Photo ID: 109033 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 221 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP's thrice-weekly MGJNY is rolling to a stop in the siding at the east end of Leyden. Today is the first day of the 2023 season for the Rocky Mountaineer. The manifest will only have to wait about five minutes for the passenger train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109034 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 213 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The MGJNY had several spartan cab EMDs that were DIC (Dead in Consist) at the head end of the train. Not sure if this SD40-2 has been in storage in Grand Junction or not, but its paint is in pristine condition. Not clear on where it is heading, either. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109035 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 202 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is rather amazing to me that GP15-1s like this unit have survived on UPs roster longer than their bigger brother tunnel motors like the SD40T-2 and SD45T-2. This particular GP15-1 rolled off the EMD floor in July 1977 as Missouri Pacific 1603. After the UP/MP merger, it spent a number of years as UP 1603, before finally being renumbered to UPY 603. If you look closely, you can even note where the "1" to the left of the "6" was painted over. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109036 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 231 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The first revenue run for the 2023 season, RMRX 8020 is about to knock down a clear (green) signal at the east end of Leyden. The Rocky Mountaineer runs from now through October. The train departs Denver westbound on Sundays and Wednesdays and departs Moab eastbound on Mondays and Thursdays, arriving in Denver on Tuesdays and Fridays. The train does not run on Saturdays. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109037 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS012 (East Leyden) Arvada, CO 265 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer RMRX 8020 is a rebuilt GP40, now considered a GP40-3. It was delivered to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad in April 1969. After its service on the B&O, it spent time with leasing company GATX, Burlington Northern, leasing company CORP, and leasing company HMBX, before finally landing a spot on the Rocky Mountaineer roster. This is the first revenue run of the Rocky Mountaineer ("Rockies to the Red Rocks") for 2023. The train just knocked down a clear (green) signal at Leyden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109038 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 193 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The conductor from UP's MGJNY is on the ground, giving a "roll by" to the westbound Rocky Mountaineer. The conductor is looking for any obvious issues on the outside of the train that could be a safety issue, such as dragging equipment. No issues were spotted on this morning, and the Mountaineer continued west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109039 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 233 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Two of the Rocky Mountaineer's GP40-3s lead the first revenue run of the 2023 season up to the east portal of Tunnel 1. If you'd like to take a trip on the train, one way tickets from Denver to Moab start at $1,976/person. This includes meals and an overnight stay at a hotel in Glenwood Springs. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109040 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft) Gilpin County, CO 250 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The westbound Rocky Mountaineer: Rockies to the Red Rocks emerges from the shortest tunnel in the Tunnel District, Tunnel 29. The tunnel is only 78 feet long! The trains has been following South Boulder Creek for several miles, and only now is the elevation of the creek getting close to that of the tracks. This is the first revenue run of the Rocky Mountaineer for the 2023 season. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109041 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft) Gilpin County, CO 281 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Just west of Tunnel 29, the Rocky Mountaineer crosses the well-known bridge (amongst railfans of the Moffat, anyway) that crosses South Boulder Creek. The train is headed for a clear (green) signal around the bend at the east switch of Cliff. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109042 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft) Gilpin County, CO 199 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer One of the perks that the Rocky Mountaineer features are the oversized windows and partial windowing on the roof on its cars. These windows offer the same types of views you'd find on Amtrak's sightseer lounge cars. Just one of the many items of added luxury you find on the Mountaineer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109043 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Gilpin County, CO 203 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer The 10-car westbound Rocky Mountaineer crosses CO-72 on the main at Cliff, meeting an eastbound BNSF manifest. The BNSF manifest had asked the dispatcher if it would be possible to meet the Mountaineer further east. However, the dispatcher informed the crew the siding at Crescent is out of service (for reasons not given) and that Plain was "loaded up with maintenance of way equipment". The Mountaineer was at Leyden when the request was made. There was not enough time to make it to Eisele (Clay), so the manifest was stuck here at Cliff for a little over an hour. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109044 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft) Gilpin County, CO 236 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF After meeting the Rocky Mountaineer at Cliff, this eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver is back on the move and crossing South Boulder Creek just west of Tunnel 29. It is a perfect Spring morning for a little chasing in the Colorado High Country! We are right around 8,000 feet above sea level here. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109045 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS025 (West Plain) Jefferson County, CO 266 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF In this shot, you can see from the head end of this manifest on the main at Plain on the left, all the way back to near the tail end at Tunnel 4 on the right. Despite having clear (green) signals coming down the Tunnel District, the crew was surprised to find a red signal at the west end of Plain when they emerged from Tunnel 2. The engineer put the train in emergency and toned the dispatcher. It appears it was an issue with PTC/CTC. Both ends of Plain were showing as "out of correspondence". The train recovered its air and continue east. While it did technically run through the red signal, there was zero advanced warning that the signal would be red, and the crew responded as best they could, acting in exactly the correct manner. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109046 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rainbow Cut Arvada, CO 238 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The head end of this BNSF manifest rolls through the colorful curve at Rainbow Cut as the back half of the train is visible in the distance at the west end of Plain. Rainbow Cut is appropriately named, as you can seeing various colors of the rainbow, ranging from reds to oranges to blues to purples. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109047 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, April 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS024 (East Plain) Arvada, CO 201 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This eastbound BNSF manifest is knocking down a clear (green) signal at the east end of Plain. The siding at Plain is currently occupied by maintenance of way equipment at the west end. Not ideal as it is the only siding over 6,000 feet long between Rocky and Cliff. In the distance and slightly to the right in the frame, you can clearly see the east portal of Tunnel 4. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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