Photo ID: 106444 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1261 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound coal loaded headed for the Colorado Plains heads toward a clear intermediate signal west of Leyden. This is the first coal load to come east off the North Fork Branch since February 9th. It is also only the fourth coal load to come east off the North Fork Branch for the month of February thus far! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106445 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1280 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A beautiful February morning for a Colorado coal load! I hope you'll forgive the multiple (similar) shots of coal trains lately, but coal trains are starting to feel like a novelty on the Moffat. Back in 2004, the Moffat was seeing an average of 19 coal trains (that's loads and empties) per day. Now, 13 years later, it is seeing an average of 1 coal train per day, or a single load every other day. And with a few more contracts nearing their expiration, it is likely to only get worse. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106446 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1226 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific As GE's Tier-4 units are increasing in production, more of them are appearing in Colorado. Granted they still are rather rare...I think this is the first time I've seen an ET44AH as a mid-train swing helper on a coal train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106447 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1147 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An SD70ACe serves as one of the mid-train swing helpers in this eastbound coal load. Upon reaching the Pecos Street Crossover, it (along with its two sisters) will be cut out of the train. The train will then be reassembled and continue east on the KP. Considering there currently is not a single coal empty anywhere on UP's train lineup, these units will likely be assigned to whatever manifest they are next needed on out of Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106448 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, February 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1098 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The trailing DPU of an eastbound coal load glides away from the photographer as the Denver skyline stands tall in the distance. There is an increasing feeling each day that a shot of an eastbound coal load on the Moffat might just be the last such shot. Granted we are not that close to the extinction of Colorado coal quite yet, but it has been dropping off extraordinarily fast! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.