Photo ID: 106698 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 960 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A westbound loaded BNSF sand train (used for fracking) slowly pulls west near the east end of Barbara's Gulch on a beautiful November afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106699 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 982 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Despite the (relative) short length of this sand train, it is crawling along at only around 12 MPH. It is a loaded train and, as such, a heavy load for the five units in charge. The lake to the right, just above the DPUs, is Stanley Lake in Arvada and Westminster. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106700 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 962 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A trio of SD70s (an SD70ACe and two SD70MACs) run elephant style on the point of a westbound sand train. The paint schemes offer a nice "through the years" look at some of BNSF's more common schemes over the last twenty years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106701 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 988 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF It was about ten years ago that many railfans got excited as BNSF ordered their first batch of SD70ACes. It was a relative big deal because, for nearly ten years prior, BNSF had sworn off EMD and had only purchased from GE. Now, ten years later, BNSF has 810 SD70ACes on the roster, including BNSF 9193 seen here. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106702 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1017 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Throughout much of the 1990s and early 2000s, the SD70MACs were the coal work horses on BNSF. Many of these units were delivered in the "Grinstein" paint scheme (seen here). Burlington Northern was moving toward this scheme (named after Gerald Grinstein, CEO of BN from 1985 to 1995) when the BNSF merger happened. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106703 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1022 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A majority of BNSF's 790 SD70MACs have spent their lives wearing the "Heritage 2" paint scheme. This scheme was the primary scheme for about five years (between 2000 and 2005). It was in 2005 when BNSF changed their name from "Burlington Northern Santa Fe" to simply "BNSF". In an effort to create a new identity, the railroad largely shed it heritage ties. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106704 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 917 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A pair of GEs bring up the tail end of a westbound BNSF sand train. The units pass by the ominous steel structure which has stood for decades. Its exact purpose...not entirely clear. The most common theory seems to be that it has something to do with coal mining that once took place in the area. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106705 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 1101 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A busy few minutes at Rocky! The West Local slowly descends down the 8% grade of the Rocky Spur. It has completed is switching and will be returning North Yard with a single covered hopper. Meanwhile, a westbound BNSF sand train slowly charges by on the main track. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106706 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1013 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A trio of elephant-style SD70s work hard to pull a westbound loaded sand train up and around Big Ten Curve. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106707 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 1177 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific With a clear signal at the east end of Rocky, the West Local accelerates toward track speed as it heads back toward North Yard. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106708 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 1171 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 1349, leading the West Local out of Rocky here, is no stranger to Colorado. Or, for that matter, the Moffat. This is ex-DRGW 3128. It has managed to hang around Denver almost exclusively since the days of the Rio Grande! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106709 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 1213 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A trio of GP40-2s (two ex-DRGW and one ex-Espee) glide out of Rocky on the journey back east toward North Yard. There is only one industry still served by the West Local. The aggregate plant at the north end of the Rocky Spur. As such, the West Local is typically only 1-4 cars in length. In addition, it typically only runs one out of every 2-3 Wednesdays. A decade ago, when Rocky Flats was still being cleaned up, the local ran for four units twice a week and sometimes had as many as 35 cars. Oh, how times have changed! Why have three units for such a short train? The same used are used on the South Local as well (when three units are often needed). It is easier to keep them together then break them up just for the Wednesday run. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.