Photo ID: 112662 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 22 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr, having departed Denver only about seven minutes late, has knocked down the green signal at the west end of Eisele (Clay). AMTK 203, Amtrak's Operations Lifesaver unit, is second out in the consist. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112661 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 36 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF 8523 and two GEs work to pull an empty oil train up and around Big Ten Curve. BNSF frequently runs oil trains with six units on the head end, so the power is present to run eastbound (on the oil load) in a 3x3 configuration. However, these three units are the only units on this westbound. BNSF will be getting three additional units from somewhere else when the train is ready to head east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112660 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 54 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It appears that Union Pacific is planning to replace some ties on the Moffat in the not-too-distant future. The West Local ran out of North Yard two days early and spotted these three gondolas in the house track here at Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112659 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The Rocky Mountaineer, running on the siding at Rocky, passes between a westbound oil train on the main, and three gondolas loaded with new ties in the house track. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112658 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 38 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF As the Rocky Mountaineer enters the siding at the west end of Rocky, a westbound BNSF oil empty sits on the main, headlight dim, waiting for the passenger train to clear the switch so the oil cans can continue on their journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112657 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The Rocky Mountaineer descends on the north edge of Big Ten Curve, through the area where Union Pacific recently reinforced the grade along the tracks. You might also take notice of the tank cars in the distance...a westbound BNSF oil train is holding the main at Rocky, waiting on the Mountaineer to arrive. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112656 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Look up toward Big Ten Curve from slightly below, we find the Rocky Mountaineer rounding the curve on its journey east, while a not insubstantial thunderstorms spills from the Rockies over the Front Range. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112655 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 25 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer It is a little difficult to see, but if you look toward the top of this shot, you can see the Denver Skyline still in the light, resting in a relatively high amount of humidity. Meanwhile, the Rocky Mountaineer descends down the roughly 2% grade from Tunnel 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112654 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 35 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer From above Tunnel 1, we view the eastbound Rocky Mountaineer as it snakes its way out of Plain, continuing east on the final 24 or so miles on the trip into Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112649 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak About a month ago, Union Pacific reinforced the track on the north edge of Big Ten Curve. A lot of rip rap rock was laid on the slope of the track, as you can see to the right. The California Zephyr, with nine Superliners, climbs up and around Big Ten. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112648 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 29 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak After meeting a Provo-Denver here at Rocky, the Zephyr has already accelerated back up to track speed as it blasts through the OS at the west end of Rocky. Union Pacific gives IDs to all control points, in addition to names. As you can see, the control point ID here at West Rocky is "CP DS019". The "DS" comes from "Denver and Salt Lake", David Moffat's railroad that built the line well over a century ago. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112647 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 37 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 147 and AMTK 194 lead the westbound Zephyr on the main at Rocky as two DPUs pass by the P42s on the tail end of an eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver. The dispatcher set up a really good meet here, and neither train ultimately had to stop. This is referred to as a "rolling meet". Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112646 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 33 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF 5751 leads the Provo-Denver through Little Ten Curve in the siding at Rocky. The train is meeting the westbound California Zephyr, which is already between switches on the main behind the camera. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112645 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr that departed Chicago on June 23rd had a late start. Unfortunately, it lost more time on its journey west toward Denver, and departed Denver a little over three hours late. Here, that train is coming up to an approach (yellow) signal at the east switch of Rocky. It will be meeting a BNSF Provo-Denver which is already in the block at the west end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112638 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Plain (6,530 ft) Arvada, CO 46 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is slowly heading west on the main track at Plain, overtaking a maintenance vehicle on the siding. The Zephyr had an approach (yellow) signal at the east switch, and will be coming a stop at a red signal at the west end. UP found a few tie plates west of Tunnel 2 that need to be replaced before another train runs over the rails, so the Zephyr will be stopped for about 90 minutes, waiting. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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