Photo ID: 105020 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 1756 (2 Comments Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Clouds in the eastern sky block the barely-risen sun, offering an interesting back light for the westbound MNYRO. The train has just exited the west end of Barbara's Gulch (passing beneath CO-93), and is now rounding the curve toward the east switch of Rocky, ready to knock down the clear signal. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105021 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 1437 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) CSX, Union Pacific In the past, the departure of the MNYRO (Manifest, North Yard, CO to Roper, UT) was somewhat predictable, typically departing North Yard between 7am and 8am. For the last year or so, it has been much harder to predict. It has been departing anywhere between 6am and 3pm. On this chilly February morning, the train is about to knock down the signal at East Rocky five minutes before 7 o'clock in the morning. On board for the journey west is an east coast visitor! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105022 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 1476 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound manifest works its way through Little Ten Curve near the west end of Rocky. Through this curve, the train makes a 90° turn to the left. The head end power is now headed south (geographically), while the back half is moving west. In a few minutes, the train will be on the track above at Eisele. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105023 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1793 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The construction of the tracks between Rocky and Eisele (formerly Clay) is a truly remarkable feat of engineering. When the David Moffat started building the Denver, Northwestern and Pacific west out of Denver in 1902, there were some major obstacles. Between the west end of Barbara's Gulch and East Plain, the tracks needed to gain about 600 feet in elevation. As the crow flies, the distance was only 2.85 miles. That would equate to roughly a 4% grade. H.A. Sumner (the Chief Engineer on the project) did not want a grade steeper that 2%. The result was a creative route that includes a lot of curves (such as Big Ten Curve, seen here). The 2.85 miles was stretched out to almost 7 miles, and the grade stayed at or under 2%. The MNYRO is just pulling up to Big Ten Curve from Rocky, heading southeast (geographically), but slowly running around a curve that will result in the train heading west by the end of the curve. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105024 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 1456 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The westbound MNYRO is actually headed north (geographically) as it runs through Eisele. Just a few minutes earlier, the train was at Rocky on the track below. While this is only a few hundred feet going up the mountain side, it is roughly two miles by rail! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.