There was a temperature inversion along the Front Range this morning, and the City of Boulder is currently buried in clouds. Passengers aboard the Zephyr, heading into Tunnel 4, have a somewhat unique view of the plains.
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An eastbound military train emerges from the east portal of Tunnel 4. The train was stopped for about 30 minutes in the middle of the Tunnel District around MP 28 due to an air hose coming apart and sending the train into emergency. Fortunately, the air hose was only 16 cars back, so it didn't take the crew too long to fix the issue and get back on the move.
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The westbound Zephyr has quite the colorful consist on it this morning, sporting the "Pepsi Can" scheme (a variant on Phase 3) and a Phase 7. The train is in the Tunnel District, though still able to see the front range as it heads geographically north, and moves between Tunnels 3 and 4.
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UP 7051 leads five other units (two EMDs and three GEs) in and out of Tunnel 4 about a mile west of Plain. Part of the sheer rock of the Flatirons rises dominantly in the background.
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Passengers on the westbound Zephyr have a truly unique view as they look out over the plains this morning. A morning layer of fog has formed and is currently enveloping the entire Denver Metro area. Passengers looking out will essentially be looking out over the top of the clouds! This is something that usually only happens once or twice a year.
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The Zephyr catches a bit of sunlight as it moves in between Tunnel 3 and Tunnel 4 just west of Plain.
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An eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver emerges from the east portal of Tunnel 4. The train is setup in a typical (for BNSF) 3x2 configuration.
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A single AC4400CW brings up the tail end of an empty unit oil train as the train ahead of the DPU disappears in to Tunnel 4.
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Over 100 tank cars snake their way through the lower part of the Tunnel District westbound. A sole DPU brings up the tail end of this empty unit oil train, which current has parts of the train in Tunnels 3 and 4.
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The westbound Rocky Mountaineer exists from Tunnel 3 at the left and enters in to Tunnel 4 at the right. Passengers aboard the train definitely have a fantastic view out the windows overlooking the plains.
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A last look at the Silver Rapids and Silver Solarium on the tail end of the westbound Zephyr, as the train disappears in to Tunnel 4 west of Plain. Safe trip home back California, old friends!
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An eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver emerges from the east portal of Tunnel Four on its journey east. Incredible to imagine that about a century ago, surveyors came up to the Rockies and said "sure, we can build a railroad here!"
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As some low hanging clouds grip the top of the snow-spotted Flat Irons, we say goodbye to the Zephyr and the private cars California and Kansas. They are no strangers to the Tunnel District and hope that they don't stay away for too long. This seems like a fitting picture to bring a close to 2015!
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Just a reminder of how insignificant trains are when compared to mother nature! BNSF's eastbound trackage rights manifest train (symboled QPVDVJ in UP's system or HPVODEN in BNSF's system) emerges from Tunnel 4.
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