Photo ID: 109546 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East of Tolland Gilpin County, CO 142 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Five minutes before 7am finds a westbound BNSF coal load, headed for Valmy, NV, slowly climbing the grade in the canyon between Rollins and Tolland. The sun has technically broken the horizon, but has not yet peeked over the mountains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109547 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 205 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF On a glorious October morning, a westbound BNSF coal load slowly pulls through a damp scene with fall colors still in force at Tolland. The mix of clouds and sun was just perfect! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109548 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 178 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The sun has not yet peeked over the mountain here at Tolland, but it is definitely up and it is definitely lighting up the clouds to the east. Meanwhile, a BNSF coal load runs on the main amidst fantastic fall colors. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109549 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 210 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Fall colors are in full force nearly 9,000 feet above sea level as three elephant-style BNSF units lead a coal train toward the Moffat Tunnel a few minutes after 7am. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109550 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 150 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF recently picked up a contract to deliver Power River Basin coal to Valmy, NV. The loaded coal trains run west over the Moffat. They run with three units on the head end and three units on the tail end. Here, the three DPUs have found morning sun as they disappear toward the west end of Tolland. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109551 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 243 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF At 7:22am, the sun has just started to light the valley in which the Moffat Tunnel is located. While this looks like it could possibly be an eastbound BNSF coal load, it is actually a westbound load with a trio of DPUs bringing up the rear. The train is diving in to the Moffat Tunnel, ultimately headed for Valmy, NV. The dawning sun also illuminates the fall colors, still showing bright on October 2. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109552 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 150 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF An AC4400CW, still in Heritage 2 paint, brings up the tail end of a westbound loaded coal train as it dives into the 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel. 100 years ago, construction on the tunnel had started! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109553 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 264 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific When All That's Missing...Is A Train! Even though there is no train in the scene, this is still one of my favorite pictures from 2023. Heck, this is probably in the top 10 of my favorite shots of all time. The fall colors, the sun, and the lingering morning mist creates an absolutely perfect scene. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109554 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 235 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Fall colors are in full force here at Tolland, just shy of 9,000 feet above sea level, as the westbound Zephyr rolls through the scene precisely on time. Between the upcoming decreasing temperatures and strong winds common to the area, the leaves will not be on the trees for much longer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109555 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East of East Portal Gilpin County, CO 201 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 138 and AMTK 43 lead an on time westbound Zephyr across East Portal Road just over a mile east of the Moffat Tunnel. This spot is a pretty cool location as the tracks cross over the road, which crosses over South Boulder Creek, changing the location of all three! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109556 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 154 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A southbound BNSF coal load runs through an S-Curve on the south side of "downtown" Sedalia on the Joint Line. Main 1 is generally used for southbound traffic, has CTC (Centralized Traffic Control), and is controlled/dispatched by BNSF in Fort Worth. Main 2, which is located in the foreground, has TWC/ABS (Track Warrant Control with Automatic Block Signals), and is controlled/dispatched by UP in Omaha. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109557 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 218 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF This shot really highlights the location where the original Santa Fe grade crossed over (on a bridge) the original Rio Grande grade. With the creation of the Joint Line in World War 1, the bridge was removed and the tracks now run parallel through here, with a crossover between Main 1 and Main 2. The head end of this train is technically on track owned by BNSF while the back of the train is technically on track owned by UP. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109558 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Orsa Douglas County, CO 183 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF Even though the Joint Line has two tracks and directional running, there is still one siding along Main 1 between Sedalia and Castle Rock. It is the siding of Orsa. Even with the addition of CTC to the Joint Line, the siding is still just has hand throws at either end and likely hasn't been used in years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109559 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Orsa Castle Rock, CO 147 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF The town of Castle Rock, like all towns along the Front Range, continues to grow. New commercial buildings have been built (and continue to be built) along Main 1, one of which is ready to lease! Meanwhile, yet another coal train rolls south. An act that has been repeated tens of thousands of times over the years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109560 Date Shot Photo By Monday, October 2, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sedalia Sedalia, CO 141 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Union Pacific A pair of UP AC4400CWs pull a pair of FRA cars south on Main 1 in Sedalia. The FRA does indeed do periodic testing throughout the rail system in the United States. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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