When the Zephyr departed Chicago yesterday, AMTK 207 was leading the train and AMTK 140 was trailing. Upon arriving in Denver, the position of the units was swapped so that AMTK 140 was leading. I am not sure why Amtrak swapped the units, but it was likely due to some sort of mechanical issue. Consequently, the train is a little over 90 minutes late. The train met an eastbound loaded oil train at Leyden, still visible in the distance.
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BNSF typically runs loaded oil train on the Moffat with three units on the point and three on the end. Union Pacific has opted for three mid-train helper about two thirds of the way through the train. The first DPU, UP 7000, was originally GECX 4000 and was a warranty protection unit, built in 1997. It was subsequently bought by UP and added to the roster as UP 7000.
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UP 8504 is sporting Union Pacific newest paint scheme. This is one of the first SD70ACes I've see with the new scheme. The train is headed for the siding at Leyden to meet a slightly late westbound Zephyr.
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An eastbound loaded oil train wraps around the fill west of Leyden. The train is about to cross over Indiana Street and will then enter the siding at Leyden to meet the westbound Zephyr.
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AMTK 164, Amtrak's Phase 4 heritage unit, leads the westbound Zephyr this morning as the train rolls west at track speed west of Leyden. The body of water directly behind the Zephyr is Welton Reservoir. The body of water further off in the distance is Standley Lake
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The Zephyr got a short delay just east of Leyden this morning on its way west. A passenger on the train had to be removed from the train for reasons I was not able to figure out from listening to the scanner. Regardless, the train came to a stop with the last Superliner on the grade crossing at 80th Avenue, where Arvada police were waiting.
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A pair of tampers work to ensure that the ballast is properly set, the ties are positions, and the rails are aligned and stabilized so that trains can run over the rails after new ties have been inserted under the tracks.
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This machine is a continuous-action surfacing tamper. It lifts, lines, and tamps the track, as well as dynamically stabilizes the rails so that trains can safely run at track speed over the track. This is the final piece of equipment in the tie gang.
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Here, we see a Union Pacific track tamper. It moves from tie-to-tie...every tie, regardless if it is new or not...grabs the tie and shakes it to ensure the ballast falls properly under and around the ties. The long pole/extension in front of the tamper ensure that the rails are aligned and in gauge.
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This machine is a small tamper that is making sure that the new ties are positioned properly under the rails before they are spiked down.
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This tie plate inserter is setting out new tie plates on top of the new ties that have been installed just minutes earlier. Once the tie plates are in place, a spiker will come next and spike down the plates/ties.
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This Tie Extractor/Inserter (TE/IE) is currently working as an inserter. A crane has placed new ties along the right-of-way and the inserter is sliding the ties underneath the rails.
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A string of maintenance equipment works to replace the ties along the right-of-way west of Leyden. UP has laid new ballast and is now replacing thousands of ties on the Moffat over the course of the next few months.
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In this overhead shot of the mainline west of Leyden at MP 14.5, you can clearly see the tie gang and the work they are doing. All of the ties you see that are perpendicular to the rails are new ties that are waiting to be installed beneath the rails.
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This is what a major maintenance project on a Class 1 railroad looks like! A long line of machines, each with its own specific purpose, stretch west on the tracks west of Leyden. At the front of the line (closest to the camera) is a crane that is piling up old ties.
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