Photo ID: 111880 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 182 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak This scene has an almost other-worldly quality to it with rime ice stuck to the pine trees and a lot of the vegetation. The reddish dirt and rock stand in stark contrast as the 90 minute late westbound Zephyr approaches the east portal of Tunnel 1. The little bit of fog floating around adds to the curiousness of the morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111879 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 165 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Rime ice is formed by fog (precipitation in the air) freezing onto vegetation. However, the rime ice typically does not form on rocks and dirt. The result is the ability to tell at a glance what is vegetation and what is not! The red rock face to the right creates a stark contrast to the winter white pine trees to the left as the Zephyr splits to two, climbing toward Tunnel 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111878 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Detector (MP 22.6) Arvada, CO 177 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A few light snowflakes are falling in this frozen scene as the Zephyr passes by the hotbox detector at MP 22.6, just west of the Blue Mountain grade crossing. When the detector offers up its readout, it will indicate the temperature is a bitter cold 10°F (-12°C) out. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111877 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 146 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak While there was not a lot of snowfall overnight, there was a log of fog. That fog turned to freezing fog when polar airs brought the temperature down to close to 0°F (-18°C). That resulted in a lot of rime ice forming on the vegetation. Here, at 11am, the temperature is still only 10°F (-12°C) out. That along with the overcast skies are keeping the rime ice on the trees and plants as the westbound Zephyr comes through the scene at West Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111876 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 176 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 151 and AMTK 57 lead thew eastbound Zephyr through a scene at Eisele (Clay) that is entirely dominated by frozen frost on all of the vegetation. The train is a bit behind schedule today, running about 90 minutes late. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111852 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 203 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Just east of the east switch of Rocky, this UP oil train is about to dive into Barbara's Gulch and will pass underneath the CO-93 overpass. Once arriving on one of the Bypass tracks in Denver, the crew will need to cut out the three mid-train DPUs and then put the train back together. The train will depart east for the KP with a fresh crew and the three units on the head end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111851 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 231 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound oil train meets a westbound at Rocky, the two trains nearly identical in length. The westbound in the siding has just untied the train and the crew is ready to depart west. UP 5919 has clear (green) signals for the remainder of the trip to town. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111850 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 195 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Ten years ago, nobody would have thought that oil trains would bring new life to the Moffat. Yet, that is exactly the case here in 2025. UP and BNSF both seem to be increasing the number of oil trains they are running on the Moffat. A UP example is seen here, rolling east down Big Ten Loop on a frigid February afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111849 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 257 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Three units lead an eastbound oil train through a snow February scene, approaching the west switch of Rocky. There is a westbound empty in the siding at Rocky, so UP 5919 has its headlights dimmed so as not to blind the crew on the westbound. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111848 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 215 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A recently rebuilt and repainted C44ACM, UP 5919, leads an eastbound oil load along the south ridge of Big Ten Loop, kicking up a little bit of snow as it rolls along. The train has an interesting power configuration, with three units on the head end, three mid-train DPUs, and nothing on the end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111847 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 170 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 5919 leads an eastbound oil train out the east end of Eisele (Clay) on a day that has seen some light snow falling off and on all day. It is only 12°F (-11°C) out today, but the powdered snow sets up a beautiful scene that makes it easy for forget about the cold. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111846 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 241 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A UP oil train, with four elephant-style units on the head end, is preparing to depart Rocky westbound after spending the day here after one of the unit developed issues shortly after leaving Denver. Meanwhile, an eastbound loaded oil train glides east on the main at Eisele (Clay) above. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111845 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 112 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This eastbound BNSF manifest has a pretty standard configuration with a trio of units on the head end and a pair of DPUs bringing up the rear. On this cold February morning, an SD70ACe and an ES44AC have the duty. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111844 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 149 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A fresh crew for UP 7877 was recently dropped off and the conductor just finished removing the hand brakes from some of the cars on the train. He has returned to the head end and is giving an eastbound BNSF manifest a roll by before climbing up into the cab. It is a cold day for untying hand brakes, with the temperature a rather frigid 12°F (-11°C). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111843 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 141 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF An eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver just knocked down a clear (green) signal at the west end of Rocky. The engineer has dimmed the headlights on BNSF 9152 as there is a new crew on the UP oil train in the siding. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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