This is about the ex-C&S/ex-D&RGW (now BNSF/UP) joint line between these two towns. Trains NewsWire today mentions about UP capital spending on this Colorado line. Last time I looked at Google Earth it was still double track. The questions I have: are both tracks in service? Does each RR own one of the tracks? Since this is part of the larger BNSF paired directional trackage between Pueblo and the Texas panhandle, I am suprised it is still double tracked when all but local traffic is one way.
(1) Both tracks are in-service. UP only goes south to Walsenburg to interchange w/ SL&RG. UP has no other business below Southern Junction. UP(DRGW) owns the track on the geographic west side and BNSF (BN/C&S-FW&D) the east. Each maintains their own track and BNSF cannot interchange w/ SL&RG because of where the division of ownership is west of Walenburg. Technically, UP is the underlying landowner. the UP side is 115 cwr and the BNSF side is mostly 136 cwr.
Not all of the BNSF current of traffic comes back thru Trinidad to Walsenburg. The more priority stuff will come back Trinidad - La Junta. (and patterns change with each new set of operating officials, as does the demands to put the hump back in Pueblo)
The C&S line (Originally D&NO whose original builders intended to go through La Junta instead of Walsenburg, but there was no local business out on the high prairie desert)) is still the “Crooked and Slow” way between Pueblo and Amarillo.
D&RG had its own line to Trinidad from Walsenburg, but it was removed in pieces after 1936 and relied on C&S trackage rights and eventually they gave up the rights to Trinidad after the C&W Southern Division coal was no longer needed at Pueblo (CF&I)…
MC, thanks. It sounds like I may have mischaracterized this as a “joint line”. It sounds more like 2 seperate lines on the same ROW. I wonder if each RR dispatches its own track.
That’s an interesting tidbit on the Trinidad-LaJunta freight traffic. Does that mean they might keep the line, even if they divest Raton Pass?
MM - Anything is possible and ironically I was told today BNSF has ocassionally started running light, non-DMU/RCE trains over the hill again, often with an AMTK pilot because the local qualified help was MIA a long way from home.
yes, each railroad does dispatch its own side of the railroad, UP has trackage rights over the BNSF all the way to Pueblo, but will often take their own side north of Walsenberg, “referred to as taking the dirt road” if that says anything about the condition of the track
Mudchicken:
Is there that much business for UP to maintain the line down to W’burg?
You mentioned something about a “hump in Pueblo”…was there once a hump yard there? If so, is there serious consideration about maintaining such a yard? I spent a short period of time in LaJuanta last summer, hoping to spend some time at the depot, but plans didnt allow for it. There seemed to be quite a few trains and lots of auto racks in the yard. Is that a staging area for the Denver-Pueblo traffic?
Sounds like Raton Pass might start seeing a little freight. That would be interesting and worth a trip from Indiana.
Speaking of Colorado…does BNSF use the rights to Canon City? I know the Santa Fe and Rio Grand were in a battle years ago, but what is the current situation at Canon City. Is it all rock trains out of there?
Ed
I would guess the main reason UP keeps the track thru W’burg and slightly west of there is to controll the interchange with the San Luis & Rio Grande, a line that they spun off.
I heard that BNSF gave up their Canon City rights. IIRC they sold their south CC branch, and the Rockvale branch seems to be used for coal car storage.
Ed: BNSF sold ever