Photo ID: 108203 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 834 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is right on time as it approaches the Blue Mountain Road grade crossing. A summer cold front moved in to the Denver area yesterday, producing a lot of overnight rain setting up a sky full of dramatic clouds in the morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108204 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 714 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The hills at Blue Mountain are very green this morning as the westbound Zephyr passes by the grade crossing and the hot box detector at MP 22.6. The train is on time and should not hit any major delays in the foreseeable future. No eastbounds coming against it anywhere nearby. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108205 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada, CO 705 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr, with seven Superliners in tow, makes its way up from the base of Coal Creek Canyon toward the east portal of Tunnel 1. CO-72 does head west up Coal Creek Canyon, meeting up with the tracks again in Pinecliff. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108206 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 758 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The head end of the Zephyr is just about to duck in Tunnel 1, having gained a few hundred feet since crossing Blue Mountain Road just out of the frame to the left. CO-72 heads up Coal Creek Canyon to the top-right. Interestingly, when David Moffat was building the line in 1902, one of the possible routes surveyors considered would have taken the tracks straight up Coal Creek Canyon, where CO-72 disappears in the background. This would have necessitated a long tunnel (to get from present day Crescent Village to Pinecliff). It was largely due to this the railroad opted to instead take the current alignment along the Front Range to South Boulder Creek. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108207 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 19, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 645 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Emerging from Tunnel 1 to the west, the Zephyr continues its climb up the east slope of the Rockies up to the Moffat Tunnel. Just around the corner ahead of the Zephyr is a clear signal at the east switch of Plain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.