Generally, the Rollins Pass snowfighting equipment was turned at Ranch Creek, and Spruce wyes, above the 10,000 foot elevation mark. Mammoth would have been used for helpers like the monster 200-class 2-6-6-0's.
Battle of attrition. If you make enough trips, eventually you'll see something clean! I had a shot of the train, had 8 units ont he head end of an empty coal train. I cannot find it now. Here's 2 shots from the road; no mountain goat impersonations or climbing harnesses, snowshoes, parkas or rain slickers needed! The morning dawned below zero at Kremmling; here's First Light at Troublesome, CO: A mess of power leads a coal empty west thru Byers Canyon: These 2 shots require a short hike of under a mile to reach... Coal loads ease out of 1,055' Tunnel 19: A rocky cut near the tracks at Tunnel 27 is my perch for this shot:
Here are a couple pictures from the archives. Maybe I'll get a few new shots this weekend. U.P. 4278 Headed East Through Clifton, CO. U.P. 7277 Heads Towards Grand Junction, CO. U.P. 6595 In Waiting Just West Of Grand Junction, CO. Ben
Several weeks ago my son and I drove up DeBeque Canyon and were able to catch U.P. 6830 and 5905 pulling a string of empty coal hoppers. Ben
Last week we caught UP 5993 leading a train of empty coal hoppers through Palisade, CO west bound. Ben
Excellent, as usual! FYI you really did inspire me to open an office up there...should be ready by mid-April...then I can finally get back to that country!
Thanks for the kind comments guys. I will have to go out and get some more pictures soon. Welcome back to Western Colorado Mr. Cater! Ben
I lived in Junction from 1999 until 2002, when family and job reasons forced me to move back to Texas. My family fell in love with the area, and my wife became a semi-regular at the many wineries in Palisade (we brought back three cases of wine). I was a member of the Grand Valley Model RR Club, and helped build their club building at Cross Orchards farms in Junction. In a way, I miss the area, but due to family, I must remain here. Perhaps some day the Zephyr, during one of its stops at GJT, will see the Thompson family get off & get ready to spend some vacation time.
