Photo ID: 105859 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 1370 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr, running about 30 minutes late, had a slightly unusual consist. First, the train had a trio of P42s on the point. Second, the third P42 was the Phase IV heritage unit! Last, the train was running with an old baggage car instead of one of the new ones. We are also starting to get in to the busier season for Amtrak again, as the train has eight Superliners instead of the typical seven that are on the train in the winter months. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105860 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 1518 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak I have to admit that I was surprised by the Phase IV heritage unit on the Zephyr. I wasn't aware it was going to be on, and thus I didn't have the settings I wanted setup on my camera. My shutter speed was a little too slow, resulting in a slight blur, particularly on the baggage car. Still, always good to see one of Amtrak's heritage units! First time I'd shot this one in about 2 1/2 years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105861 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 1303 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Following less than 30 minutes behind the westbound Zephyr was this BNSF Denver-Provo. While a lot of interesting power has been on this train in the last month or so, it was "same old, same old" on this morning! The train will continue west to Rocky where it will meet an eastbound UP manifest. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105862 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 1460 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's Denver-Provo was very short on this particularly morning. While you cannot see the end of the train in this picture, it wasn't more than about 10 cars back from the last car visible. The great morning light would soon give way to rain, sleet, and snow storms that would stick around for the afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105863 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1442 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An interesting collision of both light and shadow in Barbara's Gulch as the eastbound MRONY (Manifest, Roper, UT to North Yard, CO) glides east. A winter storm is spilling in over the mountains, encroaching on the morning light. This shot, from the south side of Barbara's Gulch, is one that I've wanted to try for awhile! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105864 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1444 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The power on this manifest, setup "elephant-style", represents many decades of motive power! It is led by a C44AC-CTE, followed by an SD70AH, an SD70M, a GP38-2 leaser, and a GP40-2. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105865 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada Siding (MP 6 to MP 7) Denver, CO 1376 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific One of few-remaining coal trains on the Moffat heads west on Main 1 alongside the new commuter rail station near Sheridan Blvd. The train is headed for the Energy Mine on the Craig Branch. Upon returning east, the coal will be delivered to the Xcel Energy Cherokee power plant in northeast Denver. The plant is in the process of converting to natural gas and, by the end of 2016, this coal train will likely be eliminated. The closest track in the foreground is BNSF's Golden Sub. The track next to it is UP's Arvada Siding. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105866 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada Siding (MP 6 to MP 7) Denver, CO 1478 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A lot has changed in this view in the last ten years. The Sheridan Blvd overpass, which the train is running beneath, was completely rebuilt. That was done to provide enough room for commuter rail to fit underneath the bridge, which is on the opposite side of this coal empty. There are now two main tracks here for UP, the second completed just a few years ago. One thing that isn't new is the stub track in the foreground! It connects in with BNSF's Golden Sub and hasn't been used in a few years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105867 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada Siding (MP 6 to MP 7) Denver, CO 1436 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division Whenever EMD or GE roll out a new unit, the prototypes almost always wind up on the Moffat Tunnel Sub. Why? It is the highest active standard gauge mainline in the United States, and it is loaded with tunnels. This allows for both high altitude testing and tunnel performance testing. EMD's Tier-4 compliant SD70ACe-T4 is no exception. Here, a special train escorts two such prototypes and an EMD test car west on the Moffat. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105868 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Denver, CO 1725 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division EMD's SD70ACe-T4 is definitely boxier than its predecessor. Many people believe that EMD and GE designs are slowly converging and that it is becoming more and more difficult to tell them apart. However, this is still clearly very close to an SD70ACe. The long hood is a little taller (and more square) in front of the radiator housing. While it is difficult to tell from the ground, the SD70ACe-T4 has three radiator fans whereas the SD70ACe only has two. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105869 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada Siding (MP 6 to MP 7) Denver, CO 1615 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division When out testing new prototypes, EMD has a "test car" that they typically splice in between new units. Think of it as a rolling command center for EMD. It allows them to closely monitor the performance of the new units. Here, EMDX 820 is cut in between two new SD70ACe-T4 prototypes. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105870 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada Siding (MP 6 to MP 7) Denver, CO 1422 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division Each time a new prototype unit is released, the manufacturer has a new demonstrator paint scheme to accompany it. Personally, I think the demo scheme on the SD70ACe-T4 is one of the better ones EMD has come up with. Granted, some people have referred to it as the Seattle Seahawks scheme...but still, this Denver Broncos fan can overlook that! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105871 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1336 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A westbound coal empty, headed for Energy Mine on the Craig Branch, makes its way through the S-Curves on the approach to the Blue Mountain road crossing. The temperate weather that Denver has been getting lately took a day off to allow a winter storm to blow through. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105872 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1410 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Not a whole lot needs to be said about this shot! Classic view of a westbound winding through the curves at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. A pair of DPUs bring up the tail end of the coal empty, which will load at Energy Mine on the Craig Branch. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105873 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 1293 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division A westbound special, consisting of six units (including two SD70ACe-T4 prototypes) and an EMD test car make their way west on the main at Rocky. Meanwhile, the weather is a little crazy on the plains, with moisture spilling out of the clouds between the location of the train and Standley Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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