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 75 (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 87 (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 84 (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 75 (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 86 (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 77 (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 96 (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 80 (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. Photo ID: 112637 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Kipling (MP 9.8) Arvada, CO 52 (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 74 (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 54 (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 57 (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 52 (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 58 (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 63 (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.

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