It took a little extra time to get out of the station today, but the Rocky Mountaineer is on the move with RMRX 8020 (a GP40-3) and RMRX 8600 (an SD40M-2) for power. RMRX 8021 is currently in the shop. The Mountaineer does not have trackage rights on BNSF, so it has to the take the long way out of town, heading northeast toward UP's 36th Street Yard, and eventually west across the Belt Industrial Lead.
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Tried something a little different here, and took a wide shot with the drone. To accomplish this, the drop actually takes 21 pictures and then using internal AI to stitch them together into a wide angle shot. Here, we can see Coors Field, the Denver skyline, and the tracks leading in to Denver Union Station.
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As the westbound Zephyr heads out of Union Station, three RTD commuter rail trains are on the roll. On the far left, an A-Line train from Denver International Airport approaches Union Station. It is meeting an N-Line train that is headed out toward Thornton. On the right, above the Zephyr, a G-Line train is arriving from Arvada.
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Denver Union Station is just a couple blocks away from Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. In this shot, as the westbound Zephyr is departing from Track 4, the train passes by the stadium. From this vantage point, you can see the grounds crew working on the infield.
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Starting this season, the Rocky Mountaineer is actually loading and unloading passengers on Track 5 at Union Station. Here, the westbound Zephyr is on Track 4, nearly ready to depart. The Rocky Mountaineer is running a few minutes late, but is getting ready to depart as well.
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One of the two conductor's on the Winter Park Express, conductor Chris, is helping passengers by taking their equipment to load it onto the train. Both conductor Chris and conductor Antonio are absolutely amazing! They are friendly, kind, and always willing to help passengers in any way they can.
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With just over 20 minutes to go prior to departure, additional passengers walk down the platform of Track 5, carrying their equipment to the open baggage door on the coach/baggage car. The coach/baggage Superliner is the perfect car for hauling the ski equipment.
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One of the car hosts for the Winter Park Express Ski Train chats with Amtrak conductor Chris on the platform of Track 5 during a brief down moment, while waiting for more passengers to arrive.
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Passengers carry their ski or snow boarding boots as they walk down the platform along Track 5. The rest of their equipment has already been loaded into the baggage hold on the coach/baggage car.
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One of the numerous ski racks sit on the platform on Track 5 alongside the Winter Park Express. The train currently has two coach/baggage cars. The passengers skies and snowboards are loaded into the baggage compartments on these two cars. You can see the baggage hold open in the background.
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Looking at AMTK 146, currently the second unit on the Winter Park Express, note the "Ski Train" sticker with the classic Rio Grande herald on the side of the nose. A small, but wonderful, nod to the Ski Train(s) of yesteryear.
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A Rio Grande Ski Train sticker has been applied to the sides of the nose of both AMTK 75 and AMTK 146, the current power on the Winter Park Express Ski Train. A nice homage to the Rio Grande and Anschutz Ski Trains.
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Passengers are boarding on the Winter Park Express Ski Train on Track 5 at Denver Union Station. AMTK 75 will be the leader on the train this morning when it departs at 7am. Right now, at 6:25am, it is still nearly an hour from sunrise.
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Passengers ready to board the Winter Park Express Ski Train walk down the platform at Denver Union Station alongside Track 5. A car host greets the approaching passengers.
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Several folks are enjoying some drinks at the Terminal Bar. Not a bad place to hang out with some friends, particularly in the holiday season with the Christmas decorations in place!
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