Southbound BNSF Coal Train Breaks Apart at Palmer Lake

One day while heading home from Denver, I found a southbound coal drag slugging it out on the 1.2 percent climb at Greenland. I raced ahead to the sag-just north of Palmer Lake-where I follow it into town. At the summit, the train roars through the crossing and prepares fro the long decent into Colorado Springs. While coming over the top, the engineer went to take a small set on the brakes. This caused a corroded knuckle pin to snap, breaking the train in 2 78 cars behind the head end. The break unsnapped the air hoses and threw both ends of the train into emergency. In this video, we chase the train all the way up into town to the break. We then watch all the activities afterwards, where the conductor and fellow section crew member replace the pin, and help put the train back together. It was an exciting turn of events, going to show that you never know what may happen any time you go railfanning! Rate. Comment. Subscribe. ENJOY!!! Copyright Nick Valdez Railroad Photography 2015.