AMTK 142 and AMTK 192 lead the Winter Park Express (Ski Train) up the grade toward Tunnel 1. This trainset came the other way over the Moffat last Monday when it came to town (from Emeryville, CA) on eastbound California Zephyr.
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The westbound Zephyr climbs the roughly 2% grade in a powdery, snow-covered scene the morning of January 8, 2024. The train has just snaked its way through the curves at the base of Coal Creek Canyon and is about to disappear in to Tunnel 1. The first of 28 tunnels the train will pass through before reaching the Moffat Tunnel.
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Three units emerge from Tunnel 1 on the point of a westbound oil empty that is climbing through the terrain of the front range of the Rockies. The back of the train is visible at the top of the frame, and is in fact about 100 feet lower in elevation then the head end of the train.
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UP 8436 kicked up a bit of exhaust when the head end of this coal load was in Tunnel 1. The resulting exhaust cloud rises up from the east portal as the train slowly rolls east down the roughly 2% grade.
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A pair of UP units that are both sporting the newest paint scheme (which, unfortunately, does not include wings on the nose) rolls east through the S-curve just east of Plain on the approach to Tunnel 1.
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The westbound Zephyr has just emerged from Tunnel 1. The train had an Advanced Approach (yellow over yellow) at the previous intermediate. It will be taking the siding at Plain to meet an eastbound coal load that is already there waiting on it.
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AMTK 188 and AMTK 169 lead the morning Zephyr out the west portal of Tunnel 1. The concrete framework at the west portal was built in 1958, as noted by the year etched in the concrete, just above the graffiti shark "artwork" to the left of the train.
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An eastbound loaded oil train is out of Plain and is approaching the west portal of Tunnel 1. Way off in the distance (in the top-right corner of the picture), you can actually see the city of Boulder.
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Final shot of the Zephyr in the year 2023 for ColoradoRailfan. The morning Zephyr is right on time as it climbs the grade up toward the east portal of Tunnel 1.
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A P42DC and a P40DC (which has been rebuilt and is now essentially a P42DC) lead a baggage car and seven Superliners up the 2% grade toward the east portal of Tunnel 1.
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Moment earlier, the Zephyr passed over the rails in the foreground. It has now wrapped around the base of Coal Creek Canyon and has climbed the 2% grade up to Tunnel 1.
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Just west of Tunnel 1, the Zephyr heads west through a chilly and rather gloomy scene on an overcast December 1.
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A pair of SD70ACes leads an eastbound coal train out of Tunnel 1. However, you might notice something a little bit different about this train. It is an empty! The first UP coal empty I think I've ever seen run eastbound on the Moffat. The cars were pulled out of storage somewhere west on the Rio Grande.
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Not a lot to be said about this shot. Headlights from an eastbound train light up as the train approaches the east portal.
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On a beautiful morning at the end of November, a westbound UP coal empty headed for the West Elk mine on the North Fork branch is climbing up to Tunnel 1. The three units on the head end are all there is on the 98-car train.
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