BNSF 9206 leads an eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver east on the Moffat with Welton Reservoir in the background. Welton Reservoir is a man-made reservoir, built in 2001 and 2002 as an additional source of water for the City of Arvada.
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Clouds hang over the Colorado Rockies to the west as an eastbound BNSF manifest glides east on the main between Rocky and Leyden. The quantity of light in summer is great, with early sunrises and late sunsets, but the quality of light in the winter is so fantastic, with low light and long shadows.
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The eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver has several chunks of well-blocked railcars as it rolls east through Barbara's Gulch.
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BNSF's Provo-Denver manifest, with a very common 3x2 consist, heads east through Barbara's Gulch in great afternoon sunlight. In the background is the entrance to Coal Creek Canyon, with Tunnel 1 on the right side.
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UP stations this classic DRGW Jordan Spreader in Phippsburg, CO in the Colorado high country during the winter months, just in case it is needed to open any part of the former Rio Grande in Colorado. It is kept in Cheyenne in non-winter months. Now it is in the siding at Arvada, making its way back to Phippsburg.
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I haven't seen Jordan Spreader DRGW 45 in three years, back when it was still DRGW AX-41. I saw it then when it was being transported to Phippsburg, CO for winter. Such is the case again today as the spreader is once again waiting to head to Phippsburg.
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A former Espee AC4400CW has received some some tagging across the fuel tank and some classic "toaster burn" on the long hood. It is currently tied down in the Arvada siding, waiting for a new crew to take Jordan Spreader DRGW 45 west to Phippsburg.
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UP 6351, formerly SP 359, is a fitting unit responsible for transporting DRGW 45 (a Jordan Spreader) from Cheyenne to Phippsburg, CO. It is currently in the Arvada siding, waiting for a recrew.
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Rio Grande's Jordan Spreader AX-41 is still in active service on Union Pacific. However, it has been renumbered to DRGW 45 on UP's roster! Here, it sits in the Arvada siding at Lamar Street, waiting to head west to Phippsburg for the winter.
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The east portal of Tunnel 2 is now quiet, the Zephyr just passing through it seconds earlier. Indeed, the head end of the westbound Zephyr is now approaching Tunnel 3 in the distance on a mostly cloudy morning.
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The standard pair of P42DCs lead a baggage car and seven Superliners through the aptly-named Rainbow Cut. The Zephyr has been running with only six Superliners the past several weeks, but likely due to an increase in demand with the holidays coming, a seventh has been added again lately.
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UP has been doing quite a bit of work throughout the Tunnel District lately. Evidence of this work is very apparent at Plain. Equipment is on the house track, there is a lot of panel track, and other ties and rail are in the area. Several hyrailers are also showing up, getting ready for a days work as the westbound Zephyr rolls by on the main.
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It is pretty rare to see the West Local running with only a single unit! Two is by far most common. On this particular day, however, UP 1507 is the single unit managing seven covered hoppers down the 8% back to the mainline.
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The sun is setting rapidly and, just minutes before the shadow from the mountain overtakes the West Local, the train backs down the 8% grade toward the mainline (already in the shadows) at Rocky.
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A brakeman protects the West Local making its reverse move south down the Rocky Spur, across Colorado Highway 93. Drivers are likely somewhat surprised to be stopped for a train as this spur only sees (on average) one train every three weeks.
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