Photo ID: 113203 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 5, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Loops Routt County, CO 31 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Routt County Road 4 runs from CO-131 from McCoy up to Crater. It is a dirt road that crosses the tracks at two grade crossing in close proximity at the Crater Loops. UP 6362 is approaching the upper grade crossing right now. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113202 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 5, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Loops Routt County, CO 42 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific 20 years ago, multiple coal trains traversed the Crater Loops here every day. Now, there are only two trains per week (save for the occasional extra here or there) that run on the Craig Branch between Bond and Phippsburg. This is one of the two trains, running from Bond to Phippsburg. There are two coal mines on the Craig Branch. There are a handful of power plants in the Steamboat and Craig area, all of which have planes to shift from coal to natural gas before 2030. As a result, one of the two remaining mines, Axial, is planning to stop coal operations by the end of 2025, moving from mining to reclamation (cleanup). The other mine, Energy, is still in operation with no immediate plans to shut down as of October 2025. The mine has 7-10 years of remaining coal in the current seam, but recent approval for expansion can add 1-2 years to that number. However, with that said, Energy is not loading coal trains that are leaving the Branch as of October 2025. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113201 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 5, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Loops Routt County, CO 35 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The "Crater Loops", which are a series of two 180° curves, were constructed to allow the railroad to climb at no more than a 2% grade as the Craig Branch makes its way from Bond up to Phippsburg (and beyond toward Steamboat and Craig). A mining operation, which has been in operation here for decades, is visible in the distance. Scoria (volcanic) rock is mined here and used in many places in Colorado and beyond. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 113200 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, October 5, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Loops Routt County, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 6362 is climbing through the lower half of the long, winding S-Curve known as the Crate Loops. Crater comes from the name of a cinder cone that once dominated the landscape. It was a vent for a nearby (not extinct) volcanic system. The result of the volcanic system was millions of tons of scoria (volcanic rock) that has been mined for decades. In fact, the Denver and Rio Grande Western used the scoria for ballast. You can see the mining operation (which is still active in 2025) in the distance in this shot. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111039 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Loops Routt County, CO 323 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Crater Loops are not quite as impressive with a 38-car covered hopper local when compared to a 120 car coal train. However, you take what you can get on a line that only sees one train every couple of days! The Phippsburg Local makes its way around the upper curve of Crater Loops. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111038 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Loops Routt County, CO 269 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Since the fall of coal traffic in Colorado, the Craig Branch is only a few steps above abandonment. The mines at Energy and Axial have each loaded one or maybe two coal trains in the last year that have left the branch. The Phippsburg Local is about the only train that runs between Bond and Steamboat Springs. I was lucky enough to catch the local on this Sunday afternoon. The local is climbing through the loops S-curves of the Crater Loops as it gains elevation on the trip west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.