Big Ten Curve — Plain CO
Safety: cautionoverlookPlain, CO
Access & safety
Public access
Public Forest Service road pullouts above one of railroading's most famous curves — a 360°+ horseshoe where a long train can be seen wrapping around with the head end nearly touching the rear. The UP Moffat Sub climbs out of the South Platte canyon here on the route to the Moffat Tunnel.
Safety notes
STAY ON PUBLIC FOREST SERVICE LAND ABOVE THE CURVE. The track and immediate ROW are UP property — descending to track level is trespass. Watch for rattlesnakes in summer; the slopes are steep and loose. No cell service in the canyon.
Parking
Limited dirt pullouts on Plainview Road / Forest Service roads above the curve. High-clearance vehicle recommended after wet weather; not 4WD-only in summer.
Best time of day
Morning best for west-facing climbing trains; afternoon for eastbound descending. The curve faces multiple directions so light is workable any time.
Train frequency
Moderate — UP Moffat Sub freight (5-15/day) plus Amtrak California Zephyr (one in each direction daily, late morning EB / mid-afternoon WB approximately).
Nearby
No services at the spot. Closest gas/food in Pinecliffe, Rollinsville, or back down in Golden (~25 miles).
Plan your visit
Hotels and rail experiences nearby. Links earn us a small referral — we only surface partners we'd use ourselves.
Gear up
The starter kit serious railfans wish they'd bought day one. Each link earns us a small Amazon Associates referral — we only list gear we'd actually carry.
Florida + Texas + Arizona + Southern California railfanning is unforgiving at noon. UPF 50 wide-brim with a chin strap so it doesn't blow off in the train slipstream. ($15-$30)
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Budget gateway scanner — under $30. Program the 97 AAR channels yourself (CHIRP software is free) and you have a real working scanner for the price of dinner. Most railfans owned one before they upgraded. ($25-$35)
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Reading a CSX road number off a passing unit at half a mile = magic. 10x42 is the railfan sweet spot — enough power, still light enough to hold steady. Nikon Prostaff and Bushnell Trophy both punch above their price. ($80-$150)
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