A pair of unit leads an eastbound oil train out the east end of Rocky, rounding the curve in to Barbara's Gulch.
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As of this picture, UP has 170 ET44ACs on their roster. These units are compliant with the EPA's Tier-4 emissions standards. UP 2698 is an example of such a unit, leading this oil train down the main at Rocky. The siding is covered in snow as it has not been used since the snow fell the day before.
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An ES44AC is the single DPU on an eastbound oil train as it emerges from Tunnel 1. In the distance, above to cross CO-72, are a pair of mid-train swing helpers. About of foot of snow fell in just over 9 hours the previous day, creating a fantastic winter scene.
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UP 2698 wraps its way through the S-curves as the base of Coal Creek Canyon. If you look closely, you can see the classic bridge that crosses over CO-72 on the right side of the shot.
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An ET44AC leads a loaded oil train toward Tunnel 1 just east of Plain. The train has encountered quite a bit of snow in the Colorado high country, as evidenced by the snow that has accumulated on the plow.
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An eastbound UP oil train descends down the main at Plain the morning after a major blizzard. Looking in the distance, you can see the east portal of Tunnel 4. No trains have used the siding since the storm, so the rails are still covered.
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The rails just barely show through the foot of fresh snow that has blanketed the terrain. The snow came it fast and furious yesterday, dropping that foot of snow in roughly 9 hours.
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The morning Zephyr has an extra transition sleeper positioned between the power and the baggage car. The transition sleeper is being moved to California, possibly for the Coast Starlight. Or perhaps to replace a car already out there. Not entirely clear why it is there, but it makes for an interesting consist for sure.
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A major storm rolled through the Denver area yesterday, dropping roughly a foot of snow in the area! This morning, there is a major fog layer from a temperature inversion out to the east. Meanwhile, the westbound Zephyr charges west out of Leyden, passing by the new Arvada neighbor of Leyden Rock.
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A parting shot of UP's thrice weekly MGJNY. With loaded coal at the point and general manifest mixed it at the back, the train is approach a clear (green) signal at the west switch of Leyden.
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This was a nice surprise on the MGJNY. UP 1100, a GP60, is ready for it's 92-day inspection. Since UP closed the shops in Denver that could perform such inspection, this guy will have to be forwarded on to North Platte, NE. UP never ordered any GP60s themselves. All of the GP60s on the roster are inherited. This one was originally a Cotton Belt unit, SSW 9702.
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UP's Grand Junction, CO to North Yard, CO (in Denver) manifest snakes its way through Barbara's Gulch, leaving the mountains behind. The train is crossing over what's left of the switch to the Chem Spur. If you look closely, you can clearly see that the frog to the spur has been removed as the spur itself has not been needed in nearly a decade.
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An ET44AC leads two ES44ACs and a GP60 on the eastbound MGJNY. This manifest very often has a unique makeup in terms of the cars you'll find on the train. Case-in-point, there are 54 hoppers loaded with coal on at the front of the manifest this morning.
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The westbound Zephyr has the typical winter consist of two units, a baggage car, and seven Superliners head west in Barbara's Gulch, passing by the intermediate signal at MP 16.1. Above and in the distance, you can clearly see Tunnel 1, where the Zephyr will be in just a matter of minutes.
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1 hour and 15 minutes behind the Winter Park Express, the westbound California Zephyr is making track speed as it passes by an RV storage lot. This lot used to be part of Mesa Oil, which left the property about a decade ago.
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