You can see three mid-train swing helpers off in the distance, and a single one at the tail end of this MNYGJ. This thrice weekly manifest is typically called in the evening, around 6pm. And, as a result, it typically departs North Yard westbound well after dark. However, it was called at 2pm today (for whatever reason), and made it west just before the light was gone.
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The sun has just dipped behind the Rocky Mountains to the west as a single DPU on the tail end of this manifest, headed for Grand Junction, rolls west through Barbara's Gulch. Due to the length of the train (117 cars), there is also a trio of mid-train swing helpers.
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It is just moments before the sun dips behind the Rocky Mountains to the west, although direct sunlight is not apparent here as there are clouds in the western sky. This MNYGJ has 117 cars and is roughly 7,000 feet in length as it roles west through Barbara's Gulch.
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The second of two UP manifests heads west through Barbara's Gulch. This is the first time in I don't know how many years that UP ran two manifests on the same day. Even more impressive is that both ran in daylight. This MNYGJ is headed for Grand Junction. It has 117 cars!
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AMTK 169 leads the westbound Zephyr this morning, the train coming around the curve at the narrow, west end of Barbara's Gulch. The train is passing underneath CO-93, on the approach to the east end of Rocky.
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The westbound Zephyr is making track speed here in Barbara's Gulch as it hustles west, right on time this morning. The dust you see is actually from a lot of fresh ballast that was recently laid along the mainline here. Wind from the fast-moving Zephyr is blowing the dust up around the train.
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At the east end of the narrowest part of Barbara's Gulch, BNSF's Provo-Denver is headed east toward Denver. The train just departed Rocky and is passing underneath CO-93. In the distance, you can clearly see the wind break on Big Ten Curve.
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A power car and nine of UP's passenger cars heads west through Barbara's Gulch. The train is missing several of UP's passenger cars. Not sure why this train is headed west. It is supposedly a deadhead move, and it is headed to Grand Junction this afternoon.
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A UP passenger train, which came south on the Greeley Sub yesterday, is now headed west in Barbara's Gulch, just beyond the intermediate signal that is just east of Rocky.
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The morning Zephyr is running right on time today, as it rolls west through Barbara's Gulch. An eastbound oil train awaits the Zephyr in the siding at Rocky. Fortunately, DS-378 set up a good meet, and the oil train is already clear of the west switch, so the Zephyr will not be delayed.
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One final look at the eastbound Amtrak special as it makes its way through Barbara's Gulch eastbound. Was pretty cool to see the Amtrak Cascades trainset here in Colorado. The trainset is headed to Pueblo for testing at the TTC. After testing is complete, when the trainset is ready to head to the Pacific Northwest, it might just head back west on the Moffat...
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The westbound Zephyr that departed Chicago on June 23rd had a late start. Unfortunately, it lost more time on its journey west toward Denver, and departed Denver a little over three hours late. Here, that train is coming up to an approach (yellow) signal at the east switch of Rocky. It will be meeting a BNSF Provo-Denver which is already in the block at the west end.
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A westbound BNSF oil empty has a very unique look to it, with a BN caboose on the tail end of the train! The caboose is now referred to as a shoving platform as the doors and windows are boarded up. The train is entering the siding at Rocky and will meet UP's MGJNY, holding the main at Eisele (Clay) in the distance.
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Two NS units and a BNSF unit bring up the tail end of this eastbound unit oil train. The units are just passing by the old Chem Spur switch. Grass has reclaimed much of the short branch line. As always, the metal structure that was one part of a mining operation, stands tall along the tracks. The first body of water in the distance is Welton Reservoir. The second is Standley Lake. Both are sources of drinking water.
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NS 1221, NS 4753, and BNSF 9725 lead this eastbound loaded oil train through Barbara's Gulch. The campers in the background are now part of long term storage facility. BNSF 9725 is also a bit rare, one of only a handful of SD70MACes (rebuilt from SD70MACs).
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