June 8, 1999

I was on my way into the shop around 4pm and happened to spot the afternoon Beer Run and the Golden Switcher at Terrill Junction. The picture below is from January 31st, I went up in a plane to shoot some pictures with a friend. This picture will help explain the movements in the rest of the pictures.

Earlier in the day (about 2pm) I caught the Golden Switcher (Santa Fe GP35 #2850) pulling by Coors Glass which is a few miles east of Terrill Jct. Here the Golden Switch is heading east. Later in the day I caught the train on the return trip and they had somehow run the engine around to the rear of the train (it was still facing East). I assume they had to use the Mt. Olivet siding as it is the only double-ended siding close by.

This UCLX (Unicorn Lines) tanker looks like it has had some repair work and also been restenciled.

Okay there should be a picture here, but it was so blured it looked like I had drank all the beer in one of these cars. But what you sould see in the picture: I had just driven across the tracks of the BNSF Golden Branch and looking West I saw the lights of the approaching Beer Run heading East. It had just pulled its train out of the Coors Outbound yard to head back to Denver. Looking East down the tracks I could see the Golden Switch heading West. They had run the engine around the train and it was pulling backwards. Since I didn't figure they were planning on running into each other I stopped to watch the action. One of the crew got off the Golden Switch and threw the turnout at Terrill Jct. They then pulled the Switch into the Coors lead and stopped just clear of the Branch. Okay, we can return to pictures....

Standing where the X is in the top picture looking south. The Golden Switch has pulled into the Coors Lead to clear the Branch for the Beer Run to pass. One of the crew stayed at the switch to throw it back for the Beer Run.

Standing where the X is in the top picture I caught a pair of C30-7's pulling the Afternoon Beer Run back to Denver. The cars to the right is the tail of the Golden Switch that has pulled into the Coors Lead to clear the main for the Beer Run to get by. (Click on picture for a larger view)
After the Beer Run passed the crewman standing at the Terrill Jct. turnout let the Golden Switch back out onto the Branch and they continued on towards the Golden Yard.

I chased the train east a few miles to just north of our shop. I'm sitting at the Independence road crossing watching the Beer Run head towards Denver. Had a dozen box and grain hoppers, then nine CORX Beer Tankers and the rest was 62' Beer Cars, over 50 of them. (Click on picture for a larger view)
Notice the boxes that Coors had fabricated to cover the valves and connections on the top of the tankers. I assume this is for sanitation and security. For a closer look at the tankers click here.