The Trains of Colorado's Joint Line

Mention the words “Joint Line” and most railfans think of the BNSF – Union Pacific line between Denver and Pueblo. The 120 miles of single and double track between Denver and Pueblo on the edge of the Front Range have the spectacular Rockies as a backdrop and include 18,000-ton coal trains and heavy manifest trains ascending and dropping down grades as steep as one and a half percent. Many trains have distributed power or DPU with radio controlled helpers at one or more points in the train and some even have both DPU and manned helpers on the steep southbound climb out of Denver to Palmer Lake. This program shows nearly 30 hours of ear-splitting action between Larkspur, nine miles north of the summit and beginning of single track at Palmer Lake, and Crews, south of Colorado Springs, where double track begins again, and includes action through the Springs. “The Trains of Colorado’s Joint Line” is two hours and twenty nine minutes long.