Photo ID: 106429 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 1164 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound coal train descends from Tunnel 1 toward the the base of Coal Creek Canyon. The train loaded at the Energy Mine on the Craig Branch and is headed for the Cherokee Power Plant in northeast Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106430 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1231 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific For decades, coal was a staple on the Moffat. Back when it was Rio Grande, then Espee, and finally UP. But if there is one thing consistent about life, it is change. Only half a dozen or so coal trains have come east thus far in the month of February. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106431 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1176 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific As the head end of this eastbound coal train approaches the grade crossing at Blue Mountain, the mid-train swing helpers are clearly visible in the background...a shot that actually may not be possible too much longer as Colorado coal continues to drop off. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106432 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1179 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific My least favorite type of day, weather-wise, for pictures. Overcast with flat, white clouds. No real features or anything. But, beggars can't be choosers! And regardless of the weather, I'm not going to turn down the opportunity to grab a shot of an eastbound coal load at Blue Mountain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106433 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1170 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An SD70ACe and an ES44AC bring up the tail end of this eastbound coal load. Typically, UP coal trains on the Moffat run 3x2x1, but this train is different as it is not headed east on the KP. Instead, it is going to the Cherokee Power Plant in northeast Denver. That plant is close to converting entirely to natural gas. Once that happens, and this coal train stops running, it is rumored that the Energy Coal Mine may shut down. If that happens, it will spell the end of coal on the Craig Branch! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106434 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1242 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF An eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver manifest winds through the S-Curves at the base of Coal Creek Canyon with a highly colorful consist! The train sports 8 units on the point, including a Warbonnet, a CSX, and a Norfolk Southern. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106435 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1204 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF I was hoping the DPU on the tail end of this eastbound BNSF manifest would have been in view on the descent from Tunnel 1. Alas, the train was not quite long enough for that to happen. Regardless, the train looks mighty fine as it heads east past the Blue Mountain Road grade crossing. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106436 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1278 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Denver seems to be a good hangout for Warbonnets lately. They have come through on several trains, including on the Moffat. No complaints here! Glad to see some of them still looking so great after so many years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106437 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 1162 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Considering the fact that this eastbound BNSF manifest had 8 units on the head end, three of which were not orange, a good shot of all the power at East Leyden seemed appropriate! Interestingly, the first 5 units on the train served as the power on a sand train that ran west on the Moffat the previous Friday! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106438 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 1275 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) CSX, BNSF Of the five remaining Class 1 railroads in the United States (so I'm not counting Canadian Pacific or Canadian National), I think CSX might be railroads whose engines make it to Colorado the least frequently. However, this AC6000CW just happened to come through on the BNSF Provo-Denver. CSX was the other railroad, along with UP, to give the 6000 HP units a shot. There are not many of these still roaming the rails! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106439 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 1265 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Norfolk Southern, BNSF An original catfish! When C44-9Ws first came out and were delivered to Norfolk Southern, they quickly earned the nickname "catfish" due to the fact they are predominately black but with white "whiskers". Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106440 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1155 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Just west of the west switch of Leyden, an eastbound coal train approaches a clear signal. An ES44AC and a AC4400CW lead up the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106441 Date Shot Photo By Monday, February 13, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 1231 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound coal train crosses over Indiana Street in Arvada as the train approaches a clear signal at West Leyden. This train is headed for the Cherokee Power Plant in northeast Denver. With only one generator still burning coal, this "Public Service" coal train is running increasingly less. And, by the end of 2017, that last coal generator will be powered down and the plant will burn natural gas exclusively, spelling the end of this coal train...and possibly all coal traffic on the Craig Branch. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.