Photo ID: 109108 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP RG627 (West Helper) Helper, UT 253 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Provo (UP) Amtrak At the West Helper Crossover, the eastbound Zephyr proceeds on Main 2 toward its station stop at Helper. Freshly painted Phase IV heritage unit AMTK 164 leads a standard-painted P42 and a pair of brand new Phase VII Chargers. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109109 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Helper Helper, UT 219 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Provo (UP) Amtrak Siemens ALC-42 Chargers continue to be delivered to Amtrak as eventual replacements for the aging P42DC fleet. AMTK 330 and AMTK 331 both sport the newest paint scheme Amtrak has to offer, the Phase VII scheme. The Zephyr is on Main 2, approaching the platform at Helper. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109110 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Spring Glen Spring Glen, UT 262 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak The former Rio Grande has two main tracks that run the entire length over Soldier Summit. Those two main tracks go down to juste a single main here at Spring Glen, just east of Helper. The Zephyr is accelerating after its station stop at Helper, moving from Main 2 to the single main track. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109111 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Grassy to Cedar Emery County, UT 238 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak In the middle of the Utah desert, east of the towns of Price and Wellington, the eastbound Zephyr descends the roughly 1% grade from the siding of Cedar. The tracks loop through some fantastic curves here to spill out on the open plains of the desert at the siding of Grassy. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109112 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Grassy to Cedar Emery County, UT 309 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak In between the sidings of Cedar and Grassy, the terrain loses quite a bit of altitude. To avoid a grade that is too steep to conquer, the tracks make several sweeping curves back and forth. Here, the Zephyr makes its way through one of the final curves before hitting a straightaway that leads toward the siding of Grassy. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109113 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Desert to Woodside Emery County, UT 249 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak Out in the open Utah desert, you have to plan your shots for the Zephyr somewhat carefully. Through much of the desert, the Zephyr can get up to 79 MPH, exceeding the speed limit on US-6. So, through here, it is essentially a "one and done" shot. This morning's shot comes between the sidings of Woodside and Desert as the Zephyr is at track speed. AMTK 164, AMTK 54, and a pair of Chargers lead the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109114 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Floy to Solitude Grand County, UT 246 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak The Zephyr looks so small out in the middle of the barren Utah desert. The nearest community is Green River, located roughly ten miles off in the distance. The Zephyr is moving along at about 65 MPH. Two P42s and two ALC-42s...the latter of which are not active...lead the train east across the desert. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109115 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cisco to Whitehouse Grand County, UT 261 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak Just east of the east switch of Whitehouse, the Zephyr curves toward the south, ready to cross underneath I-70 and proceed toward Ruby Canyon. The Book Cliffs offer a wonderful backdrop to the scene. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109116 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cisco to Whitehouse Grand County, UT 234 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak Not far east of Whitehouse, the eastbound Zephyr continues about an hour behind schedule. The Zephyr will meet a westbound BNSF manifest just ahead at Cisco. The manifest probably could have made it to Whitehouse for the meet ahead of the Zephyr. However, like so many other siding in the desert, Whitehouse is currently being used for the storage of cars. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109117 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sagers to Thompson Grand County, UT 241 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF Not far from the relative ghost town of Thompson, UT, this westbound BNSF Denver-Provo skirts along Book Cliffs in a relatively green desert. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109118 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sagers to Thompson Grand County, UT 285 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF Making its way through the S-Curve east of Thompson, four BNSF units lead a Denver-Provo manifest through the Utah desert. The train met the eastbound Zephyr at Cisco, but will not meet another train before reaching two main tracks at Helper. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109119 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sphinx to Desert Emery County, UT 223 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF Highball Desert! BNSF's Denver-Provo manifest crosses the bridge at MP 566.93, kicking up dust as it moves along at 60 MPH. The train approaches a clear (green) signal at the east end of the siding of Desert. A siding that currently cannot be used for meets as it is filled with cars in storage. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109120 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP RG567 (East Desert) Emery County, UT 234 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF The siding of Desert is one of my favorite places to hang out and shoot trains in the Utah desert. First off, it is just such an appropriately named siding. Second, it is on a long, straight stretch of track where trains can get up to full track speed. Finally, it offers an amazing view with the Book Cliffs creating a perfect backdrop to the east of the tracks. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109121 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Grassy to Cedar Emery County, UT 208 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF In the distance, a westbound BNSF manifest approaches a green intermediate signal between the sidings of Grassy and Cedar. The Book Cliffs offer a great backdrop further in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109122 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, May 13, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Grassy to Cedar Emery County, UT 206 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF A BNSF manifest is slowing to around 35 MPH in preparation for the multiple curves it is approaching. The curves provide for a minimal grade...around 1%...for the climb from Grassy up to the siding of Cedar and points west as the train gets closer to the real start of Soldier Summit. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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