Photo ID: 105992 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 1355 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is quite common for UP to send an Engineering Passenger Special over parts of the system in the late Spring. The special frequently runs over the Moffat and this year was no exception. The train was called out of Helper at 7am and made good time across the former Rio Grande. Here, it emerged from Tunnel 1 and descends toward Blue Mountain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105993 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1363 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific In years past, when William Wimmer was still the VP of Engineering at Union Pacific, this special always had the DDA40X as power. It was said Mr Wimmer did this for several reasons: 1. The DDA40X itself was sensitive to track alignment and if there was an issue, it created a noticeable rocking motion over the track that went back through the train, making him aware of the issue in the last car. 2. If the train stopped to inspect something, it could start and be back up to 70 MPH within a minute or so. Whatever his reasons, it was great to see while it last. After Mr Wimmer retired, the new VP of Engineering apparently didn't see the same value in the DDA40X, so those days are gone. Here, an SD70M leads the special east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105994 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1203 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP's annual Engineering Special rolls east past the Blue Mountain grade crossing on a stormy afternoon. The special made fantastic time, leaving Helper, UT shortly after 7am this morning. It will stop in Denver for a brief crew change and then continue on the Cheyenne where it will stop for the night. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105995 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1643 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP's Engineering Special winds around Big Ten Curve as it descends down toward Rocky. The eastern slope of the Moffat has recently been (re)ballasted...no doubt one of the things the VP of Engineering is checking out along the trip. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105996 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1259 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is a very stormy and chilly May afternoon as UP's Engineering Special runs through the final loop at the bottom of Big Ten Curve on the approach to Rocky. Severe thunderstorms passed through the Denver area today and, at present, the temperature is only 43°F (6°C)! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105997 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 1185 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Cars driving along on CO-93 are oblivious to the approaching UP Engineering Special. Although it is hard to tell from this vantage point, the train is entirely obscured from the drivers as it is well below them. The track rising on the hill toward the cars is the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105998 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 1225 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific As this UP special approaches the east switch of Rocky, we get a good view of the tracks ahead as they wind through Barbara's Gulch and continue east toward Denver. Once getting through Barbara's Gulch, the special will pick up some speed! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105999 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 1920 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division, Union Pacific There was a train following UP's Engineering Special and I had no idea what it was going to be. I was certainly surprised when I saw it was EMD's SD70ACe-T4 test train! When the train was up at Tabernash in March, it stayed for four days. Apparently a day and a half was all they needed this time around. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106000 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1427 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific EMD's test train rolls east at track speed on the approach to the Blue Mountain grade crossing. EMD engineers got the information they needed from testing between Tabernash and East Portal. Hopefully, the tests showed the results they were hoping for and EMD will soon be able to put the unit into production. EMD hasn't sold a new unit in the United States since the start of 2015 due to the Tier-4 emissions regulations! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106001 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada, CO 1355 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific While the overcast skies and rain isn't necessarily ideal for photography, it is certainly great for the plants! Some yellow flowers have sprung to life alongside the tracks near the Blue Mountain road crossing as an eastbound UP special passes by. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106002 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1362 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division After completing some testing up between Tabernash and East Portal, EMD's Tier-4 prototypes are returning to Denver. They are DIC (Dead In Consist) here, just rolling along with the UP units for journey east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106003 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 1399 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific As you can imagine, it is pretty easy for a light consist like this to make track speed! The testing special is cruising along at near 60 MPH as it heads back toward Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106004 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 1357 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The dial on my Canon 7D that controls the mode the camera is in (shutter preferred, aperture preferred, manual, etc) recently broke off! The (plastic) rod connecting the dial snapped in half. As a result, my camera is currently stuck in "aperture preferred" mode. I wish it could have been stuck in shutter preferred! As the special passed by me at Leyden, I was unable to knock the aperture down in order to get the shutter speed fast enough to avoid a little bit of motion blur. Ah well, what are you gonna do? I still thought the shot worth posting as you don't see a special like this every day. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106005 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Plain (6,530 ft) Arvada, CO 1456 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The eastbound California Zephyr, running about 15 minutes early, rolls down the main track at Plain. Amtrak is the third of three non-freight trains to descend the Moffat this afternoon! UP's Engineering Special and EMD's Testing Special have both already passed by. Amtrak here is sporting a standard consist that includes two P42DCs, baggage car, three sleepers, dining car, sightseer lounge car, and three coaches. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106006 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, May 26, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1381 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The California Zephyr rolls east under cloudy skies just west of Leyden. Three years ago, you would have seen nothing but open field on the left side of this shot. However, with Arvada annexing the land from Jefferson County, the neighborhood of Leyden Rock is growing day by day. I sure would love to have one of those houses right there along the track! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.