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Photo ID: 106117
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 23, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Speer Jct
Laramie County, WY
1366
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
As UP 844 comes around the south leg of the wye at Speer Jct, a westbound Z-Train passes by on Main 3 in the background. UP 844 is slowly pulling the train through the wye and on to the Greeley Sub. Once the entire train is on the Greeley Sub on the single main, a pair of diesel engines on the back of the train will pull the train on the track in the foreground, back to Cheyenne.
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Photo ID: 106116
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 23, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP W517 (Speer Jct)
Laramie County, WY
1490
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
UP 844 gets a free ride (in reverse) as a pair of diesel units pull the Frontier Days trains down Main 4 at Speer Jct. At the far end of the wye, UP 844 will again take control and pull through one leg of the wye. Then, the diesels will pull for the return trip to Cheyenne. Note the clear signal on Main 3 for a Z-Train that is coming out of Cheyenne.
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Photo ID: 106115
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 23, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
East of Speer Jct
Laramie County, WY
1338
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
In order for the Cheyenne Frontier Days train to make the return trip from Cheyenne to Denver, the train has to be wyed (turned around). The nearest wye to Cheyenne is over six miles away at Speer Jct. UP 844 making that reverse move would take hours! So, UP has a better solution. A pair of engines simply hook on to the tail end of the train and pull it to Speer Jct. By doing this, there are no speed restrictions. Here, a pair of units pulls the train on Main 4 toward the first leg of the wye at CP W517.
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Photo ID: 106114
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 23, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP W517 (Speer Jct)
Laramie County, WY
1345
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific, Southern Pacific
A pair of AC4400CWs, one of Southern Pacific ancestry, push on the tail end of a load coal train up through Speer Jct. The head end of the train is now on the Greeley Sub and pulling toward Denver. The train is ultimately headed for the Nixon power plant in Colorado Springs.
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Photo ID: 106113
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 23, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
East of Speer Jct
Laramie County, WY
1482
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
A southbound coal load pulls toward Speer Jct on Main 4 with a trio of elephant-style GEs on the point. This train loaded at the North Antelope Mine in the Powder River Basin and is actually headed for the Nixon power plant in Colorado Springs!
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Photo ID: 106112
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 23, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP W517 (Speer Jct)
Laramie County, WY
1330
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
UP's tracks west of Cheyenne offer an interesting configuration. Mains 1 and 2 head directly west toward Hermosa Tunnel and Laramie. Mains 3 and 4 curve south and run to Speer Jct. At Speer Jct, the Greeley Sub (toward Denver) breaks off and Mains 3 and 4 curve west. Then, the mains converge into a single main track. This track (Main 3) also runs to Hermosa, but as a single track on a completely different grade from Mains 1 and 2. The grade on Main 3 isn't nearly as steep as on Main 1 and 2, so heavy westbounds, such as the grain train in this shot, are frequently routed over Main 3 to Hermosa.
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Photo ID: 105371
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 18, 2015 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Speer
Laramie County, WY
1544
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
I should preface this shot by stating that I love UP's DDA40X. I think it is great that, in 2015, it is still operational. However, I like that you can barely see the DD40AX in this particular shot, because the E-units and the UP passenger cars are so streamlined and are a perfect match for each other.
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Photo ID: 105369
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 18, 2015 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Speer
Laramie County, WY
1501
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
Once the Cheyenne Frontier Days special arrives in Cheyenne and its passengers detrain, the train needs to be wyed (turned around) in preparation for the return trip to Denver. The nearest why is at Speer, which is actually about eight miles away from Cheyenne. Rather than make a long (and slow) reverse move, the Granite switcher hooks on to the rear of the train. This allows the train to move at track speed. Here, UP 2525 (a fantastically shiny and new ES44AC) pulls the train through the curve, approaching the signals at Speer on Main 4.
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Photo ID: 100194
Date Shot
Photo By
Saturday, July 19, 2003 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Speer
Speer, WY
1480
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Laramie (UP) Union Pacific
An eastbound manifest on main two is rapidly approaching Cheyenne on the "Fast Track" in Wyoming.
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