ColoradoRailfan.com » Photo Gallery » Photo Search » View Photos

Previous Page     Next Page

Photo ID: 109413
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9)
Arvada, CO
397
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
Riding in the last car of a UP Officer's Special would be quite the experience. The car has a full picture window and stadium seating facing out the back to allow full viewing of everything behind the train. Such is the case here as the passenger train approaches the Simms Street grade crossing and, beyond, downtown Denver.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109412
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS012 (East Leyden)
Arvada, CO
419
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
A pair of nicely painted UP units leads an 11 car Officer's Special passenger train east out of Leyden. This would end up being one of four passenger trains to run on the Moffat on this day. Earlier, the westbound Zephyr and the westbound Rocky Mountaineer ran. Later in the evening, the eastbound Zephyr would also come through.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109411
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS012 (East Leyden)
Arvada, CO
410
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
After decades of seeing flags on the nose of approaching UP units, it is time to go back to mostly yellow with the UP Shield. UP has updated their official paint scheme, and UP 6454 is sporting it as it leads an Officer's Special east through Leyden. It will continue on to Cheyenne today and ultimately back to Omaha, NE.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109410
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Coal Creek (MP 23)
Arvada, CO
611
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
At the base of Coal Creek Canyon, a UP Officer's Special, led by an AC4400CW and an SD70M, cross CO-72 around the 180° curve. Whether you are a fan of UP or not, you have to admit that their passenger trains look pretty dang sharp!
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109409
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft)
Arvada, CO
496
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
After making a journey west over the Moffat to Salt Lake City, this UP passenger special turned around and is now making the journey east. It has been said that UP's new CEO, Jim Vena, may well be onboard, checking out the former Rio Grande.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109408
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft)
Arvada, CO
415
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
UP 6454 and UP 4533 lead an eastbound Officer's Special out of Tunnel 1. There are rumors (mind you, only rumors), that UP's new CEO, Jim Vena, is evaluating the Moffat to decide if it might be worth potentially selling. Any truth to the rumors? No idea. Regardless, the train looked might nice.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109407
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft)
Arvada, CO
501
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
Just west of Tunnel 1, a UP Officer's Special, rumored to be carrying UP's new CEO Jim Vena, heads east down the Moffat. For two decades UP's official paint scheme has included the American Flag on the long hood of their units. However, UP 6454 sports a revised version and the new paint scheme that will be applied to units moving forward. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the flags on the side of the nose, and I miss the wings on the nose.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109406
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS024 (East Plain)
Arvada, CO
452
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
On a clear, beautiful September afternoon, an Officer's Special passes by a clear (green) signal at the east end of Plain on its way in to Denver. The stay in Denver should be just long enough for a crew change before the train continues north to Cheyenne.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109393
Date Shot
Photo By
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9)
Arvada, CO
694
(1 Comment Posted)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
This is a shot that I've imaged trying to get before, but never actually thought I'd get the chance! At first, the picture may not appear to be anything particularly special. The eastbound Zephyr coming through Little Ten Curve on the main at Rocky. But if you look again, toward the top of the shot, you'll see the westbound Zephyr exiting Tunnel 1 on its way west.

The eastbound Zephyr here is running almost 16 hours late and the two Zephyrs met at Eisele (Clay). After a quick meet, the eastbound Zephyr was at Little Ten at the westbound Zephyr departed Tunnel 1 on the approach to Plain.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.


Photo ID: 109392
Date Shot
Photo By
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2)
Arvada, CO
687
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
In fantastic morning light on a beautiful September morning, the previous day's eastbound California Zephyr, running almost 16 hours late, passes by the hoppers on the inside of Big Ten Curve, making its way east toward Denver.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109391
Date Shot
Photo By
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft)
Arvada, CO
615
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
Both Zephyrs on the eastern slope of the Moffat at the same time is a very rare event. It happens once every 1-2 years on average, and can only happen when one of the train is extremely late. What qualifies for "extremely late"? In this instance, the eastbound Zephyr (facing the camera) is nearly 16 hours late! It was stuck in Nevada for over 12 hours due to the tracks being out of service after massive amounts of rainfall.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109390
Date Shot
Photo By
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft)
Arvada, CO
667
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
The westbound Zephyr accelerates up the grade on the main, moving away from the camera, as a 16-hour late eastbound Zephyr waits for a crew member to board before releasing the brakes and continuing on in to Denver, attempting to make up time where possible.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109389
Date Shot
Photo By
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft)
Arvada, CO
552
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
The westbound Zephyr, moving away from the camera, stopped on the main at Eisele (Clay) to drop off a crewman who then walked to the Transition Sleeper on the eastbound Zephyr. Not entirely sure why he took the ride from Denver out here, but back to Denver he goes! The eastbound Zephyr is running almost 16 hours late due to torrential rains in the Nevada desert taking the tracks out of service.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109388
Date Shot
Photo By
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft)
Arvada, CO
543
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
East meets west...but in a very rare location! An almost 16-hour late Zephyr approaches the camera on the siding at Eisele (Clay) as an on-time westbound Zephyr approaches on the main. If the eastbound Zephyr was not late, these Zephyrs would have met somewhere in the middle of the night in the Nebraska plains, hundreds of miles to the east.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Photo ID: 109387
Date Shot
Photo By
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay))
Arvada, CO
564
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
It is exceptionally rare to catch the eastbound Zephyr with glorious morning light on the east slope of the Moffat. One of those exceptional morning came this morning though as the eastbound Zephyr is almost 16 hours late! It got stuck in the Nevada desert as the tracks were blocked due to torrential rains.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Previous Page     Next Page

Check out ColoradoRailfan.com on Facebook
Check out the latest ColoradoRailfan.com photos on Flickr

ColoradoRailfan.com Email Subscription
To receive updates made to ColoradoRailfan.com via Email, Click Here.

The D&RGW Site Ring
This site owned by: Kevin Morgan
Add Your Site

SiteRing by Bravenet.com

SiteRing by Bravenet.com

All content ©2000,2026 by Kevin Morgan, except where noted. Please do not use any material from this site without permission. Thank You.