Photo ID: 108521 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Jefferson County, CO 791 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific The West Local has completed switching at the aggregate plant at the north end of the Rocky Flat Industrial Lead and is heading back south toward the mainline at Rocky. What you might first believe are clouds in the background is actually smoke. The Cameron Peak Fire is now over 135,000 acres in size. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108522 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Colorado Wood & Metal Jefferson County, CO 859 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific The West Local slowly rolls by Colorado Wood & Metal alongside the Rocky Spur. While the West Local does not serve this particular business, the local still passes by on the way to and from the aggregate plant at the north end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108523 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky Flats Wye Jefferson County, CO 676 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific With three covered hoppers freshly picked up from the aggregate plant at the north end of the Rocky Flats Industrial Spur, the West Local is currently wying on the Rocky Flat Wye so it can back down to the mainline at Rocky. Once upon a time, the Rocky Flat Plant would have been in the background of this shot. The brakeman is on the ground, ready to throw the switch for the south leg of the wye. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108524 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CO-93 Crossing Arvada, CO 1147 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific Cars on CO-93 are stopped at a stoplight that is green 99.9% of the time! The West Local has to cross both CO-93 and CO-72. The crossings are not protected by traditional lights and bells, however. Instead, there is a stoplight. When a train approaches, it trips a circuit that turns the light red for traffic and the train gets a green light. Trains also proceed at restricted speed, ready to stop very quickly in the event cars are not paying attention. Of note, UP 1344 is ex-DRGW 3121, so it certainly is not a stranger to the Rocky Spur. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108525 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada, CO 732 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific The West Local has just crossed CO-93 and is now backing down the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead toward the mainline. You can see the main and siding on the left side of the frame, and Big Ten Loop in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108526 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 794 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The West Local backs down the steepest part of the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead. This part of the spur is 8%. This is why, in the past, up to four engines have been on the local when it was longer, back when it was being used to remove things from the old Rocky Flats. The brakeman is on the last hopper, protected the shove...or more likely, the glide...down toward the mainline. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108527 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky Arvada, CO 780 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (UP) Union Pacific The West Local is slowing as it reaches the end...or beginning, depending on your point of view...of the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead. The train already has authority from the dispatcher to occupy the main track. The train will stop momentarily and the brakeman will unlock the switch to allow the train to back out on to the main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108528 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 864 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific With its switching complete, a short, three-car West Local glides east out of Rocky and in to the west end of Barbara's Gulch. The train will have a straight shot back to North Yard. Other than the local, there were only three other trains that ran on the Moffat. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108529 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 834 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The West Local runs on Wednesdays, but not every Wednesday. Lately, it only seems to run once every 2-4 weeks. When it does run, it rarely has more than three covered hoppers with it. Here, the local has a pair of GP40-2s and is headed east through Barbara's Gulch back toward North Yard. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.