The eastbound Zephyr is picking up a little speed as it pulls out of Denver Union Station on Track 4. Meanwhile, the Winter Park Express (Ski Train) sits on Track 5, awaiting the start of the season.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
AMTK 78, on the point of the eastbound Zephyr, has completed its station stop in Denver and is starting to pull forward on Track 4, away from Union Station.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
After 2 1/2 hours of work setting out the Winter Park Express (Ski Train) and performing its own station stop, the eastbound Zephyr is getting very close to departing from Track 4 and continuing east to Chicago. The Winter Park Express, meanwhile, sits on Track 5, waiting for its first run of the season in less than 36 hours.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Using an 11mm wide angle lens, I set up for this shot of a pair of P42DCs, sitting next to each other on tracks 4 and 5 and Denver Union Station. AMTK 78, on Track 4, is leading the eastbound California Zephyr. AMTK 75, on Track 5, is leading the Winter Park Express for the upcoming season.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
An Amtrak mechanical crewmember has climbed aboard the cab of AMTK 75 and has turned on the headlight as a quick test. Meanwhile, the eastbound Zephyr is stopped on Track 4, getting refueled and also going through its mechanical checks and air tests before completing its station stop and continuing east toward Chicago.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The Winter Park Express (Ski Train) is stopped on Track 5 at Denver Union Station, ready to start the season. For the first time, the regular season of the train will start in December, much as the Anschutz Ski Train used to do. AMTK 75, sporting the new Phase 7 scheme, will be power for the train along with AMTK 146 (in the Phase 5 scheme).
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Power for the California Zephyr is backing onto the train on Track 4. As you can see, the power has not quite yet connect up to the train. The power is slowly moving back to join with the train. At that point, the train will pull forward to the fuel pad so it can be refueled.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
This is a sight that you do not see particularly often in Denver. The Zephyr without any power! While the Zephyr is stopped on Track 4, baggage is being swapped out, and passengers are deboarding and boarding, equipment for the Winter Park Express (Ski Train) is being set out on Track 5. After setting out the equipment, the P42DCs will return to the Zephyr.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The Zephyr has backed into Track 4 for its evening station stop at Denver. However, the equipment for the Winter Park Express is also on the train this evening, and it needs to be cut out and placed on Track 5. The two P42DCs for the Zephyr will pull away and onto the Passenger Lead. The Winter Park Express equipment will then pull forward onto the Buck Lead.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
These Superliners in the foreground are not actually apart of the Zephyr. They are the equipment that will be used for the next three months on the Winter Park Express (Ski Train). The Zephyr itself starts with the baggage car a little bit back. Right now, work is being done to cut the Ski Train away from the Zephyr.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The eastbound Zephyr is backing into Track 4 for its station stop. You might notice, despite the blur, that there is a baggage car in the middle of some Superliners. This is because the Superliners ahead of the baggage car (to the left) are for the Winter Park Express Ski Train. Those cars, and a pair of P42DCs, will be set out on Track 5 in preparation for the start of the season on Friday.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
UP's daily MNYPU typically runs over the Joint Line at night, making it extremely hard to catch any UP action on the Joint Line in daylight. For whatever reason, the train was not called until 7am on this Sunday, so the train is rolling south on Main 1 along Hogan's Alley. Unfortunately, a broken rail south of Littleton on Main 1 has all traffic stopped, and the train will hold here on Main 1 for an hour or so until the rail can be repaired.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
At Prospect Jct, a southbound UP manifest is on Main 1, heading south toward the Joint Line. Meanwhile, a UP yard transfer heading for BNSF's 31st Street Yard has left Main 2 (and left CTC limits) as it heads toward the BNSF to deliver two units and a nearly a mile of cars.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
After sitting still at Prospect Jct for nearly 90 minutes, this UP manifest is finally on the move southbound. A broken rail south of Littleton on Main 1 has all southbound trains stopped. This train, the MNYPU, typically runs on the Joint Line overnight in the dark, so catching it in daylight is a rare opportunity.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A former UP SD45 (now designated as an SD40M-2) is now owned by the leasing company GATX. The old 20-cylinder prime mover has long since been removed and replaced with a 16-cylinder prime mover, like those in the SD40-2. Still, it is pretty cool catching what appears to be an SD45, based on the car body.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
