Palmer Lake Meets Set For May

For those near the Front Range, a small, semi-regular gathering of railfans reconvenes at their usual spot, a small parking lot in north Palmer Lake (see map). The meet is as egalitarian and informal as possible, with no meals or facilities provided. Someone usually brings a scanner that picks up what trains are in the area.


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The meets are scheduled for successive Saturdays on May 15 and May 22, 2010 both starting at 10:00 AM. This is a great opportunity for fans of the Union Pacific and BNSF because the Joint Line has historically owned by predecessors of the two railroads for nearly a century now. For more information on the meet, contact Mike at mikek44@gmail.com or Lee at lr_trains@yahoo.com.

Palmer Lake is strategically located on the Joint Line at the summit of the Palmer Divide, which divides the South Platte River basin from the Arkansas River basin. As a result, trains from both directions are pulling hard to make it over the grade. Palmer Lake is also a location where the single-track main of the Joint Line coming from Colorado Springs splits to a two-track main for the descent into Denver. This allows for directional running, greatly speeding operations. Viewing freight traffic is usually not an issue at this location.


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