Photo ID: 113700 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 2 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific One last shot of a westbound oil train pulling out of the siding at Leyden on a day that I referred to as "Potpourri Sunday", as it offered a little bit of everything over the course of the day. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113699 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 2 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific After meeting the eastbound Canyon Spirit here at Leyden, it is this unit oil trains turn to move. The engineer is throttling up and pulling west out of the siding. The train would only make it as far as Rocky before having to take the siding again, this time for the eastbound Zephyr. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113698 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden to Rocky (MP 13.4 to MP 17.4) Arvada, CO 1 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer As the day has progressed, some pretty serious clouds have started to move into the area. Fortunately, breaks to the south allowed for some nice lighting on the Canyon Spirit as it approaches a green signal at the west switch of Leyden. The clouds "bark" was louder than their "bite", as no precipitation was generated this afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113697 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden to Rocky (MP 13.4 to MP 17.4) Arvada, CO 2 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Other than its departure time, the Canyon Spirit does not follow a super tight schedule when moving to its next destination. At times, the train will run a bit slower to offer riders the opportunity to take in the beauty of the passing landscape. As such, it is always hard to say if the train is early, on time, or late! Such is the case this afternoon. It is 4pm and the train is approaching the west switch of Leyden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113696 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 2 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A westbound UP oil train departed North Yard shortly after 3pm, but only made it as far as Leyden when DS-378 aligned it into the siding to wait for the eastbound Canyon Spirit. No complaints from me! Leyden is a siding that seems to be very seldomly used these days. Dispatchers generally seem to prefer to use Rocky when given a choice between the two. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113695 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer A nice low angle view of the eastbound Canyon Spirit on Big Ten curve brings in some of the afternoon clouds that are starting to build. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113694 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer On the north edge of Big Ten Curve, the eastbound Canyon Spirit has slow down to 10 MPH due to a slow order that Union Pacific currently has in effect. Not entirely clear why the slow order is out there as there was no wind at all today. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113693 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 2 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The first revenue run of the Canyon Spirit is close to wrapping up the round trip from Denver to Salt Lake City and back. The GP40-3s do have a tendency to have quite a few mechanical issues...hopefully that is not the case for RMRX 8021 as a crew member checks something out in one of the access doors on the long hood as the train rolls east on the main at Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113655 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, April 7, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden to Rocky (MP 13.4 to MP 17.4) Arvada, CO 41 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I think this might be my favorite shot of the day of this Union Pacific passenger special that ran east on the Moffat and then south on the Joint Line. UP deadheaded the train from Grand Junction to Fraser last Sunday. It sat at Fraser until this morning when several VIPs, including UP CEO Jim Vena, boarded the train for a trip to Colorado Springs, CO. In this shot, the train is leaving the Rockies behind as it approaches the west switch of Leyden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113654 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, April 7, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 38 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A bit of a classic shot at Blue Mountain Drive, a Union Pacific passenger special is quickly headed east. Whether you love or hate Union Pacific, I think you'd have to admit that they do a great job with their passenger equipment. Their passenger trains tends to look very, very good. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113653 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, April 7, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek Canyon (MP 22.8 to MP 23.4) Arvada, CO 39 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound UP passenger special wraps around the base of Coal Creek Canyon, heading east toward Denver. The train departed Fraser this morning, and has several VIPs on board, including Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena, riding in the last car. The train is making rapid progress, moving at track speed. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113652 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, April 7, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 43 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A Union Pacific Officer's Special rolls east toward the west portal of Tunnel 1. The 12-car train arrived in Fraser, CO on Sunday and stayed there until this morning, when some special passengers boarded. Among the passengers is Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113651 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, April 7, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 27 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Both Canyon Spirit GP40-3s were mechanically good to go to start the 2026 season. Under overcast skies, the first revenue run of the Canyon Spirit rolls west of Tunnel 1, headed for Glenwood Springs today. The train departs Denver on Tuesdays and stays overnight in Glenwood Springs. On Wednesdays, it continues to Moab, UT. On Thursdays, it now continues west to Salt Lake City, UT (running over Soldier Summit). Fridays, it starts the return journey and stays in Moab again. Saturdays, it'll go east to Glenwood Springs, and Sundays, it returns to Denver. It does not run on Mondays. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113650 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, April 7, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 31 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer One of my personal favorite aspects of having the Canyon Spirit running on the Moffat is the power. Having the unique passenger train is certainly great, but as a railfan that grew up with Rio Grande in the 1980s, seeing class EMD spartan cabs makes me very happy. Here, the Canyon Spirit has emerged from Tunnel 1 and is continuing west toward Plain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113649 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, April 7, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 27 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer I really like the new paint scheme for the Canyon Spirit, as seen here at the west end of Eisele (Clay). The change from Rocky Mountaineer to Canyon Spirit is not a huge one. But the "Canyon Spirit" logo on the cab and cars looks very nice. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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