Photo ID: 110408 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 14, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 354 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Running about 10 minutes behind schedule, the eastbound Zephyr pops out of Tunnel 1, descending down the 2% grade toward the S-Curves at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110372 Date Shot Photo By Friday, April 12, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 3 (MP 25.8, 369 ft) Arvada, CO 591 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak For me, Amtrak's Phase 3 scheme, which dominated through the 1980s and early 1990s on the F40PHs, is my favorite of all of Amtrak's paint scheme. The new Phase 7 scheme has become second place for me. Phase 7 unseated the original Phase 1 scheme from second place. I always enjoyed the Pointless Arrow in particular. Which scheme was your favorite? Leave a comment and let everyone know! AMTK 161, the Phase 1 Heritage unit, leads the westbound Zephyr on a very pleasant April morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110368 Date Shot Photo By Friday, April 12, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Plain (6,530 ft) Arvada, CO 368 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Amtrak's "Pointless Arrow" (or "Bloody Nose") Phase 1 Heritage Unit, AMTK 161, leads a P40DC (AMTK 817) on the westbound California Zephyr as the train rolls west at Plain, approaching Rainbow Cut. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110367 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, April 11, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 382 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Southern Pacific Only five units of the original 279 Espee AC4400CW still wear scarlet and gray paint. All five are, of course, patched and now have UP numbers. One of those five units was the first of two DPUs on the tail end of an eastbound loaded oil train. This AC4400CW was originally SP 280. In fact, if you look closely, you can still see the outline of "280" on the cab behind the UP patch. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110366 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, April 11, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 285 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific When Class 1 railroads were significantly smaller 40-50 years ago, it was not too hard for all the units on the roster to carry the same paint scheme. Today, when there are 7,000-8,000 units on the roster, it takes years (or even decades) to get everything repainted. UP changed their official paint scheme last year, removing the American flag from the long hood. But it will likely be many years before the "flag" units are gone. Here, two flag units and an ES44AC in the newest scheme, lead a loaded oil train east out of Leyden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110365 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, April 11, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 288 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A trio of elephant-style units lead an eastbound loaded oil train out the east end of Leyden on a beautiful Spring day in April. The trees have not yet sprouted leaves, but it should only be another few weeks before they are green once again. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110364 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 318 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Horizon Leason, Rocky Mountaineer HZRX 187 is a rather unique engine. It was built as an SD18 in the early 1960s. There were only 114 such units produced by EMD. 60 of those were actually built as export units, meaning only 54 units were in the US. It has since been rebuilt and is now classified as an SD18M. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110363 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 323 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Horizon Leason, Rocky Mountaineer HZRX is a leased SD40M-2 from Horizon Rail Leasing. It started life decades ago as an SD45 and has now found life after Class 1 railroads. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110362 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 468 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Test Run 2024! With the 2024 season of the Rocky Mountaineer's Rockies to the Red Rockies starting in two weeks, a test run ran today, heading west from Denver toward Glenwood Springs (tonight) and Moab (tomorrow). The GP40-3s sporting the RM paint had some mechanical issues last year and the RM had to borrow power from UP several times. This year, two six-axle units have been brought in (leased) to help out the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110361 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 465 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Just east of the east portal of Tunnel 1, four units are kicking up some exhaust, pulling the up the 2% grade. The train is (mostly) empty, as this is just a test run for the upcoming 2024 season. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110360 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 303 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer In a scene repeated countless times for well over a century, a westbound train crosses over CO-72 at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. On this particular morning, the westbound happens to be a test run of the Rocky Mountaineer. The two brighter blue units cut between the RM GP40-2s are leased units to help with the run this weekend. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110359 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 353 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer A quartet of units leads the westbound Rockies to the Red Rocks out the west end of Eisele (Clay) on a test run west in advance to the start of the 2024 season, coming in two weeks. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110358 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 364 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer RMRX 2021 leads a westbound test of the 2024 Rocky Mountaineer on the main at Eisele (Clay). A former SD45 (now an SD40M-2) and an SD18M are on lease for the season to assist in the trips between Denver and Moab. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110357 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 421 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer A pair of bright blue leaser units will be helping out the Rocky Mountaineer this season. Last year, the Mountaineer frequently borrowed power from UP when there were problems with the GP40-3s. The two leasers are both six axle units, making for an interesting look, spliced between the RM GP40-3s on the point of the train as it climbs Big Ten Curve. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110356 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 413 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer A test run of the Rockies to the Red Rocks is heading west out of Rocky on the climb up Big Ten Curve. Note the tracks up the hillside at Eisele (Clay), where the train will be in just a few minutes. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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