On a chilly (about 15°F at the moment) morning, a westbound BNSF manifest kicks up some snow as it approaches the bridge over South Boulder Creek just east of Tolland.
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The MNYRO is about to cross over South Boulder Creek just east of Tolland. I would have liked this picture a lot more if "Union Pacific" hadn't been scratched off the shield on the nose of this SD70M. The engineer is enjoying the ride, kicking back with a boot out the window!
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After meeting the westbound MNYRO at Tolland, this eastbound coal train is still on the roll as it continues on the main. With the compression of a 300mm lens, you can clear see the mid-train swing helpers coming up toward the end of the manifest at Tolland.
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A couple of branches from an aspen tree frame the lead unit on the westbound Zephyr quite nicely as the train head west on the main at Tolland.
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It is still a few weeks too soon for the aspens to change color, even in the Colorado high country. However, this is still a nice scene as the westbound California Zephyr has clear signals through Tolland. Three more miles and the passengers will be stuck in the darkness of the Moffat Tunnel for about 15 minutes.
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Even though I wasn't on the correct side of the tracks to get the long side of the train properly lit, who can resist grabbing a shot of a train making its way through a huge grouping of gold aspen trees!? This train is leaving the siding at Tolland westbound after having met an eastbound here.
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This coal empty prepares to come to a stop on the siding at Tolland to wait for Amtrak. With the recent extension of Tolland to the east, the entire coal train now fits in on the siding (without blocking the grade crossing). The westbound Zephyr is approaching Cliff at this point.
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This westbound manifest is holding the main at Tolland to wait for two westbounds ahead of it to get through the tunnel. Being only 3,000 feet long, the train appears a bit overpowered with eight units on the point!
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An eastbound BNSF manifest rolls through the siding at Tolland to meet with at least six westbound making their way up the hill. BNSF is leasing 25 AC4400CW from CIT Rail Resources (CEFX).
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On the main at Tolland, this westbound Denver to Provo manifest hold to wait for an eastbound that is currently exiting the Moffat Tunnel. The eastbound will have to hold on the siding at Tolland for at least six westbounds!
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At the new east switch of Tolland, a loaded coal train - the CSMVL-28 - has a clear signal. The old east switch of Tolland used to be roughly 4,000 feet to the west! The siding was extended to the longest trains could fit securely east of the grade crossing near the west end.
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Tolland was recently extended to the east and it is now well over 9,000 feet long! It is now the longest siding on the Moffat east of the Moffat Tunnel. Here, the CSMVL-28 - a loaded coal train headed for the Valmont power plant in Boulder, CO - approaches the east end on a clear signal.
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Early morning clouds are keeping keeping direct sunlight from hitting Tolland where the westbound Ski Train is running on-time on its journey west. Note the yellow schoolhouse, once used to teach kids in Tolland.
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Do you see the Ski Train in this shot? Definitely not a major component of the picture, but the Kansas (the last car of the Ski Train) can be seen in the distance between Tolland and East Portal. The little yellow school house sits quietly in the valley below the Continental Divide.
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The westbound California Zephyr charges west through freshly fallen snow at Tolland. Amtrak had a rough start to the day with power problems in Denver delaying it nearly two hours, plus a train stuck in emergency which added another hour onto the delay. It is about 1:15pm as Amtrak is approaching the Moffat Tunnel.
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