RMRX 8020 and RMRX 8021 are kicking up a bit of exhaust, with ten cars in tow. This includes nine passenger cars and the power car, used (as the name suggests) to provide electrical power to the train as the geeps are not equipped with HEP (Head End Power), such as the P42DCs used by Amtrak.
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The Rocky Mountaineer is running with both of its GP40-3s on this trip, as the train climbs up and around Big Ten Loop. In the distance, an eastbound UP manifest (the thrice-weekly MGJNY) is waiting on the main at Eisele (Clay).
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As the Rocky Mountaineer climbs the west side of Big Ten Loop, UP's eastbound MGJNY sits on the main at Eisele (Clay). It will wait for both the Rocky Mountaineer to meet it, and then wait for BNSF's Provo-Denver, currently at Plain, to overtake it.
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RMRX 8020 and crew creep along at 10 MPH through a UP work zone on Big Ten Loop. There are several earth movers adding new rock on the downhill side of the tracks.
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UP's MGJNY is sitting on the main track at Eisele as it needs a recrew. The dispatcher working DS-380 is new to the territory, and was unaware that crews are unable to get to Eisele (by road). Fortunately, the crew will have enough time left to make it down to Leyden for a recrew there. Meanwhile, the manifest is waiting on the Rocky Mountaineer, currently climbing from Rocky.
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The Rocky Mountaineer is sold out for this westbound run out of Denver. It is great to see both the GP40-3s back on the train as it slowly climbs Big Ten. There is an eastbound UP manifest on the main at Eisele (Clay).
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Just a matter of minutes before rain started falling, an eastbound manifest crosses Blue Mountain Drive. The train is only about a half mile long, and does not have a rear DPU on this particular day.
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Four units are on the head end of UP's Grand Junction to North Yard manifest as it approach Tunnel 1. The train spent several hours tied down on the main track at Plain. A new crew is finally taking the train the remaining 21-ish miles east to North Yard.
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I am not sure why UP is running an empty eastbound coal train, but I would assume these cars had been in long term storage somewhere, are either being put back into service, being moved to a new location for storage, or sold/scrapped. The train is passes by some fresh rip rock that will be used to shore up the track here.
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An afternoon rainstorm is starting to move east from the Rockies as a rebuilt (and repainted) C44ACM leads a coal empty east out of Eisele (Clay).
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After meeting a westbound oil train (which is still visible in the distance), and then waiting for the east end of Eisele (Clay) to run time, UP 5774 got a light to head east. The crew informed DS-378 that they are short on time, so they will get signal the rest of the way in to town.
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An SD70ACe-T4 and a pair of (recently rebuilt) C44ACMs head west through the siding at Eisele (Clay). They are meeting an eastbound coal empty, holding the main. An afternoon storm is slowly starting to move in.
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It seems that I have seen quite a few SD70ACe-T4s in the Denver area lately. It is kind of cool to see these Tier-4 units out and running, considering how few of them their actually are.
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This SD70ACe-T4 was in the yard at Helper, UT about two weeks earlier. It must have been added to an eastbound oil train at Wash...perhaps even this exact train, and ran east for unloading. In any case, it is now headed west on the siding at Eisele (Clay).
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A westbound UP empty train enters the siding of Eisele (Clay). It is meeting an eastbound coal empty (yes, an empty), holding the main. The conductor for the eastbound is on the ground to give the oil train a roll by.
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