Photo ID: 107979 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 803 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak It is shaping up to be a glorious sunrise as the second run of the Winter Park Express (Ski Train) approaches the east switch of Leyden. For the fourth year in a row, Amtrak has put together six coaches and a lounge car to take eager skiers up to the slopes at Winter Park. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107980 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 807 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak It is only 14°F, a freezing but clear morning, for the second run of the 2020 Winter Park Express. The rising sun has cast a beautiful orange light on the Denver skyline, but the tracks at Leyden are still cast in the shadows for the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107981 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 753 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak As has been the case in previous years, the Winter Park Express has three coaches with a wrap applied for advertising to help cover the cost of running the train. The wrap and the lack of a baggage car is about all that separates this consist from the California Zephyr that will be following in another hour or so. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107982 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 820 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The morning sun has crested the eastern horizon and is bathing the westbound Winter Park Express in brilliant light. The train is running right on time and should provide patrons with a full day of skiing at Winter Park. The train is climbing up from Coal Creek Canyon and is just about to duck in to Tunnel 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107983 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 764 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP's MGJNY (Manifest, Grand Junction to North Yard) descends from Tunnel 1 and approaches the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Road. You may note the third unit in the consist is UP 1995, the Chicago North Western heritage unit. The unit was originally scheduled to lead the train, but a defective cab heater resulted in it being third in the consist. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107984 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 856 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The lighting isn't great, but I had to nab a shot of UP 1995 nonetheless as this heritage unit is the one that seems to allude me the most. It had in fact been nearly 11 years since I last saw the unit! It was the third unit on the MGJNY early this morning. The train was called at Grand Junction at 6pm the previous night. It probably would have come down the front range in darkness, but the train had to pick up three units in Bond. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107985 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 748 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It has now been a year since UP ran a manifest between Denver and Salt Lake City over the Moffat (the MNYRO and MRONY). There is still a lot of business in Grand Junction from the west slope though, so UP still has a manifest that runs between Denver and Grand Junction (the MNYGJ and MGJNY). The MGJNY enters the siding at Leyden to meet the westbound Zephyr, which departed Denver on time this morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107986 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 855 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A defective cab heater prevented UP 1995 from leading the MGJNY east overnight. It was originally set up to lead, but the consist was wyed (turned around) shortly before departure when the faulty heater was discovered. So while it may not be leading and the light may not be perfect, a nice roster shot of the unit in morning light looks good at Leyden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107987 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 728 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 152 leads the westbound Zephyr on an Approach signal on the main at Leyden. The MGJNY on the siding next to Amtrak has not quite cleared the west switch, so Amtrak is slowing as it approaches the west end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107988 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East of East Portal Gilpin County, CO 812 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is nearing the highest point of any mainline in the United States! It is currently between Tolland and East Portal at an elevation of about 9,100 feet. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107989 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS049 (East East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 727 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Westbound Zephyr is about to knock down a clear signal at the east switch of East Portal. A very similar scene was repeated about an hour ago when the Winter Park Express passed over these same rails. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107990 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS049 (East East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 782 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Westbound Zephyr, running right on time, is approaching the East Portal Road grade crossing, about a mile away from the east portal of the Moffat Tunnel. Many hikers (in the summer) and cross country skiers and snow shoeing enthusiasts (in the winter) come up to East Portal. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107991 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 739 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak If you very closely, slightly up and to the left from the middle of the picture, you can see the east portal of the Moffat Tunnel. The Zephyr is on the main alongside the last siding on this side of the Continental Divide. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107992 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Pinecliff, CO 787 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Sometime in the pre-dawn hours of the morning, this eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver manifest tied down in the siding at Cliff. A fresh crew will need to come up to bring the train the rest of the way in to the yard. The track to the left is the house track at Cliff, used for occasional storage of work cars, or for setting out bad orders. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107993 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Pinecliff, CO 841 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF It is a little unusual to find a trio of Heritage 2 units (and no New Image units) on a train these days. But that was the case on this morning as three C44-9Ws lead BNSF's Provo-Denver, currently tied down in the siding at Cliff. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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