This is the very first train picture posted to my website shot with my brand new Canon 7D! It is a bit over-exposed as I was still playing with the settings at the time. The westbound Zephyr is just west of Leyden approaching the first intermediate.
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As the Zephyr heads west, you can see the Denver skyline in the distance. If you look closely, you can also see the Arvada water tower a bit below the skyline.
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The kids' grandparents decided to take a trip to Glenwood Springs on Amtrak. After dropping them off at the station, the girls and I chased the Zephyr west. Here is the first shot along CO-72 just west of Leyden.
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Back in April, the Zephyr came through Denver a couple times with AMTK 66 - the Phase II Heritage Unit - as the second unit on the train. However, it was nice to see the unit on the point of the Zephyr on this particular morning. The train is only a few minutes late as it charges west out of Leyden.
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One last look at the Pointless Arrow on the Zephyr's eastward trip toward Denver. Personally, I would prefer any of the Heritage schemes to the current Phase V scheme...What do you think?
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A nice 300mm shot of a westbound coal empty. This train had to stop at Leyden for over an hour as the lead unit had an alarm and stopped loading. However, the help desk helped the crew get the problem resolved. Only the first three units on the train are loaded...the last five will be set out in Grand Junction as mid-train swing helpers.
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It is getting late in the day as this eastbound coal load moves along Highway 72 between Rocky and Leyden. Once in Denver, the train will stop to cut out its mid-train swing helpers and to receive a new crew before continuing east.
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Winter has arrived in Colorado! After having next to no precipitation between October and December, this storm brings some descent accumulation to the Front Range. This is UP's "Public Service" train that supplies coal to the Cherokee Power Plant in Commerce City. As it stands right now, this train will cease in 2017 as Xcel plans to stop burning coal at the Cherokee Plant.
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The first snow of the winter season (that resulted in any accumulation) hit on Veteran's Day! And on this day, the California Zephyr is running about 20 minutes late as it charges west through the white stuff just west of Leyden.
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It is right around 8:30am and the Zephyr is running right on time this morning as it heads west out of Leyden in the early sunlight. The Zephyr has its standard trio of coaches, sightseer lounge, diner and pair of sleepers.
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UP has been running a DPU on its daily freight (MNYRO), but this is the first time I've seen this. UP placed a trio of swing helpers halfway through the train. Here, they are pushing as they come out of Leyden.
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UP's daily MNYRO had been sitting in the siding at Leyden for over 12 hours waiting for mud slides and a derailment to get cleaned up further west. You can just barely see the first of three swing helpers back in the middle of the train.
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These SD40T-2s were being used on locals in California until they were retired by UP. They are headed to Denver where they will be auctioned off in July. UP 2888 was born as DRGW 5357. You can tell it is a former Grande T-2 here by the shortened fuel tank. By comparison, see UP 2904 which was born as SP 8357.
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April in Colorado often means snow! April 23rd, 2010 was no exception. An eastbound MRONY has left the mountains behind (note Coal Creek Canyon in the distance) and is headed for Denver.
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A site that is becoming more and more rare with every passing day. A pair of tunnel motors on the Moffat! Now granted, both tunnel motors are dead here as they are being transported to Denver. They have been retired and will be auctioned off in July.
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