Photo ID: 106249 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1574 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific For close to 72 hours, Union Pacific had the Moffat completely shut down (late 10/09/13 to late 10/12/13). It was reported that there were some "soft spots" in the last two miles of track at the west end of the Moffat Tunnel itself. UP took the line out of service, removed the track, and effected repairs. Part of that meant new ballast! Here, a ballast train that had been at East Portal returns to Denver as the repairs are complete. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106250 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1252 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A little unusual to find an SD70M on a ballast train. Whenever possible, railroads will try to keep AC units on heavier trains. Most likely they had no other choice when it was time to assemble this train. No complaints from me...I do like the look of the SD70M. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106251 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1165 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Herzog, Union Pacific "One of these things is not like the others!" This ballast train consisted entirely of red and silver Herzog cars, with the exception of one single rusty-brown car (also Herzog). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106252 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1263 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This is one of the most interesting trains I think I've seen before! The red and silver cars are colorful and unique, and their solar panels (used to power the doors for dumping ballast) make them even more unique. Ballast is, of course, quite heavy! So this train was setup in a 3x1x2 configuration. A lone AC4400CW cruises along mid-train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106253 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1135 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Herzog A look at one of the (rather colorful) red and silver Herzog ballast cars. As you can see, there is still ballast in this car. Not all of the ballast on the train was needed for the maintenance that was done in Moffat Tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106254 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1212 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A pair of ES44ACs bring up the rear of an eastbound ballast train. Due to the weight of the train, it was only moving along at about 15 MPH on the approach to the signal at the west end of Leyden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106255 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1246 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Fall colors are starting to envelop the Denver-Metro area as the deciduous trees prep for the loss of their leaves. A pair of ES44ACs bringing up the tail end of a colorful ballast train mixed with the fall colors and Denver skyline make for a nice October shot. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106256 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1228 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound ballast train, which had been at East Portal providing ballast for work done inside the Moffat Tunnel, rolls east toward Leyden. The train was the longest ballast train I'd ever seen, measuring in at right around 3,500 feet long. That certainly explains the six units used as power on the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106257 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, October 13, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 1241 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This shot seemed really appropriate on this day in particular. Why? Took this pictures 28 years (to the day) since the merger of Rio Grande and Southern Pacific. The merger went through on October 13, 1988. 28 years later and the bridge over Indiana Street in western Arvada still has "Rio Grande" painted on it. And mostly likely will until this bridge is eventually replaced when Indiana Street is widened to four lanes. No specific plans for doing so exist at the time of the picture. Oh, and there is a nice ballast train rolling east in to Leyden in the shot, too! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.