Uploaded April 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
An unusual feature of modern American railroading is street running. In fact I only know of one place where this is still done (although there may be others): Ft. Collins, CO.In Ft. Collins, the BNSF mainline runs for about a mile right down the middle of Mason St. For several years now I have had it on my "too do" list to photograph this phenomenon, but never quite got around to it. Then I read the other day that by the end of the summer this will be a thing of the past. So, I drove up there and spent a few hours on a lovely spring day reading a book and watching trains go by. I set up just south of Mulberry St. and shortly after I arrived (about 11am) a northbound local came by, powered by three SD40-2's. including one still in the old BN green/black/white livery. This was followed about an hour later by a northbound unit coal train with an SD70MAC leading and an ES44AC bringing up the rear. I relocated to Mountain St. and at about 1:15pm the SD40-2's.returned heading south with a different string of cars. This time the old BN unit was leading. That was all I had time for today. I hope to do this a couple of more times.
An unusual feature of modern American railroading is street running. In fact I only know of one place where this is still done (although there may be others): Ft. Collins, CO.In Ft. Collins, the BNSF mainline runs for about a mile right down the middle of Mason St. For several years now I have had it on my "too do" list to photograph this phenomenon, but never quite got around to it. Then I read the other day that by the end of the summer this will be a thing of the past. So, I drove up there and spent a few hours on a lovely spring day reading a book and watching trains go by. I set up just south of Mulberry St. and shortly after I arrived (about 11am) a northbound local came by, powered by three SD40-2's. including one still in the old BN green/black/white livery. This was followed about an hour later by a northbound unit coal train with an SD70MAC leading and an ES44AC bringing up the rear. I relocated to Mountain St. and at about 1:15pm the SD40-2's.returned heading south with a different string of cars. This time the old BN unit was leading. That was all I had time for today. I hope to do this a couple of more times.
