Railfan Info on Sherman Hill and Cheyenne

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know the BNSF Train symbloes and what time they run thru Cheyenne?

HAAPY B-DAY NEBRASKA

[Anonymous]

THANKS FOR THE HELP

[Anonymous]

Hey Doggy,
As Mark said above, definitely get the Delorme WY Atlas. It will just add so much more success to your train watching. Sherman Hill is great. Lots of trains and I think its beautiful there. Two things to remember. A lot of the numbered state roads and most county / town roads out there are just gravel. Second, Sherman Hill peaks out at over 8,000'. At that altitude, weather changes more quickly and the snow melts a lot more slowly. If you're going soon, you're going to likely still find a quite a bit of snow up there. Be careful.

I'd start out in Cheyenne. The yard follows along Hwy 30 right through town. Right in the middle of town a road bridge goes up and over the yard, next to the depot.
On the west end of town, the BNSF passes over UP on a bridge. You can sometimes get an over-under photo w/ trains from both RRs but that might take some time. Its still a great place where you can stake out both RR's at once. Going West, Hwy 30 changes to 225. Stay on 225 as it parallels the RR toward the hill. You can get out to Borie which is also a good spot to watch.

Remember that there are 3 tracks up the hill from the West and from the East. 2 of the 3 run together and the 3rd runs futher South to soften the uphill grade. The 2 that stay together remain fairly close to the Interstate (80).

You can get a preview by going to www.mapquest.com Type in any of these names which are station points (control points) along the UP on Sherman Hill.
Borie
Speer
Sherman
Buford
Granite
Hermosa
Colores

Also below are links to a bunch of photos taken at various points on the UP on Sherman Hill. (Finally - be careful about going on private property. Some of the ranchers on the hill don't take kindly to strangers walking on their land.)

This photo was taken from the bridge that crosses over Cheyenne Yard
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=47285

Harriman WY (on Sherman Hill)
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/photos/dieselfreightaction/k389.shtml

Near Sherman WY
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/photos/dieselfreightaction/k582a.shtml

At Dale WY (near the summit of Sherman Hill)
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/photos/dieselfreightaction/k552.shtml

Container Train at Hermosa. The rear of the train would be at Tie Siding.
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/photos/dieselfreightaction/cofc/4741.shtml

Colores is on the West side of the summit, closer to Laramie
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/photos/dieselfreightaction/cofc/4767.shtml

This photo, although old, was taken on the West side of Cheyenee. The RR still looks pretty much like this. That's the BNSF on the bridge over the top and the UP on the lower tracks where the steamer is. The UP is now triple track ( I think ) along this part. Just under the bridge is Tower A which controlled the West end of the yard. This photo can still be captured today (albeit with a little newer power) from a public road that crosses the tracks at this point.
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/photos/steampassengeraction/2538.shtml

[kenneo]

Doggy .... The route over Sherman was rebuilt in 1902 and an easier grade was used. Not much better, but try to explain that to a fireman handbombing a hog. Two scoops makes a real difference!.

There is (or was) a monument at the original site. They should show on a DeLorme or a TopoZone map. Go to www.topozone.com and search for "Sherman WY" , the response will be ----

Sherman Albany WY town/city 8014 feet Buford 41.098ºN 105.350ºW

and then click on the blue Sherman and you will be taken a topographic map showing the current Sherman Summit. The original summit is 3.5 miles north near where the I-80 crosses over. Much of the original grade is covered over by the Interstate, but the original summit remains at the NW corner of Section 6 Township 14 North Range 72 West. And the monument is still there. There is a road to it from I-80, about , oh say, 1/2 mile.

Something you may also be interested in is the South Pass. The UP considered the winter snows to be too deep to make a viable crossing there, but where the gap is for South Pass and the mean surface level of the Sweetwater River is only about 12 feet. There is a monument there to the Immigrant Trail and also, there is an abandoned grade of a U S Steel railroad that ran from a mine on the East side to "nowhere" on the West over the "Old South Pass". HWY 28 out of Lander, Wy.

[Anonymous]

Hello Doggy , Just a little info If it's of intrest to you, Try to check into the Sherman Hill history , I believe that the Sherman Hill pass was rerouted many years ago & I have seen photos of what I was told was the remnants of the old route. Bridge abutments ect. Most people don't know about this , The photos looked pretty neat. I was in Laramie Wy. waiting for the roads to reopen bacause of a blizzard & stumbled onto this subject. Just thought this could be an interest to you. "Have Fun"

[Anonymous]

Doggy:

There are so many trains on UP all you have to do is show up -- the trains will find you. BNSF through Cheyenne is at best six trains a day; finding them is tough.

There was very little pool power on UP through Cheyenne, the last time I was there. It can vary wildly.

To get to Sherman Hill, buy a DeLorme Atlas of Wyoming. That will guide you. The photos are as good as you want them to be.

[Anonymous]

I've got a few Question about Railfanning in Cheyenne and Sherman Hill
1st of all How many trains do you see on the UP and the BNSF Lines
2nd Do you see a lot of foreign power in Cheyenne
3rd How Do you get to Sherman Hill and how good are the photos

ALL HELP IS WELCOMED[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]