Photo ID: 111459 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, December 15, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek Canyon (MP 22.8 to MP 23.4) Colorado Springs, CO 97 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 2692 is headed south in the siding at Colorado Springs. The siding is a massive 20,286 feet long, nearly four miles. In fact there are two crossovers in the siding. One at Bijou (see in the distance, here), and one at Cimarron. This allows for multiple trains to use the siding simultaneously. There is roughly two miles of siding north of Bijou. Cimarron, on the other had, is less than a mile from the south end of the siding. This UP manifest will be dropping off three cars in the yard here in Colorado Springs. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111043 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS144 (West Volcano) Routt County, CO 146 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific At the west end of Volcano, UP 6038 and UP 6543 lead 38 covered hoppers west on the Craig Branch. Volcano is the longest siding between Bond and Phippsburg, at 7,470 feet in length. It was a common place for coal loads to meet empties 20 years ago, when multiple coal trains were loaded a day on the branch. Today, the siding sits empty, no meets being required. Note the classic Denver and Salt Lake searchlight signals. It is not worth the investment from UP to upgrade the signals on this, the least-used stretch of mainline track with CTC in the country. Its almost surprising that UP hasn't shut down the CTC in favor of track warrants. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111042 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rock Creek Canyon Routt County, CO 121 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific When the Moffat route was originally built and the railroad was faced with Rock Creek Canyon, there were two options. Build a roughly 1,800 foot long bridge across the canyon, or build back into the canyon roughly a mile in and back out, where a fill and four tunnels could facilitate the journey. The railroad chose the latter option. The westbound Phippsburg Local has just completed that journey in and out, and is now continuing west toward Phippsburg. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111040 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Routt County, CO 175 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The westbound Phippsburg Local crosses a private grade crossing on the main at Crater. This siding is only 5,160 feet long, and probably has not actually had a meet at it in many years, if not decades. The horn that just echoed through the canyon will likely be the only one heard for at least the next 24-48 hours. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109880 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 1, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed West of Carr Street Arvada, CO 207 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A single SD70ACe brings up the tail end of this eastbound loaded coal train. The train was loaded at the West Elk Mine on the North Fork Branch. While the train is moving through Arvada, the skyline of downtown Denver is clearly visible in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109878 Date Shot Photo By Friday, December 1, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed West of Carr Street Arvada, CO 182 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The Moffat wraps through a nice, long S-Curve around 66th Avenue in Arvada. Coal trains were once as common on the Moffat here as trees along the right-of-way. With the decline in coal, they virtually disappears from the Moffat for years. They have started to make a minor resurgence lately, however, and this eastbound load is rolling through the scene. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109717 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, November 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Uphill from Eisele (Clay) Arvada, CO 190 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Up the hillside from Eisele (Clay), a herd of elk gathers amongst the foliage and small amount of snow that has not yet melted. Several of the elk take an interest in the buzzing noise generated by the drone taking their picture. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109348 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, June 18, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP W057 Eaton, CO 238 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) CPKC, Union Pacific A Kansas City Southern "Retro-Belle" SD70ACe leads UP's MNPDV-17 south on the Greeley Sub mainline at Eaton, CO. The train has a clear (green) signal at CP W057 and will continue south to Rolla to drop off auto racks at the back of the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108833 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Gore Canyon Grand County, CO 537 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The eastbound Zephyr rolls east through what is arguably the most amazing canyon between Denver and Glenwood Springs: Gore Canyon. The canyon is inaccessible by car and shots from inside the canyon are rare. Drone technology does help out a bit though, as we can see Tunnels 37 and 36 in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108832 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Gore Canyon Grand County, CO 558 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Even if you are experienced with the Moffat Tunnel Sub, it may take a second to recognize the location of this shot as it is from a different perspective. The eastbound Zephyr is just entering the west end of Gore Canyon. Just barely visible at the back end of the S-Curve is Tunnel 38. The slope on the other side of the Colorado River in the background leads up to Inspiration Point. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108825 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Byers Canyon Grand County, CO 518 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr passes by a spot in Byers Canyon in which a fairly significant portion of rock broke free and tumbled down in to the Colorado River. Despite the overcast and rather washed out skies, Byers Canyon also looks pretty great. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108824 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Byers Canyon Grand County, CO 559 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Running about 90 minutes behind schedule, the westbound Zephyr snakes its way through Byers Canyon. Being November, this is the time of year when the Colorado River is just about at its lowest level. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108756 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 4, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS111 (East Azure) Grand County, CO 633 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The Rocky Mountaineer took the siding at Azure to meet the westbound MNYGJ. The UP manifest picked up a string of cars at Granby, which included a bunch of Herzog cars. The dispatcher probably should have held the manifest at Gore. After clearing the east switch at Azure, the switch would not align for the siding. The crew had to take the switch in hand throw and the flagged out of Azure. This delay was long enough that I had to head east without the train in order to get home for 4th of July celebrations, making this the last picture of the day. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108754 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 4, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS129 (Bond) Bond, CO 640 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer UP 5105 has the eastbound Rocky Mountaineer rolling east on the siding through Bond. Most UP trains would change crews at Bond, but that was not the case with the Mountaineer. Crews from the Canadian-based tourist railroad have made the trip to Colorado and have qualified for running on the former Rio Grande. A single crew will operate between Denver and Glenwood Springs (and vice versa). Here, the train is on the siding as it will be meeting the westbound Zephyr. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108743 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS058 (West Winter Park) Winter Park, CO 636 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer 11 cars from the Canadian Tourist Company Rocky Mountaineer make up a "dry run" of the upcoming Rockies to the Red Rocks tourist train the company will operate in Colorado and Utah. The train that will run should consist of 14 cars. Unfortunately, Rocky Mountaineer power did not come to the US with the trainset, and rumor has it the train will run with leased UP power throughout its run in 2021. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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