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Remnants of the Rio Grande, 3

On Saturday, I rose at 03:45 to drive 100 miles east into the desert to watch the sun rise at Sagers, UT, a location famous for fans of Mark W. Hemphill's article "The Unknown Rio Grande" in the July 1985 Trains. The experience was truly incredible, everything I had hoped it would have been. The desert is SILENT. It's like nothing I've ever experienced. No crickets or birds, no streams, no leaves for the breeze to rustle. There is the occasional truck on I-70, a few miles away. Other than that, one is alone with the desert and the railroad.

Dawn at Sagers Siding; West Sagers, UT 08/19/00. Truely incredible.

The sunrise was simply spectacular.

There's something about the Desert that UP (or any road) will never be able to take away. The Rio Grande is forever a part of places like Solitude, Thompson, and Sagers. The power may be different, but the experience is still pure Rio Grande.

The splendor of a desert sunrise; West Sagers, UT 08/19/00. In places like this, the spirit of the 'Grande will live on forever.

The only train I saw out there was the RODVM with 2 UP SD70M's, elephant style. I spent the remainder of the day meandering west across the desert, looking for the dirt train (which had gotten out early, so I only saw its light power returning down the Sunnyside branch). The rest of the day was spent on Solider Summit's eastern grades. What a show!

UP train MDVRO (Denver, CO to Roper [Salt Lake City] UT, Manifest) roars upgrade just east of Kyune, UT; 08/19/00.

Four D&RGW SD40T-2's are the swing helper in UP train MDVRO (Denver, CO to Roper [Salt Lake City] UT Manifest) through West Helper, UT and into the Price River Canyon; 08/19/00.

BNSF provided a number of photo opportunities, as did several coal trains.

Eastbound UP empties exit the tunnels just east of Kyune, UT; 08/19/00.

Midday, UP put 7 SD40T-2's into a massive 105-car coal drag. I chased that to the summit.

SEVEN D&RGW SD40T-2's are the swing helper in this westbound UP loaded coal train; Nolan's Point, UT 08/19/00.

A UP westbound loaded coal train pounds upgrade between Kyune and Colton, UT with helpers just out of view around the corner; 08/19/00.

Here's the swing! SEVEN Rio Grande SD40T-2's, midtrain, between Kyune and Colton, UT; 08/19/00: Pure Rio Grande.

The afternoon was spent chasing other trains around the area on the main.

A westbound UP loaded coal drag (at right) meets eastbound Utah Railway empties with UP power; Soldier Summit, UT 08/19/00.

I hit the sack early, victim of the 4-hour sleep the night before. Sunday came all too soon, and with it the trip home. This time I was able to view the western slopes in daylight and I quickly realized that another trip would be needed!! For fans of the Rio Grande, it's truly a spectacle worth traveling for.

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