Today's westbound Zephyr crosses South Boulder Creek just east of East on a beautiful Memorial Day morning. The Zephyr today has a Transition Sleeper, a Sleeping Car, a Diner, a Lounge Car, and two Coaches. Not surprisingly, ridership has been way down the last few months during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Not far west of Cliff, the tracks cross South Beaver Creek Road and South Boulder Creek (the actual creek!). On a sunny Saturday morning, an on-time Zephyr crosses the bridge over a largely frozen South Boulder Creek.
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This westbound BNSF manifest had a single DODX flat car on it. "DODX" is the designation for the Department of Defense. Not entirely sure where this particular car is headed.
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After being held up briefly for some maintenance at the west switch of Cliff, this westbound BNSF manifest is on the roll again, now just west of Cliff. The train is approach the South Beaver Creek Road grade crossing.
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Even though I was track side by 9am, I didn't such much moving until 2pm. This was largely why. UP had a whole fleet of MOW equipment stretching from one end of the Cliff siding to the other!
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The conductor from the UP 6058 (which is stopped in the siding at Cliff) heads back into the cab as the last DPU unit on a westbound coal empty "flies" by on the main track.
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The conductor from the eastbound MRONY (sitting on the siding at Cliff) gives a wave to the conductor on the westbound coal empty. The conductor on the empty returns the gesture as the coal train heads west on a clear signal. The conductor on the ground is giving the coal empty a "roll-by" - making sure there are no obvious defects or problems.
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A narrow section of clouds took the liberty of hovering right above Cliff as this coal empty highballed the east end. Oh well, perhaps the clouds are appropriate considering all the snow on the ground...
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The Ski Train has an approach (yellow) signal at west Cliff and is slowing. It will be meeting a heavy, slow ballast train at Cliff. The ballast train is in between Crescent at Cliff right now. Passengers enjoy the luxury of the ride in the Kansas on the back of the train.
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A very nice scene was just waiting to be shot at the west switch of Cliff. The westbound MNYRO is heading west past South Boulder Creek on one side and snow-powdered pine trees on the opposite side.
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The first signs of the 2008-2009 winter season have hit the Colorado high country! A light dusting of snow is evident on the pine trees at Cliff as an eastbound coal load waits - for four westbounds - in the siding.
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About halfway through the siding at Cliff, the track cross South Boulder Creek on a wooden trestle. The Kansas, on the end of the train, is crossing on the bridge in this shot. Unfortunately, a few of the Aspens have grown tall enough to obscure a bit of the view here.
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The Ski Train makes its third westbound run to Winter Park of the summer. At Cliff, the train meets the eastbound MRONY (in the siding). The tracks also parallel Colorado Highway 72 for much of the journey through the block. The train is about halfway through the block at this point.
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Waiting for the Ski Train in the siding at Cliff, UP's Roper to North Yard (MRONY) manifest sports two new ES44ACs. Colorado doesn't get much of the newer power (on UP), so it was a nice change of pace!
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Up until May 2004, this unit was one of 35 Chicago North Western AC4400CWs (CNW 8824). On this day, the unit was leading the CWEEG-05 - currently tied down in the siding at Cliff.
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