Photo ID: 106212 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1334 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Just west of Eisele, a westbound BNSF Denver to Provo manifest approaches the grade crossing at Blue Mountain. The train is led by an ET44C4, followed by a C44-9W, and a ES44DC. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106213 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1709 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A trio of BNSF GEs lead a westbound manifest at the Blue Mountain Road grade crossing. The second unit is sometimes colloquially referred to as a "Goat Boat". The "goat" portion of the term comes first from the Great Northern Railway, a predecessor of BNSF (and Burlington Northern). The Great Northern used a goat in its logo and had a paint scheme very similar to the "Heritage" paint scheme worn by this second unit. The "boat" portion of the term comes from the old reference to GE units as "U-Boats". Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106214 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek Canyon (MP 22.8 to MP 23.4) Arvada, CO 1271 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A view of a westbound BNSF manifest from Jefferson County Open Space from above the tracks. The train is just passing by the hotbox detector at MP 22.6 and will soon cross CO-72 at the mouth of Coal Creek Canyon and climb the grade to Tunnel 1. The east portal of Tunnel 1 is partially visible in the background. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106215 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek Canyon (MP 22.8 to MP 23.4) Arvada, CO 1349 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A sole ES44C4 brings up the tail end of a westbound BNSF manifest. At just over 3,000 feet in length, the train is not particularly long compared to other trains on the Moffat. Were this a coal train, the front of the train would be visible on the track in the distance on the approach to Tunnel 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106216 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Tolland, CO 1431 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The yellow-orange paint that Rio Grande used on its engines up until the mid-1980s was referred to as "Aspen Gold", and this is why! Rio Grande's paint scheme looked mighty fine among the changing aspens. Nearly three decades after the end of Rio Grande, a BNSF manifest pulls down the main at Tolland. The train will take the siding at East Portal to meet the eastbound California Zephyr. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106217 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS049 (East East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 1445 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Running just about 15 minutes late, the eastbound California Zephyr knocks down a clear signal at the east switch of East Portal. A smattering of aspen trees offer up a great backdrop for the train that, minutes earlier, was in the Moffat Tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106218 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Pinecliff, CO 1438 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Right at milepost 37, the eastbound Zephyr accelerates down the main. The train just came through a 10 MPH slow order, which is why the train is now accelerating. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106219 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1478 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak My least favorite part about moving from summer in to fall and winter is the shortening of the days. It is only 5:30pm and already the tracks at Blue Mountain are just barely still in the sunlight. Another month to six weeks and the only shots you'll be able to get of the eastbound Zephyr east of the Moffat Tunnel will be in darkness! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106220 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1332 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On an absolutely beautiful September evening, the eastbound California Zephyr glides east through Barbara's Gulch east of Rocky. The valley is rich with color, highlighted by the last afternoon light of the setting sun. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.