Photo ID: 114363 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 40 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound coal empty had an Approach (yellow) signal at the east end of East Portal as the Moffat Tunnel was completing its venting cycle after the Zephyr came through. However, the venting finished right after the train passed the east end, and it now has a green at the west end to head into the 6.2-mile long tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114362 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 42 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The valley that Tolland is located in is filled with a lot of deciduous trees, making it one of the most colorful spots on the east slope of the Moffat during fall. Late September is typically when the fall colors here around 9,000 feet hit their peak, and this year is no exception. A westbound coal empty with five units heads west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114361 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 43 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A single DPU brings up the end of this eastbound coal load just east of Tolland. Clouds in the area have been passing through the area, creating more of a dramatic scene here with the train disappearing into the shadows. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114360 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 38 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The head end of an eastbound coal load crosses over South Boulder Creek as the train leaves Tolland and the Continental Divide behind. This is probably the best weekend to get some fall color shots here in the Colorado high county. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114359 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS047 (East Tolland) Gilpin County, CO 46 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This eastbound coal load has a green signal at the east end of Tolland is about to head back out onto the main to continue east. It will meet another westbound at Rollins, but then have a straight shot the rest of the way into Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114358 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 38 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The view along Tolland here, with the Continental Divide, never gets old! No matter the time of year, it is a great spot, but fall color season is just icing on the cake. This eastbound coal load is coming from the West Elk Mine on the North Fork Branch. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114357 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 38 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound coal load rolls through the siding at Tolland, dodging some clouds in the area near the Continental Divide. The coal train is just running in and out of the siding after meeting the Zephyr, which is waiting on the main. You can just see the end Zephyr in the distance beyond the grade crossing. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114356 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 58 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 5281 leads an eastbound coal load, approaching the grade crossing at East Portal. The westbound Zephyr is holding at Tolland, waiting on the arrival of the train. Due to the steep grade at Winter Park, the coal train could not be held there. Fortunately, the delay to the Zephyr would only be about 25 minutes. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114355 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 27, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 47 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak It is a beautiful September morning and the westbound Zephyr is running right on time as it heads west through the canyon between Rollins and Tolland. Fall colors here just east of Tolland are essentially at their peak. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114349 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Gilpin County, CO 49 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The eastbound Zephyr is running about 40 minutes behind schedule as it glides east on the main track at Cliff along South Boulder Creek. The Zephyr was the seventh train to run through the Moffat Tunnel during daylight hours on this last official day of summer for 2026. A great day in the Colorado High Country! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114348 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland to East Portal (MP 47.7 to MP 48.9) Gilpin County, CO 51 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound train has seven (yes, seven!) mid-train swing helpers. Looks like the days of Tennessee Pass! The reason for the power is because this is actually two trains, combined as one. As you can see, the second half of the train is a coal empty. To keep the general manifest cars moving, UP added them to the front of this coal empty, headed for Grand Junction. They did this so the manifest cars would not have to wait for the (regularly scheduled) MNYGJ. Most of this power will be used on the coal train after the train is split in Grand Junction. This type of train blocking is all the result of the theory known as Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). A philosophy that Class 1 railroads in particular have really embraced. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114347 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland to East Portal (MP 47.7 to MP 48.9) Gilpin County, CO 54 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound is a monster train. By that, I mean that it is incredibly long. Between 10,000 and 11,000 feet. Turns out that the train is actually a coal train, but with a string of general manifest cars headed to Grand Junction. The UP powers that be did not want to wait for the normal MNYGJ, so they added the cars ahead of a coal train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114346 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland to East Portal (MP 47.7 to MP 48.9) Gilpin County, CO 48 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound manifest has a trio of elephant-style units on the head end, the first of which was originally SP 145, is on the main between Tolland and East Portal. Many of the trees here have already lost many of their leaves, likely do to their position on the hill side. Very open and susceptible to wind from the valley. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114345 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 49 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific After meeting the Canyon Spirit, this westbound UP manifest is starting to accelerate toward an Advanced Approach (flashing yellow) signal at the west end of Tolland. The Moffat Tunnel is currently venting, so the train will have to stop for about 15 minutes before getting the signal to continue. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114344 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 49 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Even though this is the shaded side of the train, I really liked the incredible range of colors of the trees here near the west switch of Tolland. The Canyon Spirit is meeting a westbound UP manifest, already in the siding (out of sight to the left). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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