Photo ID: 111471 Date Shot Photo By Monday, December 16, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 299 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's strategy for powering their oil trains on the Moffat differs quite a bit from UP. UP will send westbound empty oil trains with anywhere from 2 to 6 units on the head end. When they come east, the power is usually 2 x something x something. BNSF, on the other hand, pretty consistently run trains west with six units on the head end, and returns east on loads with three on the point and three DPUs on the end. Such is the case here, as three units lead this oil train east through Barbara's Gulch. Note the covered hoppers, which is serving as a buffer car (protection car) between the power and the oil train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111470 Date Shot Photo By Monday, December 16, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 279 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF After spending nearly 10 hours tied down in the siding at Rocky, a fresh crew showed up and is now taking this loaded oil train the remaining 17 hours or so into the yard at Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111424 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 272 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the south edge of Big Ten Curve, the Zephyr is making its way west. The Zephyr has not seen many ALC-42 Chargers, the power set to (largely) replace the P42DCs. The Chargers are Tier-4 compliant, and they require special additives mixed in with their fuel. the infrastructure currently does not exist in Denver to include the additives, so the Chargers have not been running on the Zephyr. Rumors are that the infrastructure will be added soon, and Chargers are likely to start showing up in 2025. That means this classic consist may be short-lived. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111423 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 282 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The morning Zephyr is approaching the open hoppers that serve as a wind break on the eastern edge of Big Ten Curve. The cars have now been in the same place for over 50 years, diligently helping to redirect extreme winds up and over the mainline. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111422 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 232 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Just west of the west switch of Rocky, the westbound Zephyr is making its way up the (roughly) 2% grade, working to gain elevation to overcome the Continental Divide. I'm trying to find out seek out some new perspectives from around Big Ten; shooting new angles. This being one of them! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111421 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 241 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is running nearly 90 minutes as it makes its way through Barbara's Gulch, just east of Rocky. The train was about 45 minutes late departing Lincoln, NE after picking up an ALC-42 "Charger", AMTK 341. That same Charger was then dropped off in Denver, adding a bit more of a delay to the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111420 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 318 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Just west of the intermediate signal nicknamed "Plastic" in the Rio Grande days, the westbound Zephyr hustles west in Barbara's Gulch. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111414 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS024 (East Plain) Arvada, CO 341 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Last night, about two inches of snow fell in a small storm that was actually unanticipated in the weather forecast. The result was, of course, a nice blanket of snow to provide some nice scenery for passengers on the morning Zephyr. The train has the typical pair of P42DCs, a baggage car, and seven Superliners for the journey. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111413 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 264 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Zephyr has come through the first of the 28 tunnels that it will pass through on its way to the Moffat Tunnel. A cloud was just clearing the tracks to allow some sunlight as the train heads west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111412 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, December 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky Flats Industrial Lead Arvada, CO 249 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific For the past several weeks (maybe even a couple months), these five covered hoppers have been hanging out near the southern end of the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead. I'm not sure why they are here...it seems that the west local has not been running to deliver or pick up cars from the aggregate plant at the north end of the spur. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111411 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, December 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 327 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF I think this might just be one of the most unique pictures I've ever taken! This eastbound BNSF manifest is stopped on the main at Rocky due to a mechanical issue. While it was stopped (and I was waiting around as well), this gentleman flying a paraglider showed up! With a propeller strapped to his back and a parachute ("wing") overhead, he propelled his way down the siding at Rocky, alongside the stopped manifest! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111410 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, December 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 238 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF With the short winter days and tower Rocky Mountains to the west, much of Eisele (Clay) is pushed into the shadows by 2:30pm. By 3:00pm, much of Big Ten and Little Curves are in the shadows. And, as you can see, at 3:30pm, the shadows are nearing the head end of this eastbound BNSF manifest, currently stopped on the main due to a mechanical issue. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111409 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, December 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 279 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This GP39-3 (rebuilt from a GP39-2) has likely been assigned as a switcher in either Grand Junction or Provo. It is also likely due for a 92-day FRA inspection, and is therefore being taken to Denver on this Provo-Denver manifest. The unit was shut down, and simply enjoying the ride this afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111408 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, December 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 255 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This eastbound BNSF manifest went into emergency when it was coming around Big Ten. The conductor walked the train and, a short time later, the train slow-rolled down and stopped on the main between switches at Rocky. I did not have a scanner at the time, so I did not hear what was wrong. But, at the time of this shot, the train continue to sit on the main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111407 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 205 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Two DPUs bring up the tail end of this westbound oil train in Barbara's Gulch. Oil trains have become the new coal trains on the Moffat. While the oil trains are still not nearly as plentiful as coal trains once were, you can pretty well count on seeing a couple of them in any 24 hour period. This one is going to take the siding at Plain and wait for about 90 minutes for the eastbound Zephyr. DS-378 does not want to risk trying to make it to Cliff ahead of the Zephyr. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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