Photo ID: 114028 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, June 14, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 51 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr had a quartet of P42DCs on the point this morning. I'm not entirely sure why the extra power was on the train. It was suggested that two units might be headed to Siemens in California to carry out a new Airo train set. It is also possible the extra power was due to the additional Superliners on the Zephyr today. Yet another possibility is just a power relocation move. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114027 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, June 14, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 47 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak In addition to the scenery, wildlife is certainly one of the draws for passengers that choose to ride the California Zephyr. This morning, a small herd of elk hustle away from the tracks, trying to distance themselves from the noisy steel beast rolling by them. A quartet of P42DCs lead the unusually long (11-car) train this morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114026 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, June 14, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 55 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak As the westbound Zephyr starts to accelerate on the main track after clearing a 10 MPH slow order, a herd of elk hear the approaching train and are started to move further up the mountain side. The elk on the far left even looks like it might be calling out a warning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113805 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 3, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 93 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak, Union Pacific The Zephyr is running about two hours late this evening, so the sun is well behind the mountain here at Eisele (Clay). Rays of sun still shine over the mountains in the distance, looking geographically north along the Flat Irons. The main reason for the Zephyr running late was mechanical, hence the ES44AC leading. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113734 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 93 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 7198 is missing a lot of its front end below the platform. The cab and long hood are banged up. This unit was involved in a derailment on the North Fork Branch, south of Grand Junction, on December 3, 2025. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113733 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 77 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific On the evening of December 3, 2025, a coal empty headed for the West Elk Mine on the North Fork Branch in western Colorado struck a large rock that had fallen on the track. Fortunately, there were no major injuries to the crew. The two units, however, were pretty banged up. Union Pacific is finally transporting the units to either be repaired or scrapped. Here, they were the 8th and 9th units on the head end of the MGJNY, seen here on the main at Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113732 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 79 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I caught wind that the MGJNY was likely going to be transporting some units from Grand Junction to Denver overnight. It was a toss up if it would make it to Denver before sunrise. Turns out, it arrived at Plain about 30 minutes after sunrise. A short time later, the train was here at Eisele (Clay). Alas, it was a very overcast morning, so no direct sunlight. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113708 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 19, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 84 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This westbound BNSF oil empty has actually come to a stop on the main at the west end of Eisele (Clay). Union Pacific has some maintenance of way between Eisele (Clay) and Crescent, and the dispatcher has promised them time until 12:15pm. Consequently, the oil train will be stuck here for the next 45 minutes or so. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113693 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 12, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 87 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The first revenue run of the Canyon Spirit is close to wrapping up the round trip from Denver to Salt Lake City and back. The GP40-3s do have a tendency to have quite a few mechanical issues...hopefully that is not the case for RMRX 8021 as a crew member checks something out in one of the access doors on the long hood as the train rolls east on the main at Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113594 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 23, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 96 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) CSX, Union Pacific This is the longest train I've ever personally seen on the Moffat. The train is effectively two coal empties stuck together into one. Behind the three lead units (including a pair of CSX ES44AHs) is 105 cars. Then, there are three mid-train DPUs (hidden behind the hill at Big Ten). Behind those three mid-train DPUs is another 104 cars. The train is 11,500 feet long. When the head end reaches East Plain, the tail end will just be passing West Eisele (Clay)! At that length, there are only two sidings between Denver and Grand Junction in which the train could fit between switches: Allen in Glenwood Canyon (at 14,250 feet), and Palisade just east of Grand Junction (at 12,200 feet). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113580 Date Shot Photo By Friday, March 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 115 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Despite the extreme dry weather, it does appear that the foliage is starting to green up a little bit here around Eisele (Clay). AMTK 176 and AMTK 203 lead the westbound Zephyr on the main track here near the east end of the siding. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113432 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, December 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 185 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak For the past two weeks or so, one of the Zephyr trainsets has been running with a pair of Phase 7 P42DCs. The train is headed west on the main, passing two UP maintenance vehicles. The second truck will be used to haul 250 ties from Eisele (Clay) up to Tunnel 14 today. Only 40 ties can be taken per trip, so about seven trips will be required! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113431 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, December 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 180 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A significant herd of deer are grazing for food in the snow as the morning Zephyr rolls west on the main at Eisele. In winter months, when it is colder out, deer and elk are more likely to be spotted at lower (warmer) elevations. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113297 Date Shot Photo By Monday, November 10, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 194 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr rolls through the siding at Eisele (Clay). An eastbound BNSF oil train was originally going to be waiting for the Zephyr on the main. However, the oil train ended up holding the main at Plain to wait on the Zephyr there. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113280 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, October 28, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 175 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound UP oil train is slowing to a stop on the main at the west end of Eisele. There is a PTC problem at the west switch this morning, and DS-378 cannot set up a signal for the train. The conductor will have to put the switch in hand throw and the train will flag by the signal. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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