BNSF Southern Transcon at Grants, NM

[Yard Limit]

The BNSF Southern Transcon is a railroad corridor between Southern California and Chicago, Illinois. Completed in its current alignment in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, when it opened the Belen Cutoff in New Mexico and bypassed the steep grades of Raton Pass, it now serves as a mostly double-tracked intermodal corridor.
The BNSF Gallup Subdivision runs between Belen, New Mexico and Winslow, Arizona. It is 284.5 miles long.
Grants, New Mexico, MP 96, is a small town about halfway between Albuquerque, New Mexico and Gallup, New Mexico. I had heard that there would be five private cars on Amtrak 3 on August 24, 2017 and thought that Grants would be a good place to catch them and also give me the opportunity to catch some transcon freight as well. Amtrak was so late departing Albuquerque that it was really too late to get a decent video of the train, but it is presented for your viewing pleasure nonetheless.
Caboose 999726 ordains a park in the center of Grants. This beautifully restored car was parked on a siding in Grants for a number of years before being resurrected and placed in the park.
Here is a roster of trains with their locomotives that we saw during our two day adventure.

 

[Bill Anderson]

That looks like fast track territory. Any idea of the speed of those intermodal freights? I read that the old Super C would routinely travel at 79mph, the maximum speed allowed for freights at the time.

The mid train DPUs are interesting. As you know, we never see them up here on the Scenic Sub.

You got the added bonus of a 40 year anniversary/commemorative/heritage unit on #3. I like the way its stripes match those of the new baggage car behind it. Maybe Amtrak should (re)paint all of its Genesis units that way.

 

[Yard Limit]

The track speed for this area is 70 mph freight and 90 mph for passenger. Thanks for watching and commenting Bill!