Photo ID: 112637 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Kipling (MP 9.8) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer A look at the Rocky Mountaineer as it rolls east at a clear (green) signal at Kipling Street. The Denver skyline stands tall in the distance. After arriving at Denver Union Station, passengers will deboard, and the train will have tomorrow (Saturday) off. The next trip west will depart Sunday morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112636 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 72nd Avenue (MP 10.23) Arvada, CO 34 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer This is a scene that, eventually, is going to be changing quite significantly. In November 2018, voters in the City of Arvada approved a measure to widen 72nd Avenue and create a grade separate with the tracks here. The project was originally slated to be completed in 2024. However, significant delays have been incurred, and now the project is expected to be completed in 2028. Apparently, the delays are largely due to design conversations with Union Pacific. On this June day, the Rocky Mountaineer crosses the still-two-lane 72nd Avenue at the still-in-existence grade crossing. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112635 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer According to some thermometers in the area, the temperature outside is a scorching 101°F (38°C) as the Rocky Mountaineer rolls east through Arvada between Simms Street and 72nd Avenue. One of the RM GP40-3s is current down for maintenance, so RMRX 8600 (leased SD40M-2) is leading the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112633 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 27 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 157 and AMTK 25 lead the westbound Zephyr at West Eisele (Clay). The train has a baggage car, a Transition Sleeper, three regular Sleepers, a Dining Car, a Lounge Car, and three Coach Cars. This was the summer standard before COVID, and it looks like Amtrak is moving back to this as the standard Zephyr consist. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112632 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 29 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The landscape around Big ten is still very green on the eve of the first official day of summer. While the spring was cooler than normal, and saw more rain than normal, it appears that is behind us now. At a quarter to 10am, it is already 85°F (30°C), and it is supposed to get close to 100°F (38°C) this afternoon. The green is probably not going to be long-lived as we get into the summer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112631 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 30 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 157 looks to have suffered from scratched pain on its nose. It and AMTK 25 are leading the Zephyr west out of Rocky, digging into the nearly 2% grade. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112630 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I am not a maintenance of way expert, but I believe that the maintenance vehicle on the left is a spike driver and the vehicle on the right is a spike puller. they are currently tied down in the house track at Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112629 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 30 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP has a track tamper and a ballast regulator tied down in the house track at Rocky. MOW crews have arrived and will be taking the equipment out for some work after the Zephyr passes by. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112628 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS024 (East Plain) Arvada, CO 30 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The siding of Plain is empty this morning as the westbound Zephyr heads toward the Tunnel District. In the distance, you can see the east portal of Tunnel 4. One of these days, I hope to get a shot from this perspective of an upcoming meet, with an eastbound emerging from Tunnel 4. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112627 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 30 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Just west of Tunnel 1, the Zephyr is taking on the 1.75% grade with a baggage car, nine Superliners, and two Patrick Henry private cars in tow. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112626 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Zephyr wraps around the bend, heading toward Blue Mountain Drive. A pair of Patrick Henry cars, the Evelyn Henry and Warren Henry, are on the tail end. These cars were both built for Union Pacific in the 1950s. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112625 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak About 10 years ago, Amtrak increased the cost of hauling private cars on their long distance trains. They also put in a few other rules and regulations, and reduced the number of stops where private cars could be picked up or dropped off. As a result, the number of private cars on the Zephyr have decreased quite a bit. In fact, the two most common private cars to show up on the Moffat the past few years seem to be the Patrick Henry cars, the Evelyn Henry and Warren Henry. Here, both cars are again headed west on the Moffat at the west switch of Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112624 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 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 AMTK 22 and AMTK 30 have the duty to lead the westbound Zephyr this morning. The train is wrapping around the east edge of Big Ten Loop, passing by the open hoppers that serve as a wind break. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112623 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 27 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak After getting some help from UP MOW to get the west switch of Rocky thrown, the train is on the move again climbing Big Ten. The train departed Denver about 45 minutes late, but dealing with the switch at Rocky and a few speed restriction would result in the train being about 90 minutes late when it reaches Fraser. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112622 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 31 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific At the west switch of Rocky, two conductors (one of which might be a trainee) watch as a UP track worker helps to align the switch from the siding to the main. DS-380 has been unable to throw the switch under power this morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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