The C&S in New Mexico

BN Train Number 90 Seattle-Houston with the Capulin Volcano in the background.

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After leaving Texline, the southern extent of the C&S, the line makes the transition from high plains running to a more challenging topography exemplified by the Capulin Volcano near Folsom. Following the line between Des Moines and Folsom, you can see evidence of curvature reduction realignments. Even with the realignments there are several large sweeping elevation gaining curves on the line as these photos attest.

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Ex Frisco SD40-2 6847 leads a northbound freight around the big horseshoe curve at Folsom, New Mexico. Photo taken in June of 1987.

Folsom, New Mexico, the namesake town of  the Folsom Point, and the start of the big climb up to Alps Mesa and into Colorado. This is the grade that led BNSF to reroute loaded coal trains to the upgraded former Santa Fe line via Boise City, Oklahoma.

Spankin' Oakway SD60s lead empty coal back to the Powder River Basin, near Clayton, New Mexico, June 1987

BN Fort Worth - Denver "Zip Train" near Clayton New Mexico. June 1987.

One SD40-2 and 1o trailers, don't know how this train could have been making much money, but hey! About this same time (1992), the Santa Fe was running a train between Belen, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, which was called the QBEEP. I never could get a shot of this train, as it was an overnight schedule.

C&S Meet - Des Moines, New Mexico - 1992

BN 3522 N. at Des Moines, New Mexico waits in the hole for a unit coal train.

BN 5562 S. at Des Moines, New Mexico

BN extended vision cupola caboose 12552 brings up the rear of a loaded coal train at Des Moines, New Mexico on the Colorado and Southern.

BN 3522 N. pulls out of Des Moines, New Mexico siding.

BN 3522 N. pulls out of Des Moines, New Mexico siding.

BN 3522 N. Des Moines, New Mexico

BN 3522 N. Des Moines, New Mexico
GP40M 3522 is ex CB&Q 637

On the high plains of northeastern New Mexico one can get the sensation of being on top of the world. Here we see a meet between a southbound coal train and a northbound manifest. The coal loads don't go this way anymore, and instead make their way to Texas powerplants via Boise City, Oklahoma, on the former Santa Fe.

Three Digits Meant Colorado and Southern

Shades of the T&NO,  BN kept alive a separate three digit numbering scheme for its Colorado and Southern power. This was eventually eliminated,  and locomotives later received four digit numbers. The SD45 era on BN was brief, but here we see a pair lead an EB into Pasco, Washington, in July of 1973.