolmes
|
|
Enter a keyword or words
to search for in the news archive. Use + for a logical AND, and - for a
logical NOT.
|
|
