As we approach the shortest day of the year, the sun has moved far to the south. Consequently, half the valley the Moffat Tunnel is located in is now cast in day-long shadows. The rails the Zephyr is located on here will not see sunlight again until spring.
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On a cold, quiet, clear November morning, the westbound Zephyr is rolling west on the main at East Portal. It is mere seconds away from entering into the Moffat Tunnel and moving to the west side of the Continental Divide.
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It is 28°F as the on-time westbound Zephyr approaches a clear (green) signal at the east end of East Portal. Snow is covering the landscape and will likely remain in many places now until next spring.
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AMTK 138 and AMTK 43 lead an on time westbound Zephyr across East Portal Road just over a mile east of the Moffat Tunnel. This spot is a pretty cool location as the tracks cross over the road, which crosses over South Boulder Creek, changing the location of all three!
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Fall colors are in full force here at Tolland, just shy of 9,000 feet above sea level, as the westbound Zephyr rolls through the scene precisely on time. Between the upcoming decreasing temperatures and strong winds common to the area, the leaves will not be on the trees for much longer.
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Even though there is no train in the scene, this is still one of my favorite pictures from 2023. Heck, this is probably in the top 10 of my favorite shots of all time. The fall colors, the sun, and the lingering morning mist creates an absolutely perfect scene.
An AC4400CW, still in Heritage 2 paint, brings up the tail end of a westbound loaded coal train as it dives into the 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel. 100 years ago, construction on the tunnel had started!
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At 7:22am, the sun has just started to light the valley in which the Moffat Tunnel is located. While this looks like it could possibly be an eastbound BNSF coal load, it is actually a westbound load with a trio of DPUs bringing up the rear. The train is diving in to the Moffat Tunnel, ultimately headed for Valmy, NV. The dawning sun also illuminates the fall colors, still showing bright on October 2.
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BNSF recently picked up a contract to deliver Power River Basin coal to Valmy, NV. The loaded coal trains run west over the Moffat. They run with three units on the head end and three units on the tail end. Here, the three DPUs have found morning sun as they disappear toward the west end of Tolland.
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Fall colors are in full force nearly 9,000 feet above sea level as three elephant-style BNSF units lead a coal train toward the Moffat Tunnel a few minutes after 7am.
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The sun has not yet peeked over the mountain here at Tolland, but it is definitely up and it is definitely lighting up the clouds to the east. Meanwhile, a BNSF coal load runs on the main amidst fantastic fall colors.
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On a glorious October morning, a westbound BNSF coal load slowly pulls through a damp scene with fall colors still in force at Tolland. The mix of clouds and sun was just perfect!
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Five minutes before 7am finds a westbound BNSF coal load, headed for Valmy, NV, slowly climbing the grade in the canyon between Rollins and Tolland. The sun has technically broken the horizon, but has not yet peeked over the mountains.
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In the valley leading to the base of James Peak, the westbound Rocky Mountaineer approaches the east portal of the 6.2-mile long Moffat Tunnel. East Portal is a very popular spot for hikers, and there is a near-full parking lot in the scene. Hikers used to cross the tracks at the entrance to the tunnel, but UP had the trail head moved to go up and over the tunnel so hikers do not walk across the tracks.
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Fall colors are at their peek at the start of October, which is one of the largest draws for passengers on the "Rockies to the Red Rocks" Rocky Mountaineer. The train is rolling west on the main at East Portal, about a mile from the entrance to the Moffat Tunnel.
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