The west switch of Tennessee Pass siding was located very close to the east portal of the tunnel at the summit. As you can see in the picture, the signal for eastbound was positioned is such a way that trains coming through the tunnel could have a clear look at the condition of the signal.
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A detailed shot of the General Electric logo on the signal control box at the west end of Tennessee Pass.
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While the line itself technically isn't abandoned, the CTC system absolutely is. A look inside the signal cabinet at west Tennessee Pass reveals cut wires and broken glass everywhere. If Tennessee Pass ever were to become active again with CTC, a completely new CTC system would have to be installed.
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It would appear the the signal control box at the west switch of Tennessee Pass has moved around a bit over the course of its life. You can pretty clearly see "Arvada" painted over on the box. And, if you look even closer, it appears "Arvada" was painted over something that starts with a "P". Even closer examination reveals what appears to be an "A" and an "L". That being the case would mean this box also spent time at Palisade near Grand Junction.
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A look through the tunnel at the summit of Tennessee Pass as seen from the top of the signal at the west end of the siding. This view should be obscured, but since the signal head itself has been removed, it is a clear shot!
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Here it is! The very top of Tennessee Pass and, at the time of the idling of Tennessee Pass, the highest Class 1 rail line in the United States at 10,221 feet above sea level. The tunnel is about a half mile long and looks - from this shot - to be clear of any major obstructions.
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This is the sight eastbound trains would see as they emerged from the Tennessee Pass tunnel at the summit. Well, okay...almost the sight they'd see. Assuming all the masts in the shot actually had their signal heads!
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This is one of the saddest sights I saw the entire day during the visit to Tennessee Pass! Over the years, UP has been cannibalizing the CTC system on the pass to use the components in other areas. Case-in-point would be the missing signal head from the signal at west Tennessee Pass. The best indication a train could get here is now "where-is-the-signal-head-over-yellow".
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Apologies for the bad lighting. This is definitely a spot that lends itself to morning light. Regardless, this is looking westbound at Mitchell, just a few miles west of the summit. Once upon a time, there was a siding here which Rio Grande decided to remove.
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