I'm always happy to come across a (former) Montana Rail Link unit on a BNSF train. If you are reading this comment and are not familiar, BNSF bought out MRL at the start of 2025. BNSF took over MRL's rail lines and property, including all motive power. The MRL SD70ACes have been shuffled into the fleet, though they never lead, as they are not PTC-equipped.
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A relatively short BNSF Provo-Denver rolls east on the main track at Rocky. At the end of 2025, UP invested a lot into maintenance on the Moffat, including replacing thousands of ties. Many of the old ties are piled up to the left.
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AMTK 182 and AMTK 4 lead the eastbound Zephyr down from Big Ten Curve on the approach to the west end of Rocky, still "slow rolling" along at 10 MPH due to a slow order. The slow order was most likely out due to forecasted high winds. It is also possible that it was out due to high heat and the potential for sun kinks in the rails.
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Decided to get a roster shot of AMTK 4. Amtrak will likely be retiring more of the P42DCs on the roster as the Siemens Chargers continue to be delivered and become more ubiquitous. Lowered numbered P42DCs, which were delivered first and, naturally, are older, are more likely to be retired before higher numbered P42s.
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I really like the view of eastbounds at the east end of Eisele (Clay). It is a very pleasant scene here on the 7th day of June as the Zephyr slowly rolls east. The train has slowed to 10 MPH due to a slow order on Big Ten Curve.
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Some threatening-looking clouds swirl around over the plains to the northeast as the eastbound Zephyr approaches a green signal at the east end of Eisele (Clay). The train has slowed down to 10 MPH due to a slow order ahead, around Big Ten Curve.
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The eastbound Zephyr knocks down a green signal at the east end of Plain. This location is a "check point" for the Zephyr, and the engineer on the head end just called out the check point for the conductor. From here, the train has roughly 24 miles remaining on the journey in to Denver. Afternoon clouds are building over and out on the plains.
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A single ES44AC brings up the end of this eastbound coal load, which just rolled by the "Cold War Horse" statue. It is a life-sized statue of a horse wearing a gas mask and radioactive gear. It showed up here in 2015, about ten years after the cleanup of the Rocky Flat nuclear trigger plant had been completed.
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It has been a day of occasional rain and occasional severe thunderstorms. More storm clouds are building over the Rockies as an eastbound UP coal train approaches a green signal at the west end of Leyden.
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A classic shot of an eastbound UP coal load just west of Leyden. Rumor has it that UP is trying to run 60 coal trains per month on the North Fork Branch out of the West Elk Mine. There has definitely been an increase in the number of coal train on the Moffat in the past few months.
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A trio of GEs lead a westbound UP oil train out the west end of Leyden under some crazy storm clouds right around an hour before sunset.
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DS-378 set up a fantastic meet at Leyden between this westbound oil empty and the eastbound Zephyr. The Zephyr held the main while the oil train ran through the siding. It ended up being a rolling meet, meaning neither train had to come to a stop. With some crazy evening storm lighting, the oil train leaves Leyden westbound.
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The clouds were truly dramatic and dynamic, amplified by evening sunlight, as the eastbound Zephyr descends from Big Ten Curve and approaches a green signal at the west end of Rocky. One of the P42DCs...not sure which one...developed some mechanical issues on Donner Pass the previous day, and a UP loaner unit was added to assist.
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The eastbound Zephyr is descending Big Ten Curve with a UP ES44AC on the head end. Hit the jackpot with the storm lighting this evening as there was a thin section of sky to the west between the clouds and the mountains, allowing the sun to light up the scene. The UP unit was added after mechanical issues developer with one of the P42DCs on Donner Pass.
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The Zephyr is running about two hours late this evening, so the sun is well behind the mountain here at Eisele (Clay). Rays of sun still shine over the mountains in the distance, looking geographically north along the Flat Irons. The main reason for the Zephyr running late was mechanical, hence the ES44AC leading.
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