Photo ID: 111606 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 151 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the final day of 2024, I decided to try to replicate the first shot I took on New Year's Day to start the year. You can see the photo that I am referring to, taken at the west switch of Leyden. Getting the westbound Zephyr at this same spot today felt like a nice way to book end the year. It was a record-setting year for ColoradoRailfan. I added 1,627 photos to my site, obliterating the previous record of 1,060 that I set in 2023. I look forward to bringing more pictures to everyone in 2025! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111605 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 186 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific At the west end of Rocky, an eastbound UP oil train takes the siding, meeting a westbound oil empty. These oil trains have truly given new life to the Moffat over the last 1-2 years. Granted they are not nearly as common as coal trains once were, but they have increased the average number of trains in a 24 hour period from 5-6 to 7-8. UP 5919 is taking the siding not only to meet the empty on the main, but also to meet the westbound Zephyr, currently around Utah Jct. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111604 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 106 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The conductor for this westbound oil train is on the ground, ready to give a roll by to an eastbound oil load that will take the siding. As you can see, the switch is bent for the siding, and the signal is showing a red-over-yellow (Diverging Approach) aspect for the approaching train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111603 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 151 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific On the final day of 2024, an eastbound UP unit oil train wraps around the east edge of Big Ten Curve, continuing its descent toward Rocky. A recently rebuilt (and repainted) C44ACM leads the train, with a ET44AC second. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111602 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 160 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound unit oil train is on the south edge of Big Ten Loop, three units on the point. The train has 93 loaded oil tank cars with three units on the point and three units on the tail end. This is the first time I've seen this configuration on a UP oil train on the Moffat. Typically, UP has run their trains in a 2x2x2 or 2x2x1 configuration. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111601 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 132 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound UP oil train leaves the main at Eisele (Clay) behind, and will be taking the siding at Rocky to meet a westbound UP oil empty, as well as the westbound Zephyr, which is just departing Union Station. Note the westbound at Rocky, already waiting on the main track of the eastbounds arrival. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111600 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 113 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 8854 is holding on the main at the west end of Rocky. Why is it holding on the main? Because it will be meeting an eastbound oil train that is currently above it, on the main at Eisele (Clay). Usually, the first train to arrive for a meet would take the siding, but in this case, the eastbound will hold the siding at Rocky for the westbound Zephyr. The flag on UP 8854 has definitely seen better days. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111517 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 134 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound oil train is still moving along at 10 MPH as it is still within the limits of a slow order around Big Ten Curve due to forecasted high winds. Just around the bend ahead, the train will knock down a clear (green) signal at the east end of Eisele (Clay), the signal for which is visible just above the second unit. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111516 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 112 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I think I am safe in assuming that UP 5160 has more than likely spent some time in Southern California! Tagging can happen anywhere, particularly in large cities. But most tagger seem to focus on rolling stock. But not in SoCal! In the LA-area, tagger are more than happy to go after locomotives. It is interesting this unit is on an oil train as it is an SD70M, meaning it has DC traction motors. It is quite rare to see DC traction motor units on heavy haul unit trains like coal and oil. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111515 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 108 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The paint on UP 5371, second unit on a westbound oil empty, is definitely starting to look a little worse for wear. I did want to get a roster shot of this unit, simply because it shares its number with one of my favorite Rio Grande SD40T-2s, DRGW 5371. The last Rio Grande Tunnel Motor to be retired from UP's roster, now preserved at the Ogden Railroad Museum. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111514 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 94 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The head end of a UP oil empty heads west along the south edge of Big Ten Curve at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The last two rail miles (give or take) have been the true start of the climb to conquer the Continental Divide. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111513 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 102 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Five days prior to Christmas, and the last official day of fall, and temperatures are very moderate. Right around 40°F (4°C) at the moment, but it feels quite a bit warmer. Warm enough that the conductor on UP 7066 has the window open and is enjoy some fresh air as this oil train wraps around Big Ten. If you look off in the distance, the cylindrical looking building in the distance is part of the aggregate plant at the north end of the Rocky Spur. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111512 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 110 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Three units lead an oil empty around Big Ten Curve alongside the open hoppers serving as a wind break. The train is creeping along at 10 MPH this morning as high winds are in the forecast. Despite the forecast, in reality there is barely even a light breeze. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111511 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 113 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Part of the graffiti on the hoppers at Big Ten Curve spells out AWARE. I have no idea what it is meant to represent, but, there it is! Meanwhile, a westbound oil empty is climbing Big ten out of Rocky. You can see the signal at the west end of Rocky off in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111510 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 119 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Since the decline of coal, the new lifeblood of the Moffat has, without question, been oil. A westbound UP oil empty makes its way up the north side of Big Ten Curve on a crystal clear December morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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