Two elephant-style P42DCs lead a typical Zephyr consist west on the climb toward Tunnel 1 from the base of Coal Creek Canyon. So far, no construction has started on any houses in the new Canyon Pines neighborhood, the main road for which is just visible along the top of the frame.
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UP 7873 leads a westbound oil train around the bend from Eisele (Clay) and toward the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive. Off in the distance, the skyline of Denver stands amidst a sea of trees that, within the next 2 to 4 weeks should turn to fire with fall colors.
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Seven minutes after winding around through Little Ten Curve in this shot, the Zephyr is now continuing west out of Eisele and, approaching the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive. In a few minutes, the train will emerge from Tunnel 1 is this shot.
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A westbound oil empty comes around the bend from Eisele (Clay) on the approach tot he grade crossing at Blue Mountain. Really like how well the Denver skyline shows up from this perspective. Fortunately, it is a crystal clear day as well.
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Even though it was the trailing unit (of three) on the morning Zephyr, I had to make sure I got a roster shot of AMTK 203. As you can see, it is painted in a special Operation Lifesaver scheme, honoring the 50th anniversary of Operation Lifesaver. The large "RR" (railroad) sign painted toward the front of the unit is not popular with all railfans...but I'm just happy it is something different!
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I have only caught AMTK 203 (in the Operation Lifesaver Scheme) one time prior to this morning. It led the Zephyr in January 2023, and I was able to get a few shots. Today, however, it is the third unit on the point of the Zephyr as the train wraps around the curve, headed for Blue Mountain Drive under over skies.
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It isn't too often that you find sequential units on any train, so it rather cool to catch AMTK 171 and AMTK 170 together on the head end of the westbound Zephyr this morning. In this shot, the train is just west of Tunnel 1, on the approach to Plain.
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On the climb up the roughly 2% grade toward Tunnel 1, a pair of UP SD70Ms lead ten cars on the Rocky Mountaineer. As we get closer to fall (and fall colors), passenger volumes on the Rocky Mountaineer will continue to increase to enjoy the colorful trip from Denver to Moab (or back).
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The two GEs on the point of this westbound oil empty, a C44ACM and an ES44AC, are indifferent to summer heat radiating off the ground as the train carries a long string of tank cars. The cars will be loaded at the transload facility in Wash, UT, just a few miles east of the town of Price.
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Running 3 1/2 hours late out of Denver, the Zephyr is climbing toward Tunnel 1 in 92°F (33°C) temperatures on its journey westbound.
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An Amtrak California Superliner is hitching a ride on the tail end of the westbound Zephyr this morning. The car is headed back to California to be put back in service, likely after receiving repairs at Amtrak's maintenance shop in Beech Grove, IN.
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Running just about an hour late, the evening Zephyr descends the roughly 2% grade from Tunnel 1 down toward the base of Coal Creek Canyon. You can see the tracks to the right on the other side of CO-72, where the Zephyr will be momentarily.
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At the base of Coal Creek Canyon, a UP manifest rolls east with six units on the head end. This is, indeed, the only regularly scheduled manifest that UP still runs on the Moffat. It runs three times a week (each direction) between North Yard in Denver and Grand Junction.
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The morning Zephyr snakes its way west through the S-Curves just west of Tunnel 1. Around the bed ahead, the train will face an approach (yellow) as a long UP manifest...too long to fit between switches, waits in the siding.
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I am hoping to get pictures of all the P42DCs (that haven't been scrapped) on Amtrak's roster before they are eventually retired. I was happy to find AMTK 37 leading the westbound Zephyr just west of Eisele (Clay) as it is one of the ones that I had not yet seen/shot!
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