This season has seen the power on the Rocky Mountaineer consistently inconsistent! Seemingly on a weekly basis, the power has switched from Rocky Mountaineer GP40-3s to UP SD70Ms and back again. On this Wednesday, UP power is on the point again as the train blasts west of Leyden, the Denver skyline in the distance.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The "48" has almost entirely worn off the side of the P42DC, the last unit on the Zephyr this morning. The paint scheme overall is looking a bit shoddy, and it seems like AMTK 48 would be a good candidate for a repaint in to the new Phase 7 scheme sooner rather than later.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A UP C44AC-CTE, now rebuilt as a C44ACM, is leading the westbound Zephyr on an afternoon that brought some much needed moisture and cooler temperatures to the area. There has been no significant rain in weeks, and temperatures have been well into the 90°Fs (32°Cs). Today, the temperature is very pleasant 60°F (15°C).
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The westbound Zephyr arrived in Denver a little over two hours late, and ended up getting delayed another hour in town when it stopped to pick up a UP unit as a new leader, likely due to a mechanical issue with one of the P42DCs.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
There is a break in the afternoon storms and, indeed, a break in the clouds downtown is allowing some direct sunlight on the skyline as a BNSF manifest heads west out of Leyden, starting the journey to Provo, UT.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
After meeting an loaded UP oil train at Arvada, this BNSF empty is starting its journey west of Denver for the loadout at Wash in Utah, just east of Price. Six units are on the head end of the train, but it will likely be configured 3x3 for the return journey east.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
An eastbound oil train, which loaded at the transload facility at Wash, UT, just east of Price, UT. The train is rolling east and will ultimately wind up at an oil refinery down toward the gulf coast.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A trio of GEs, an ES44AC, an AC4400CW, and a ET44AC, lead an eastbound loaded oil train away from the steep grades of the Rockies and towards a clear (green) signal at the west switch of Leyden.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
As we move closer to July, the green in the landscape along the Front Range is starting to fade back toward the brownish color that it is most of the year. The Zephyr, with Phase 5 AMTK 76 and Phase 7 AMTK 174 has a baggage car and the standard seven Superliners in tow just west of Leyden.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The westbound Zephyr lost about an hour between Lincoln, NE and Hastings, NE. The train made up a bit of that time east of Denver, but was still about 50 minutes late departing west out of Denver. Here, the Denver skyline stands in the haze on this summer morning as the train departs west out of Leyden.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
As of this picture, Amtrak had repainted three P42DCs in the new Phase 7 paint scheme. Two of them are leading the westbound Zephyr on a cold, somewhat snowy spring morning. The train is rolling a few minutes late, just west of Leyden.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The Zephyr is right on time as it charges west between Leyden and Rocky, approaching Barbara's Gulch. For the first time in about nine months, there is a heritage unit running on the Zephyr. AMTK 164, the Phase 4 heritage unit, is second out on the train this morning.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Just west of the west end of Leyden, an eastbound UP manifest crosses the fill in some fantastic morning light. This train frequently descends the front range in the morning hours, although frequently it is in pre-dawn hours. Was nice to catch the train, with eight units on the point and several cars of lumber, in the light.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Eight units lead an eastbound MGJNY (manifest, Grand Junction to North Yard) on the main just west of Leyden. Only the first three units are online and loading. The trailing five are just be repositioned to Denver. If you look off in the distance along the base of the mountains, you can see the Moffat mainline between Tunnels 2 and 5.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
With a winter blizzard finally moving out of the area overnight, the sky is mostly clear and the temperatures are rising. It is 22°F (-6°C) this morning, an increase of nearly 30° since yesterday morning. However, the wind has also picked up a bit, blowing a lot of the freshly fallen snow around. The Zephyr is contributing a bit, kicking up snow in its own wake as it proceeds west.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
