Photo ID: 111063 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) arvada, CO 29 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Five GEs and a single SD70ACe climb the north edge of Big Ten Curve on the point of a westbound oil train. As always, a single buffer car is located between the power and the tank cars. On this day, the buffer car is a Santa Fe open hopper. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111062 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 27 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF In 2024, mainline locomotives almost universally have around 4,400 horsepower. As a result, fewer units are typically needed on the head end of trains. Whereas 5 or 6 units was not uncommon 40 years ago, 2 or 3 is often then case in 2024. So, it is rather cool to come across a train like this, with 6 units on the head end. These units will be distributed throughout this oil train for the trip east, when the (loaded) train is far heavier than the current empty. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111061 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 21 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Following about 15 minutes behind the westbound Zephyr, a BNSF oil train charges west on the main at Rocky. The train has six units on the head end of the empty tanks. After filling at the transload facility in Wash, UT, the train will return east with the power distributed throughout the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111060 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak As summer winds down in mid-September, the leaves on the trees are just starting to show signs of their annual fall transition, some hints of yellow starting to show as the westbound Zephyr rolls by on the main near west Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111059 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The skies are crystal clear and you could not ask for better lighting as the the westbound Zephyr climbs the north edge of Big Ten Curve. AMTK 187 (Phase 7) and AMTK 13 (Phase 5b) lead the train, elephant style, on the journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111058 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A Phase 7 P42DC happens to be leading the Zephyr on the Moffat this morning. The train has a standard consist with seven Superliners as the train rolls west on the main at Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111057 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada, CO 24 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific A few hundred feet from the CO-72 grade crossing, a quartet of covered hoppers sit idle on the Rocky Flat Industrial Lead. The West Local left these cars here a few days. Most likely, the aggregate plant on the spur was not ready to receive the cars, so they were simply left here. The next time the local runs, it'll likely shove the cars down to the plant. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111056 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Simms Street (MP 11.16) Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) LORAM, Union Pacific Loram's LRV-14 is referred to as a "Rail Vac". It is actually a huge, extremely powerful vacuum on rails. It is capable of sucking up anything along the right-of-way, up to 15 feet from the center of the rail. It is of used for sucking up old ballast that is going to be replaced. Here, it is being transported to Denver on UP's MGJNY. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111055 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP's thrice-weekly MGJNY runs west on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday and returns back east on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This morning, the manifest is in its final 10 miles as it approaches the grade crossing at Simms Street in Arvada. There are only two units on the train today as it is a (relatively) short train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111024 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 170 and 171, sister units on Amtrak's roster, have led one of the Zephyr trainsets for well over a month. Here, they are making another run to California on the Zephyr, getting ready to disappear into Tunnel 1. The first of many tunnels passengers will travel through between here and Glenwood Springs. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111023 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 25 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak In another month or so, there will be some full fall colors here at the west switch of Eisele (Clay). Today, the temperature is already significantly lower than it has been in recent days and weeks. It is only 57°F (14°C) out at the moment, and the high is only looking to be about 65°F (18°C) for the day. About 20°F (10°C) cooler than yesterday. Passengers on the (on-time) Zephyr are enjoying views of the plains under the overcast skies. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111022 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 25 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Most days along the Front Range have clear skies (at least in the summer), with clouds moving in during the afternoon hours. So it is a little unusual to have a bit of rain and overcast skies in the area as the Zephyr knocks down a clear (green) signal at the east end of Eisele. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111021 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 24 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The transition sleeper is typically the first car on long distance Amtrak trains. In addition to some paying passengers, crew members that right the train generally sleep in this car. The car also connects to the baggage car on the lower level, so crew members on the train can access the car if necessary. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111020 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 25 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Climbing out of Rocky, the morning Zephyr climbs along the north edge of Big Ten Curve on its journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111019 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On an overcast September morning, the Zephyr makes its way west on the main at Rocky and Little Ten Curve. Unit the mid-1980s, the west end of Rocky was actually located near the end of the Zephyr in this shot. It was extended through Little Ten Curve to accommodate longer trains. Primarily coal trains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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