Photo ID: 108735 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel Winter Park, CO 624 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the west slope of the Continental Divide, the westbound California Zephyr emerges from the west portal of the Moffat Tunnel on its journey west, passing by the Winter Park Ski Resort. Of course, since it is the middle of summer, Winter Park transforms into a summer playground, particularly for mountain bikers. Paths used by skiers in the winter are used as off-road courses by bikers in the summer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108736 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Fraser Fraser, CO 561 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) PTE Today's westbound Zephyr just happens to have a private car on the tail end. Passenger from The Patrón Tequila Express stand on the platform at Fraser near the car, ready to re-board as soon as they hear the horn from the head end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108737 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Fraser Fraser, CO 589 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) PTE The Patrón Tequila Express is a vintage 1927 passenger car, originally owned by the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio railroad. The car is now owned by John Paul DeJoria, the founder of Patrón Spirits Company. Apparently, John Paul DeJoria is friends with actor Dan Akroyd, and it is not uncommon for Akroyd to accompany DeJoria on the car. Although I did not notice Akroyd on the platform or in the car on this day. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108738 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tabernash Tabernash, CO 579 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The eastbound MGJNY is in the process of tying down on the main at Tabernash and is waiting for a van to pick up the crew. While waiting, the conductor is on the ground performing a "roll by" for the westbound Zephyr in the siding. A private car - The Patrón Tequila Express - brings up the rear of the Zephyr on this day. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108739 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tabernash Tabernash, CO 559 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The siding of Tabernash is somewhat unusual in that the main and the siding are a considerable distance away from each other for most of the length of the siding. At its further point, the siding is 1/3 of a mile away from the main! This is because, way back in the days of steam, there was a steam engine facility here at Tabernash where helpers were kept and maintain to assist in the climb to the Moffat Tunnel. There is a wye connecting the main and siding, allowing steam engines to be turned around. The Anschutz Ski Train used to use the wye to turn around as well. Here, the westbound Zephyr slowly rolls through the siding (to the right) as UP's MGJNY is tied down on the main track (to the left). If an eastbound needs to tie down at Tabernash, it is common practice to tie down on the mainline rather than the siding because the siding has a grade crossing in the middle of it whereas the main does not. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108740 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS067 (West Tabernash) Tabernash, CO 561 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak At the west end of Tabernash, the siding wraps back around to rejoin the mainline along the Fraser River. The tracks continue through Fraser Canyon west to Granby. The Fraser River is one of the rivers that makes up the headwaters of the Colorado River, joining the Colorado near Granby. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108741 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tabernash Tabernash, CO 599 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The MGJNY would typically make it through the Moffat Tunnel and, if not all the way to North Yard in Denver, at least to a siding on the east slope of the Moffat to tie down. That was not the case on this Friday, as DS-80 had the train tie down here on the main at Tabernash. There is a "dry run" of the Rocky Mountaineer's "Rockies to the Red Rocks", a new train that will run between Denver, CO and Moab, UT starting August 2021. The Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian tour company. They struck a deal with UP to run the train over the former Rio Grande. For this dry run, UP dignitaries, including...allegedly...UP CEO Lance Fritz. Thus, the DS was not going to take any chances in running the MGJNY and holding up the special. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108742 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Winter Park Winter Park, CO 652 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Rocky Mountaineer At close to 9,000 feet above sea level, a "dry run" of the Rocky Mountaineer's Rockies to the Red Rocks passenger train proceeds west on the main at Winter Park. In the distance are James Peak (left, 13,301-feet above sea level) and Parry Peak (right, 13,397-feet above seal level), making up part of the Continental Divide. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108743 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS058 (West Winter Park) Winter Park, CO 578 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer 11 cars from the Canadian Tourist Company Rocky Mountaineer make up a "dry run" of the upcoming Rockies to the Red Rocks tourist train the company will operate in Colorado and Utah. The train that will run should consist of 14 cars. Unfortunately, Rocky Mountaineer power did not come to the US with the trainset, and rumor has it the train will run with leased UP power throughout its run in 2021. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108744 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East of Tabernash Tabernash, CO 688 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Rocky Mountaineer Not far east of the east switch of Tabernash, a pair of UP SD70Ms leads 11 cars from the Rocky Mountaineer, a tourist railroad based in Canada. The company will be running a train called the Rockies to the Red Rocks starting on August 11, 2021, running until November 18, 2021. According to the trains website, it is also already accepting bookings in 2022 starting in April! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108745 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tabernash Tabernash, CO 663 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Rocky Mountaineer Entering the siding at Tabernash, the Rockies to the Red Rocks passenger special meetings the MGJNY, which has just tied down on the main. A crew van is picking up the crew to take them back to Denver as the special rolls west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108746 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tabernash Tabernash, CO 654 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Rocky Mountaineer The westbound Rockies to the Red Rockies special heads west on the siding at Tabernash amidst a beautiful summer scene in the Colorado high country. UP's thrice-weekly MGJNY is tied down on the main in the background, necessitating the passenger train running through the siding. Several UP dignitaries are riding on this "dry run" of the special. It is rumored that CEO Lance Fritz himself may even be on board! This special will be starting service on August 11 and running through November 18 in 2021 for anyone that wants to book a trip from Denver, CO to Moab, UT (or back). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108747 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tabernash Tabernash, CO 590 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific In the siding at Tabernash, the two SD70Ms leading the Rockies to the Red Rockies passenger train bring the train to a stop. Apparently, there is an issue with the main reservoir on one of the passenger cars and it needs to be inspected before the train can continue its journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108748 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tabernash Tabernash, CO 746 (1 Comment Posted) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Note two UP crewman on the ground, checking out the main reservoir on one of the passenger cars of the Rocky Mountaineer. These cars will be used on the Rockies to the Red Rocks passenger train starting up in August 2021. Two of these cars are similar to the sightseer lounge car on Amtrak, offering up larger windows and a great view. It is great having a new train come to the Moffat with so many trains leaving over the last decade or so. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.