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UP Phippsburg local makes its way back to Bond with a solo Gevo passing by the Rio Grande searchlights protecting end of the siding in Steamboat Springs.
UP LDZ11 (Phippsburg, CO - Bond, CO)
UP 5285 ES44AC
Photo by Chris Enright | CDOT
Photo by Chris Enright | CDOT
Photo by Chris Enright | CDOT
Photo by Chris Enright | CDOT
Photo by Chris Enright | CDOT
Photo by Chris Enright | CDOT
Likely the most filthy road locomotive I ever photographed is Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 No. 5392 leading a coal empty past milepost 178 at the old station of Park between Edna and Sidney, Colorado on the Craig Branch on September 9, 1992. If it’s not the filthiest, it’s up there anyway. I’ve seen Montana Rail Link and Rio Grande helper sets this dirty—I can only assume that No. 5390, along with the two trailing Rio Grande units, are blackened from being in helper service through all those tunnels. Maybe the wash rack at Burnham is broken. Or maybe it’s just Southern Pacific influence on Rio Grande power. Either way, the train didn’t shine in the morning sun.
A Rio Grande coal train roars upgrade on the Craig Branch and is about to enter Rock Creek Canyon between Crater and Volcano, Colorado, on September 8, 1992. Led by EMD SD50 No. 5502, the westbound train will encircle the canyon located behind me and eventually end up at Volcano, which is the upper grade in the middle of the photo. The train is heading for Phippsburg and eventual loading at a mine on the branch.
A rugged section of track between Crater and Volcano, Colorado, on Rio Grande’s Craig Branch is illustrated with this tight horseshoe curve of track negotiated within Rock Creek Canyon. With the latter half of the empty coal train rolling by in the foreground, the head end locomotives are on the other side of the canyon on September 8, 1992. Three Rio Grande locomotives (SD50, SD45 and a SD40T-2) lead one unit each from Santa Fe, BN and SP in the colorful consist. An aside, I hiked in here with my wife on our honeymoon! Not to worry, we did things like staying at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon too.
A Union Pacific freight train headed for Craig Colorado. March 2023.
A Union Pacific freight train headed for Craig Colorado. March 2023.
On the morning of July 31, 1996, a Southern Pacific coal train climbs through the Crater Loops at Crater, Colorado, on the former Rio Grande Craig Branch. Five General Electric AC4400CWs power the train, with two on the point, two mid-train, and one following up on the rear of the train. In this view, mid-train Nos. 332 and 256 are in the middle of the loops, while lone rear DPU No. 266 works below.
UP 6686 & 2647 encounter some snow flurries as they lead the MBOPH by Finger Rock on the Craig Branch.
Appearing like a ghost, the MBOPH cruises downhill out of Toponas as it polishes the rails of the lightly-used Craig Branch.
UP's Bond to Phippsburg manifest curls though the Crater Loops (the tail of the train can be seen just to the left of the barn) as it makes its way up the Craig Branch.
MBOPH 14
An eastbound UP/BNSF loaded coal train from Axial Mine eases down the grade at Crater Loops, Colorado, in a snow shower with some abnormal lighting along the Craig Branch on April 22, 2021. The train is headed for Tucson Electric Power's Springerville, Arizona, plant on the BNSF.
CGJGJ2 22 (C PUESPT0 01A)
Crater, Colorado
