Photo ID: 109958 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Fraser to Tabernash (MP 63 to MP 65) Grand County, CO 134 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The final shot of the day for me, five days before Christmas, comes during the start of the blue hour. In a chilly scene, a UP oil train is on the rolls between Tabernash and Fraser. Evening traffic is building on US-40 alongside the rails and the train looks at a clear (green) signal at the east switch of Fraser in the distance. The ski slopes of the Winter Park ski resort loom large in the distance, the Continental Divide standing behind the resort. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109957 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Fraser to Tabernash (MP 63 to MP 65) Grand County, CO 107 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific As the sun has set behind the mountains, we have reached blue hour as an eastbound UP oil train parallels US-40 as it digs in to the 2% grade and climb up toward the Moffat Tunnel. Note the ski slopes at the Winter Park ski resort off in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109950 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Byers Canyon Grand County, CO 136 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The rails in this part of Byers Canyon are just barely lit by the sun in the far western sky. A single ES44AC brings up the tail end of this eastbound oil train, slowly snaking its way along the Colorado River. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109949 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sulphur to Flat (MP 86.2 to MP 92.3) Grand County, CO 119 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Oil trains on the Moffat have basically become a successor to coal trains as far as "energy" trains go. While the oil trains are not as ubiquitous as coal trains once were, they have become more common in the past year. Here, an eastbound example rolls toward the west entrance to Byers Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109948 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 139 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The westbound BNSF Denver-Provo has come to a stop in the siding at Flat as an eastbound UP oil train rolls by on the main. The manifest has a very colorful consist today, with a New Image SD70ACe leading a KCSM ES44AC, a Canadian Pacific AC4400CW, and a Heritage 2 AC4400CW. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109947 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 118 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Kansas City Southern de Mexico, BNSF In 1996, when the Mexican government privatized freight railroad operations, one railroad formed was Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM). Kansas City Southern was one of the creators of and stock holder in the railroad. In 2005, KCS bought out its partners and took full control of the railroad. The name was changed to Kansas City Southern de Mexico, a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern. The subsidiary had its own fleet in the Retro Belle scheme, but with "de Mexico" printed on the unit. Here is an ES44AC sporting that paint scheme. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109946 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 122 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Other than the westbound Zephyr, I only saw two other trains on the Moffat on this day. A loaded eastbound UP oil train, and a westbound BNSF Denver-Provo. As it happens, the two trains met at Flat, between Sulphur and Kremmling. The BNSF manifest took the siding, although it was really close to a rolling meet as the two trains each knocked down their respective ends of Flat at close to the same time. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109945 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 150 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's westbound Denver-Provo manifest is taking the siding for a well-timed meet with an eastbound UP oil train. Indeed, the oil train has already knocked down the light at the west end of Flat. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109944 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Troublesome (5,570 ft) Grand County, CO 114 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific After running through canyons (include Gore Canyon) nearly nonstop since leaving Bond, the valley opens up east of Kremmling. Here at Troublesome, this eastbound unit oil train is actually able to reach speeds of 45-50 MPH. Not bad for the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109943 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Troublesome (5,570 ft) Grand County, CO 108 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific 2 1/2 hours after pulling out of Bond, this eastbound oil train is on the main track at Troublesome. Ironically, it was here at Troublesome where a significant derailment occurred in the late 1950s. That derailment involved the crew of an eastbound missing an approach (yellow) signal at West Troublesome and hitting a westbound that was entering the siding at East Troublesome. It led to Rio Grande creating a safety/training video called "The Trouble at Troublesome". Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109937 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 40 (MP 113.8, 63 ft) Grand County, CO 121 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak In Little Gore Canyon, the westbound Zephyr passes through one of the shortest tunnels on the Moffat, Tunnel 40. The trains is cast in shadows as the sun does not quite reach the rails here this time of year. In addition to the stark difference between light and shadow, there is an equally stark difference between snow and no snow! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109936 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Byers Canyon Grand County, CO 166 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the shortest days of the year, the sun is so far to the south, that much of Byers Canyon spends the day cast in shadows. The westbound Zephyr is following along the Colorado River (and US-40) near the west end of the canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109935 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Granby to Sulphur (MP 76.2 to MP 84.6) Grand County, CO 105 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The forecast called for overcast skies, but the skies have actually largely cleared out, creating some great sunny (and snowy) shots as the westbound Zephyr approaches the east end of Sulphur, out of frame around the bend to the left. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109934 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Granby to Sulphur (MP 76.2 to MP 84.6) Grand County, CO 144 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak There is a wonderful smattering of deciduous trees between Granby and Sulphur that, in seasons other than winter, offer some nice color along this part of the Moffat. Of course, being five days to Christmas, the leaves are long gone as the westbound Zephyr traverses the single track mainline. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108834 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed West of Granby Grand County, CO 557 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak After getting a few shots of the Zephyr going in to Gore Canyon, it was a bit tricky catching up with him again! I could have gotten a shot in Byers Canyon, but it was raining pretty hard there and, after shooting the westbound Zephyr there earlier in the day, I opted to just get ahead and get a shot here, west of Granby. Definitely need to come up a little earlier in the season next year and get a shot of those fall colors! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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