Big Lift, Why it is called that. in Tales of the Jointed Track

Big Lift, I worked in and out this terminal, close to 20 years by choice. I held various jobs, from locals, to helpers and even holding the “Q” Trains when they ran out of here in the late 70’s to early ‘80’s.

I ran several ballast and ties trains, including rail trains, with and with out panel track, as the Santa Fe was building this facility.

The section laid in a switch about MP 718 ( old Santa Fe mile post)- about 18.7 current mile post on the northbound. A work extra was called out of Pueblo, with cars of panel track, to further access into the unbuilt facility. A crane took track panels off, and like laying a model railroad lay out. These were placed, so the work trains could clear the mainline, and then the real track laying would begin. The Rio Grande laid in a switch on the southbound at MP 19.3. The Santa Fe paid for that as well. As panels were laid, and bolted together, ballast hoppers were shoved in to unload. A pull back, and a tamper and regulator made work on the newly laid track. A couple of switches for track 6501 and 6502, were placed in, and 6503 would be done next. This took several months, ballast , ties , switch material, were placed in and set out. A work extra, would come out of Denver, lite power, or the power was at Big Lift. Usually at GP-20 or 30..or if lucky a GP-38.

This was Santa Fe’s push into the Intermodal market to the Denver Metro market. Try to cut into the BN’s share and even the Rio Grande. The Grande wasn’t a big factor, because they were mostly Salt Lake City and west.

Big Lift was named for the Intermodal loader and unloader machine.

the odd looking machine above the 6382, is the “Big Lift”. Looks like the old Santa Fe train 114 setting out TOFC cars off the Northbound main.

The “Big Lift”, straddled the tracks and loaded and unloaded the TOFC/COFC flat cars.

Tracks 6501 ( or 1 track )- and 6502 ( or 2 track ) were the primary Intermodal tracks. 6503 was the run around or storage.. tracks 6504 and 6505 were for unloading of auto racks.

The main plan was for the Santa Fe to capture Denver business. It was roughly 20 miles south of Denver, but State highway 85 ( South Santa Fe Drive ) provided easy access. You were not tied up in Denver traffic. The old Santa Fe affiliate Santa Fe Trail Trucking was here as well. So Santa Fe would get your trailers or deliver them to you.

Major trains:

At the start train First 114 was the Intermodal flagship. Houston Intermodal traffic was set out at La Junta. The 114 would pick this up and the Joint-Line crews, at Pueblo, would deliver to Big Lift.

As this got fine tuned we had the following:
Inbound…
Q-HOUDEN Houston Denver
Q-KCKDEN Kansas City- Denver
Q-OKCDEN OK City-Denver (sporadic was consolidated to the HOUDEN )

Outbound:
Q-DENHOU Denver-Houston
Q-DENKCK Denver- KC
Q-DENOKC Denver-OK City ..as needed usually combined with the DENHOU

There was a 900 am departure and a 2100 or 900 pm departure each day.

The arrivals were at 1030-1130 inbound in the morning and 2230-0001 at night.

At this writing Big Lift is now and Auto Facility, that unload auto racks with new cars and trucks. They expanded the facility, and bought out some of the land from the now defunct MOLY CORP.