The West Local backs down the south leg of the wye on the Rocky Spur with a single covered hopper. GP40-2s are still pretty common in 2023, but it is really great to see GP15-1s are still roaming the rails as well. The Moffat mainline crosses the mountain in the background, from Tunnel 1 to Tunnel 8.
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The Lonely Local In the open space surrounding the former Rocky Flat plant, the West Local prepares to back down the south leg of the wye to the main track at Rocky. A single covered hopper is the only car the local is taking back to Denver on this Wednesday.
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Amongst the weeds, the West Local heads toward the east switch on the wye on the Rocky Spur. The brakeman stands ready to throw the switch to reverse down the south leg of the wye. Back in the distance, you can clearly see the mainline at East Plain.
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The West Local is on the north leg of the wye just south of the road that used to be the west entrance to Rocky Flats. If you know where to look in the background, you can see Tunnel 4 quite clearly on the mainline!
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The West Local starts around the north leg of the wye on the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead. It will soon back down the south leg on the right, and continue backing down the spur until it reaches the main track back at Rocky.
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A GP40-2 and a GP15-1 are the power on the West Local today. The two units have picked up one single covered hopper from the aggregate plant at the north end of the Rocky Spur. The train will wye before back down to the main at Rocky.
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The West Local has picked up a single covered hopper on the Rocky Spur. The only car it needs to pick up on this particular trip west of North Yard.
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A brakeman on the West Local walks along a single hopper to ensure that the wheels are not chalked before the train heads back to the main track.
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There is a single covered hopper waiting to be picked up at the aggregate plant at the north end of the spur, about four miles north of the mainline.
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There are several industries along the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead, but only one is served by rail. A pair of geeps pass Colorado Wood and Metal on the way to the plant at the north end.
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UP 1507 heads away from the camera toward the aggregate plant at the north end of the Rocky Spur. You can see the main building of the plant in the background on the left side of the frame.
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A pair of light units head north past a quarry toward the aggregate industry at the north end of the spur.
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The westbound Rocky Mountaineer approaches the east portal of Tunnel 8. Tunnel 8 is one of the longer tunnels in the Tunnel District, and would be a scary one to walk through as the entire tunnel is curved.
Note: DO NOT WALK through train tunnels! The above statement is a theoretical one only.
About two miles west of Plain, the westbound Rocky Mountaineer continues to gain elevation as it passes through Tunnel 7. This is close to the west (technically north) end of the portion of the Tunnel District from which the Colorado plains are visible.
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The Rocky Mountaineer has just started its journey west through the Tunnel District as it emerges from Tunnel 3 and the head end approaches Tunnel 4. In the background on the left side of the image, you can actually see the west portal of Tunnel 2.
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