Photo ID: 111097 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 401 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific In a shot that, at this point, is perhaps rather cliche for the Moffat, three units lead UP's thrice-weekly eastbound manifest across the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive on a pleasant September afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111096 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Detector (MP 22.6) Arvada, CO 321 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Three units lead a manifest comprised almost exclusively of loaded coal hoppers and covered hoppers through the S-Curves at Coal Creek Canyon and by the hotbox detector at MP 22.6. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111095 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 353 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I set the location of this shot as Tunnel 1, although Tunnel 1 is technically hidden from view, just around the bend. UP's MGJNY is descending the roughly 2% grade from Tunnel 1 down toward the bridge that crosses CO-72 at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111074 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 282 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound oil train, emerging from Tunnel 1, is ducking just beneath the low hanging clouds on a chilly September morning, just one day in to the official start of fall. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111073 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 294 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is a dreary, drizzly morning and a mere 45°F (7°C) as a westbound empty oil train moves through the cut between MP 22.6 and the base of Coal Creek Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111072 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 214 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific There is a small platform and a railing for the conductor to hold on to as this oil train makes a reverse move on the main at Rocky. The conductor is ensuring the track behind the track is clear, and that the train has a signal out the east end. After the tail end of the train in on the main just east of Rocky, the conductor will get off the last car and the train will continue to back up without any protection under General Code of Operating Rule 6.6. This rule allows for unprotected reverse movements in CTC when the train will not pass a control point or grade crossing (among other things). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111071 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 215 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The conductor of this westbound oil train is riding on the last car of the train. The train is currently backing up east through the siding. The switch at the west end of Rocky is broken, and the train will have to back out onto the main and then continue west on the main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111070 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 251 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr makes its way on the main at Eisele (Clay), a few hundred feet above a westbound UP oil train in the siding at Rocky. Just minutes earlier, the Zephyr was passing by the oil train, heading right-to-left through the frame. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111069 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 277 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 187 (Phase 7) approaches a clear (green) signal at the west end of Rocky. The Zephyr is running 1 hour and 15 minutes late this morning. It was a bit behind schedule when it approached Denver from the east, but encountered an additional delay as there was a minor derailment of a BNSF train in the yard in Denver. Only one truck was derailed, and no cars were overturned. But the derailment temporarily block Amtrak's route into the station. Now, it is overtaking a UP oil train in the siding. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111068 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 223 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This is definitely a unit that could stand not only a wash, but a full on repaint. At least the unit is operable, an issue that a lot of UP units has been facing lately. It is the third unit on westbound oil train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111067 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 200 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is a crystal clear, blue sky morning as an ES44AC sits on the siding near the west end of Rocky. The paint on this unit is a bit spotty, but it is nice to see the American flag itself in pretty good shape. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111066 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 191 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A trio of units are on the point of a westbound (empty) oil train in the siding at Rocky. This oil train is a bit shorter than many, and these three units are the only three on the train. The train is waiting for the westbound Zephyr to pass it, at which point it will back out of the east end of the siding and proceed west on the main. The reverse move will be necessary due to a broken switch at the west end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111065 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 225 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific DS-380 was unable to throw the switch at the west end of Rocky. The conductor walked up to take a look. He discovered that the bar that connects the motor to the switch points somehow became detached from the switch points. The switch is currently not capable of being thrown! The oil train is going to have to wait for the Zephyr and then back out onto the main at East Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111063 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) arvada, CO 374 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Five GEs and a single SD70ACe climb the north edge of Big Ten Curve on the point of a westbound oil train. As always, a single buffer car is located between the power and the tank cars. On this day, the buffer car is a Santa Fe open hopper. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111062 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 222 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF In 2024, mainline locomotives almost universally have around 4,400 horsepower. As a result, fewer units are typically needed on the head end of trains. Whereas 5 or 6 units was not uncommon 40 years ago, 2 or 3 is often then case in 2024. So, it is rather cool to come across a train like this, with 6 units on the head end. These units will be distributed throughout this oil train for the trip east, when the (loaded) train is far heavier than the current empty. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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