New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona - 10, BNSF's Southern Tanscon - 5

Hi, For our final day of the trip we headed east out of Belen. I had 3 objectives: 1) See if there was an obvious way into Abo Canyon without going on BNSF property (there was not), 2) photograph the horseshoe curve at Willard, and 3) photograph at Vaughn where the UP (former SP) passes under the Transcon.

For our first photographs on the Transcon we wound up at the US 60 bridge across the Transcon at the east end of the canyon (above and four below). The track in photos 1, 2, 4 and 5 is the original and is usually used for eastbound trains..

These DPUs are descending the grade westbound on the new track.

We beat the last train up grade to Mountainair, NM., the crest of the grade. At this point the train sped up, quickly attaining track speed, so we let it go.

After lunch in Vaughn at the only restaurant in town we headed back west to where the Transcon crossed the UP (above and below). The bridge in the foreground is new; the result of double tracking the Transcon a few years ago.

Heading west we photograhed at Tejon, NM,

Carnero, NM,

Culebra, NM

Willard, NM

and Mountainair, NM

before ending our photography at Scholle, NM (above and below).

So ended an excellent trip with a great friend.

Thanks for looking.