Less than ten minutes after sunrise, the only UP manifest that still runs on the Moffat is approaching the grade crossing at Plain. The rest of the train is still making its way through Tunnels 2, 3, and 4.
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A trio of units leads a UP manifest out the east end of Plain on a clear (green) signal. Most of the train consists of covered hoppers and empty center beam flats.
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Minutes after sunrise, UP's MGJNY (Manifest, Grand Junction, CO to North Yard in Denver, CO) rolls east toward Tunnel 1. UP's manifest between Denver and Grand Junction (and back) is the only regularly scheduled manifest UP still runs on the Moffat. It runs each direction three times a week.
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Just west of the switch that leads up the hill (to the right) on the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead, Amtrak's Winter Park Express Ski Train is rolling with its four coaches and lounge car on the main.
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UP's MGJNY has slowed to a stop on the main track at Eisele (Clay). The Winter Park Express is climbing out of Rocky and will wrap around Big Ten, entering the siding at Eisele (Clay) to meet the manifest. The manifest has 101 cars and will not fit between switches, so the Winter Park Express will briefly have to stop to wait for it to clear the west switch.
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"Diverging Approach, Fireclay". The westbound Winter Park Express just called a Diverging Approach (red over yellow) as it enters in to the siding at Eisele (Clay) to met a UP eastbound manifest holding on the main.
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The sun has only been up for about 20 minutes as the Winter Park Express Ski Train rolls west on the siding at Eisele (Clay). A 6,000-foot manifest is holding on the main track, getting ready to continue east on a clear (green) signal at the east end.
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AMTK 171 is leading the Winter Park Express Ski Train this morning. Note the orange covering on the coupler of 171. It is there to prevent snow from building up on the coupler, preventing it from being used. Once reaching Fraser, the power will run around the train.
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It looks like UP may have pulled a bunch of center beam flats out of storage, possibly from somewhere in the desert between Grand Junction and Helper. This is a long strand of them on the Grand Junction to Denver manifest. The Winter Park Express is waiting for them to clear, sitting in the siding at Eisele (Clay).
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UP's MGJNY has cleared the west switch of Eisele (Clay) and the Winter Park Express has an Advanced Approach (flashing yellow) signal as it departs west. You can see the manifest wrapping around Big Ten Curve in the distance, the tail end still within the block on the main at Eisele (Clay).
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Three BNSF GEs lead an early morning loaded oil train east on the main at Plain. As the head end comes through Rainbow Cut, you can clearly see some of the train in the background passing by the west switch of Plain.
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An pair of ES44ACs, with an SD70ACe spliced in between, lead a loaded eastbound oil train through Rainbow Cut and down the main at Plain. The nose door and some of the long hood doors on the lead unit appear to be brand new. Or, at a minimum, they are only in primer and not yes painted for BNSF.
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This eastbound BNSF oil train had a nice surprise as a Kansas City Southern AC4400CW is the trailing DPU on the main at Plain.
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The westbound Zephyr is about 15 minutes late after getting briefly held up at Arvada waiting for the MGJNY. The train makes it way through Barbara's Gulch, man-made Standley Lake off in the distance.
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The crew on the westbound Zephyr just changed from channel 14 to channel 23 here at the east end of Rocky. The train is now entering the siding on a Diverging Advanced Approach (red over flashing yellow). A BNSF oil train is sitting on the main, but is clear of the west switch, so the Zephyr will really be delayed.
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