The morning Zephyr is running just a few minutes behind schedule as it makes its way through Little Ten Curve and toward the west end of Rocky. The train is going to meet an eastbound oil train at Plain.
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The eastbound Canyon Spirit is on the main track at Rocky, meeting a string of ten light units that will be used as helpers on oil or coal trains.
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I think Union Pacific might has the largest range of paint conditions on their unit than any other current railroad. Some are in near-pristine condition, and other, like this unit, are badly faded.
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Even though the "glory days" of coal is long behind us, UP does still run both coal and oil trains on the Moffat. As they did 20 years ago, they still run occasion light power west out of Denver. They will either go to Glenwood Springs or Grand Junction to be used as swing helpers. The units are in the siding at Rocky, waiting to meet the Canyon Spirit.
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AMTK 147 and AMTK 194 lead the westbound Zephyr on the main at Rocky as two DPUs pass by the P42s on the tail end of an eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver. The dispatcher set up a really good meet here, and neither train ultimately had to stop. This is referred to as a "rolling meet".
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BNSF 5751 leads the Provo-Denver through Little Ten Curve in the siding at Rocky. The train is meeting the westbound California Zephyr, which is already between switches on the main behind the camera.
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The westbound Zephyr has come to a stop on Little Ten Curve on the main at Rocky. The west switch is not throwing (under power, by the dispatcher), so the crew on the Zephyr has been instructed to take the switch into hand throw. The Zephyr has a pair of Patrick Henry (private) cars on the end this morning.
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The eastbound Zephyr, which departed Fraser about an hour late, is doing a good job of making up some time as it wraps around Little Ten Loop on the main at Rocky. The train would end up arriving in Denver only 20 minutes late!
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As the final run of the Winter Park Express Ski Train for the 2024-2025 season makes its way around Little Ten Curve at Rocky, we see a westbound oil train that the Ski Train met at Eisele (Clay). DS-378 has given the oil train a green signal, and it is starting to pull west, out the west end of the siding.
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A test run of the Rocky Mountaineer is rounding Little Ten Curve on the main at Rocky. It is meeting UP's eastbound MGJNY, which has a single DPU, waiting on the siding.
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A westbound UP oil empty sits on the siding near the west end of Rocky, wrapping around Little Ten Curve. The train is awaiting the eastbound California Zephyr, current approaching the east end of Eisele (Clay).
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A UP oil train, with four elephant-style units on the head end, is preparing to depart Rocky westbound after spending the day here after one of the unit developed issues shortly after leaving Denver. Meanwhile, an eastbound loaded oil train glides east on the main at Eisele (Clay) above.
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A fresh crew for UP 7877 was recently dropped off and the conductor just finished removing the hand brakes from some of the cars on the train. He has returned to the head end and is giving an eastbound BNSF manifest a roll by before climbing up into the cab. It is a cold day for untying hand brakes, with the temperature a rather frigid 12°F (-11°C).
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This westbound UP oil empty arrived here at Rocky almost 10 hours ago, shortly after 6am. Due to power issues, the train sat at Rocky for about six hours. A new unit was brought out and was added to the fourth spot on the head end.
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The ground at Rocky and all around Big Ten is still covered in snow from a storm two days prior. There is not a cloud in the sky this morning, however, as the westbound Winter Park Express wraps through Little Ten Curve. The Denver Skyline, from where the Ski Train here originated about 40 minutes ago, is clearly visible in the distance, about 18 rail miles away.
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