Photo ID: 108173 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 768 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is coming through Little Ten Loop right now near the west end of Rocky. In a matter of minutes, the train will be on the track in the foreground, which wraps around Big Ten Loop. Then, shortly after that, it'll travel geographically north through Eisele (Clay) in the distance, above the location where the train is currently. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108174 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 699 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Running a little over an hour late, the westbound Zephyr climbs toward Big Ten Loop up from Rocky and Little Ten Loop. A P40DC (AMTK 824) is second out in the consist this morning. Passenger counts are still a bit low due the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in seven Superliners today. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108175 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 675 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the west leg of Big Ten Loop, the westbound Zephyr is approaching the east switch of Eisele (Clay). A restricting (red over flashing red) signal awaits the Zephyr there as it will take the siding to meet an eastbound UP manifest currently at Plain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108176 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 649 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr, running about an hour late, enters the siding at the east end of Eisele (Clay). The siding here has always been a slower siding. It has weight restrictions (loaded coal trains, for example, cannot use it) and is actually seldomly used. The Zephyr will only go 15 MPH through the siding to the west end to meet an eastbound UP manifest. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108177 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 729 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Five units lead this eastbound UP MGJNY on the main at Eisele (Clay). The train just met the westbound Zephyr, which is still visible on the far right side of the frame. Once the manifest clears the west switch, the Zephyr will get a clear signal to continue west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108178 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 717 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The MGJNY this morning has a Phase 2 SD70M and an SD70ACe-T4 as the last two units on the head end. Turned out, however, that both of these units are offline and just catching a lift on the manifest to Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108179 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 778 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The MGJNY is currently stopped between switches on the main at Eisele (Clay). The train received a bad roll-by at Plain. A track inspector noticed that the door underneath a ballast hopper was open and nearly dragging on the tracks. The conductor will walk back to inspect the car here. He would find that the car was half empty as the ballast fell out on the tracks en route! He was able to get the door closed so the train could continue east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108180 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 744 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This vantage point offers a great view of Big Ten Curve, which the head end of the train is currently coming around, and Little Ten Curve in the distance. The only manifest that UP still runs on the Moffat, the MGJNY, is nearing the end of its journey as it comes through the loops. It should be noted that the trains counterpart, the MNYGJ (westbound) still runs on the Moffat as well. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108181 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 678 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is a crystal clear, fantastic June morning as the eastbound MGJNY snakes through Little Ten Curve at the west end of Rocky, making its way east on clear signals toward town. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108182 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 767 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific With traffic on the Moffat so low these days, it is always great to find a UP train! Coal is practically nonexistent and oil trains after very few and far between as well. UP stopped the MNYRO and MRONY 18 months ago. They also stopped the MNYPH and MPHNY. Cars bound for the Craig Branch are dropped off or picked up at Bond by the MNYGJ and MGJNY. That means the MNYGJ and MGJNY are the only UP trains you can still reliably find on the Moffat. And even those only run every 2-3 days on average. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108183 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 713 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific If you've checked out pictures on my website for any length of time, then you have likely read in the past that this is one of my favorite all-time engines! The SD70M (Phase 2) has been a favorite of mine since it came out nearly 20 years ago. The slightly slanted radiator intakes give it a little character, and the teardrop windshield with the original EMD wide cab nose just look great. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108184 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 807 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The eastbound Zephyr glides toward the west portal of the final tunnel (Tunnel 1) on its journey east in Colorado. On this particular evening, AMTK 184, the Phase IV Heritage Unit, is on the point for trip to Chicago. In the distance toward the upper-left of the frame, you can see the City of Boulder. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108185 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 11, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 813 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The eastbound Zephyr is stopped waiting on the main at Eisele (Clay). The train is being held up due to a computer issue in Omaha. There is a block at the east switch. Specifically, some foul time from a track maintainer that should no longer be there. The dispatcher is unsure how to clear it, so it has been given to the CAD manager to troubleshoot. After about 45 minutes, the Zephyr finally got on the move again. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.