Rare sight Canadian National 8840, SD70M-2, and CN 2673 on a 99-car empty unit coal train from Louisiana rolled across Colorado to the West Elk Mine southeast of Grand Junction, CO, Train passed through Denver on 14 November 2025.
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Cool photo. Rare in what sense?
Rare in that it has CN power.
Thanks, Backshop. So, what would prompt CN to run this particular train to West Elk Mine?
Canadian National power is seldom seen especially as the only power on Union Pacific trains in Colorado. Lucky to find this Louisiana to West Elk Mine, CO, 99-car unit coal empty passing through Denver, CO, on Friday, 14 November 2025. Matter of fact, it’s getting rare to see coal trains these days. The West Elk Mine southeast of Grand Junction, CO, has encountered coal seam production issues this year. Colorado coal mine production has dropped off considerably.
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The photos are great, and the story behind them is most interesting. Thanks for that explanation.
- CN trains sometimes run on Union Pacific (UP) lines in Colorado, such as the Limon Subdivision, through operational agreements between the two companies.
Is it a CN train or just runthrough power?
I understand quite a bit of met coal is mined in the North Fork area. Was this such, and headed for New Orleans for export?
Rare run through power. Canadian National units, especially two of them, is highly unusual. Coal trains are getting rare as well. West Elk Mine in western Colorado has reported coal production issues lately (September - November 2025). The two CN units were the leaders going out to the West Elk Mine, CO. They were then the rear two DPUs on the eastbound 99-car loaded coal train that operated 3x2x2-!
Both CN units came off at UP’s North Yard, Denver, CO, the evening of 16 November 2025. Next assignment -?!?
Well done, Zephyr!
Well if anyone models Canadian National (or Colorado) in the year of our Lord 2025, those are some great prototype photos to get a couple of CN Dash-9s weathered! CN 2673 has definitely seen better days, I’ll tell you what!