Photo ID: 110807 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 162 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A scene from above Eisele (Clay) finds the westbound Zephyr running just about 3 1/2 hours late. The train is on the main and should have no need to stop again before its scheduled station stop in Fraser. Note the tracks to the left, just west of Rocky, leading up to Big Ten Curve. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110806 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 190 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The California Zephyr blasts out of the west end of Leyden, right around track speed at 60 MPH. The Zephyr just overtook a westbound oil train, and you can see the conductor from the oil train headed back to the cab of the lead unit after giving the Zephyr a roll by. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110805 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 139 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound oil empty just came out of Denver and had to pull over at Leyden, the first siding west of town. The train will be briefly delayed as it waits for a late Zephyr, currently on its way out of Denver around North Yard. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110804 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 126 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Following not too far behind a work train, this hyrailer is also looking alongside the rails, perhaps helping the MOW crew to let them know if any unneeded tie plate were properly collected. He is also likely just performing his normal patrol functions, looking for things like heat kinks or broken rails. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110803 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 127 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This work train is slowly moving to the east, away from the camera, as the crane operator picks up tie plates from the right-of-way that will not be needed for the upcoming rail replacement right here. Note the makeshift tent covering part of teh last car. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110802 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 119 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A ton (quite literally) of steel tie plates are piled up in this open gondola. The tie plates are new, but are not needed here at this spot on the main. You can see the tie plates that will be installed here, laying along the ties beneath the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110801 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 144 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A UP crane operator sits atop a gondola, collecting tie plates from along the right-of-way. The crane has an electromagnet attached to the end, and the controller can activate the magnet to pick up tie plates, then turn off the magnet to drop them into the gondola. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110800 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 162 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A single AC4400CW is the power on a work train on the main between Leyden and Rocky. Similar to road construction, maintenance on the railroad tends to be nonstop. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110799 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 135 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A UP crane, mounted to the top of a gondola, works to collect excess new tie plates that are along the right of way. The rail laying along the tracks is a new rail that will be installed. Tie plates were dumped along the track, but were not counted out. After laying out the needed tie plates, the excess are now being collected. You can see one of the tie plates hanging on to the outside of the magnet lifting it. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110798 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 142 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A seven car work train with a single AC4400CW works along the main between Leyden and Rocky. The crew is about to start picking up new tie plates that are along the right-of-way, in excess of the number that will actually be needed for the new rail that will, at some point, be replaced. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110797 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, July 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 137 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Despite being five hours late, passengers riding in the lounge car are no doubt enjoying the views on a crystal clear July afternoon. The air conditioning in the train is bound to feel nice as well, as the temperature outside is close to 95°F (35°C) this afternoon. The head end of the Zephyr is approach a clear (green) signal at east Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110796 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, July 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 522 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the back side of Big Ten Curve, the westbound Zephyr heads into the sun on an afternoon in which it is running nearly five hours late. The back (south) side of Big Ten is actually a long straight section of track connecting the east side of Big Ten (where the wind break cars are) with the east end of Eisele (Clay). Note the giant steel structure located alongside the tracks at Chemical, roughly five rail miles to the east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110795 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, July 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 133 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak It is close to 95°F (35°C) on this last afternoon in July as a very late Zephyr heads west on the main at Rocky. Note some MOW equipment in the house track at Rocky. UP has been doing work on Little Ten and Big Ten Curves over the course of the past month or two. The Zephyr has a standard consist (for 2024), with a pair of P42DCs, baggage car, and seven Superliners. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110794 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, July 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 126 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak At the west end of Barbara's Gulch, a pair of Phase 5 P42DCs lead a nearly five hour late Zephyr west toward a clear (green) signal at east Rocky. The train was 2 hours late departing Chicago due to equipment issues, and then lost 3 more hours due to extreme weather in Iowa. Today, it is nearly 95°F (35°C) here at 2:15pm. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110793 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, July 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 165 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific While the GP30 will always be my favorite four axle unit, the GP60 is a close second. Alas, of the nearly 200 GP60s on UP's roster (all inherited from Southern Pacific and Rio Grande), none typically spend time in Denver. It was great seeing UP 1100 on the MGJNY this morning, which has been working in Grand Junction, likely headed to North Platte for a 92-day inspection. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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