Three BNSF SD70ACes pull the Denver-Provo up the grade from Rocky, through the S-Curve, and around toward the east face of Big Ten Curve and the covered hopper wind break.
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A single UP SD70ACe comes around the east side of Big Ten Curve, the Denver skyline visible in the distance. This unit went west earlier in the day to assist an oil train that stalled out between Fraser and Winter Park. After helping drag the train through the Moffat Tunnel, the unit cut away and is now headed back to Denver.
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UP's MNYGJ is actually stopped on the 2% grade just west of Rocky. It will ultimately have to back down the main all the way to between Arvada and C&S Jct due to power issues. However, if it were to continue westbound, it would soon reach the east switch of Eisele (Clay) at the top of the frame.
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A look at the 2% climb out of Rocky, up and toward Big Ten Curve. A trio of units are attempting to lead the MNYGJ westbound. "Attempting" is the key word as the 2nd and 3rd units both have mechanical issues and the train has come to a stop.
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UP 8843 and UP 7801 are both having issues this afternoon as neither one is loading on the climb out of Rocky. UP 8843 is overheating when throttling up, and then shuts down. UP's mechanical desk would help the crew troubleshoot UP 7801 so it would start loading again. However, nothing could be done about UP 8843. It would be isolated and the crew is waiting for the Corridor Manager to decide what the train will do.
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AMTK 51 and 61 lead the westbound Zephyr up the north side of Big Ten Curve. The Zephyr had an extra lounge car on the end when it departed Chicago yesterday. It was dropped off in Denver this morning, although the reason is not clear.
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The westbound Zephyr climbs the grade on the north side of Big Ten Curve. The previous day, there was a 10 MPH slow order around Big Ten due to high winds. Today, however, the wind has died down and the Zephyr is moving at track speed.
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It is only around 20°F (-7°C) outside this morning and there is a blanket of fresh snow greeting passengers on the Zephyr this morning as the train climbs up toward Big Ten Curve.
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An oil train consisting of roughly 90 cars is making its way around Big Ten Curve. The three units on the head end are rounding the curve from Big Ten in to Eisele (Clay). The single DPU is several feet lower, climbing up toward Big Ten from Rocky.
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A westbound UP oil empty wraps around the east edge of Big Ten Curve along the wind break hoppers. The head end is now on the south edge of Big Ten, heading toward Eisele (Clay). The buffer car is a classic CP Rail "Pac-Man" covered hopper.
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On the south side of Big Ten Curve, a pair of freshly painted UP units lead their coal train toward the wind break just out of view of the camera to the right. In the distance, not the trio of mid-train swing helpers, assisting in the dynamic braking effort of the train down the grade.
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The morning Zephyr, running right on time, wraps around the outside of Big Ten Curve, passing by the wind break hoppers that have been now been sitting for over half a century.
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During the shortest days of the year, the sun is not quite high enough for the Zephyr to be entirely in sunlight when it is on time at Big Ten. Even though the last few Superliners are still in shadow, the scene climbing Big Ten is quite nice.
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This time of year, when the Zephyr is on time...or even 10 minutes late like this morning...the shadows at Big Ten are still long enough to partially obscure the train as it climbs the nearly 2% grade.
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The head end of this unit oil train is coming off of Big Ten and approaching a clear (green) signal at East Eisele (Clay). The crew can look over to the right and catch the tail end of the train, still on the rise up from Rocky.
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