Photo ID: 113116 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mack to Ruby (MP 469.9 to MP 472.3) Mesa County, CO 96 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Union Pacific Ruby Canyon is dead ahead for this westbound passenger special as it rolls west along Salt Creek. After Gore Canyon, Ruby Canyon is probably the next hardest to access. There is a dirt road...most suitable for a 4x4...that runs several miles south of I-70 to the north rim of Ruby Canyon. But it is a long, slow, bumpy ride and tends to be a "one and done". In other words, if you go in for a shot of a train, you won't be able to catch the train again. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113115 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mack to Ruby (MP 469.9 to MP 472.3) Mesa County, CO 97 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Union Pacific The crew for this UP passenger special is based in Grand Junction. The crew was bussed east to Rifle, where this train started this morning. The crew is also taking it all the way to Potash, UT on the Cane Creek Sub. As a result, there was no need for a stop in Grand Junction for a crew change on the way west. Consequently, it did not take log to get to this location west of Mack. The train is headed toward the highly scenic Ruby Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113114 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP RG436 (East Palisade) Mesa County, CO 104 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific Whether you live in Colorado or not, perhaps you have heard of "Palisade Peaches"? Palisade is a small town of 2,600 people. It is a few miles east of Grand Junction, and peaches and vineyards are the largest industry. This UP passenger special just knocked down a green signal at the east switch, passing by green fields. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113113 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Akin to Tunnel (MP 423.9 to MP 427.3) Mesa County, CO 107 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific The tracks run right alongside the Colorado River on the west side of Beaver Tail Tunnel, and it offered up a nice reflection in the somewhat muddy waters of the river as this UP passenger special heads west. I do with the foliage had been trimmed down a little bit, but still, not a bad shot. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113112 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Beaver Tail Tunnel (MP 428.5, 763 ft) Mesa County, CO 85 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific This is a shot that I have wanted to get for quite some time, and today was finally the day! UP's passenger special is emerging from the west portal of Beaver Tail Tunnel. This tunnel is 758' long and it is the only tunnel between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113111 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP RG424 (West Akin) Mesa County, CO 105 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific For what seems like the last decade or more, the siding of Akin in western Colorado has either been out of service, or been used for long-term car storage. Recently, that finally changed and the siding is available again for meets. Turns out that was quite fortuitus as this is where this westbound UP passenger special met the eastbound Zephyr (which you can see in the distance). The Zephyr took the siding to keep the special rolling. It was a good meet, the Zephyr was stopped for less than two minutes. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113110 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed De Beque (7,670 ft) Mesa County, CO 92 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific The east end of the siding of De Beque has become a favorite spot of mine, alongside the Colorado River with Mt Logan in the distance. Mt Logan is not one of the taller mountains in Colorado. At 8,413 ft (2,564 m), it is not even close. But it is still fantastically colorful! A UP passenger special that left Rifle, CO 30 minutes earlier is hustling west toward the Cane Creek Subdivision. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113109 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP RG415 (East De Beque) Mesa County, CO 93 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific At the east switch of De Beque, UP 5898 continues west on the main on green signals. Passengers aboard the train, including CEO Jim Vena and many other managers, enjoy the wonderful scenery of western Colorado. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112292 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 1, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Mack to Ruby (MP 469.9 to MP 472.3) Mesa County, CO 188 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Union Pacific Unfortunately, a big cloud decided to blow through right as this westbound coal load came through. Fortunately, there was a very small sucker hole to get a little sunlight on the lead unit. It is here that the tracks and I-70 temporarily diverge from one another. The tracks move through Ruby Canyon, while I-70 heads north around it. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112030 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, March 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Shale to Utaline Mesa County, CO 123 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The westbound Rocky Mountaineer "Rockies to the Red Rocks" is making its way through incredibly scenic Ruby Canyon along the Colorado River. The siding ahead is named Utaline as the siding sits right on the line between Colorado and Utah. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112029 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, March 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Shale to Utaline Mesa County, CO 136 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Rocky Mountaineer After shooting the Rocky Mountaineer at Fruita, I had hoped to make it to Ruby Canyon ahead of the train for a shot of it coming. Alas, I arrived about two minutes too late, and had to settle with a going away shot as the train approaches a clear (green) signal at the east end of Utaline. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112021 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, March 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel to Cameo Mesa County, CO 199 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The westbound Rocky Mountaineer is passing by the Grand Valley Diversion Dam, also referred to as the Cameo Diversion Dam. The dam was built in 1916 and was the first dam in the United States to use roller gates to control water flow. The dam is used to control water flow for crops. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112020 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, March 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed De Beque Mesa County, CO 175 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The Colorado River is continuing to grow in size as we continue to move west in Colorado. The Rocky Mountaineer "Rockies to the Red Rocks", on the main at De Beque, is moving west toward its next station stop, just outside of Moab, UT. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112019 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, March 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed De Beque Mesa County, CO 124 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The scenery through Grand Valley in western Colorado is simply amazing. Employees of the Rocky Mountaineer are enjoying the views on this test run of the train, which is set to start another season of revenue runs in a couple of weeks. The train just passed a clear (green) signal at the east switch of De Beque. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.