Photo ID: 110320 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 98 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A quintet of P42DCs, including Phase 7 AMTK 174 and Phase 1 AMTK 161, are on the point of what looks like an extra long California Zephyr. In fact, the last five cars of the train are the Superliners that were used on the Winter Park Express Ski Train this winter season. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110321 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 87 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak This has got to be one of the most colorful consists of Amtrak power since the first days of Amtrak when they used units from various freight roads! In addition to three Phase 5 P42DCs, AMTK 174 (Phase 7) and AMTK 161 (Phase 1) are both in the consist as well. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110322 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 89 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Seeing the California Zephyr on this morning makes me think of the 1980s when the California Zephyr, Pioneer, and Desert Wind were all combined as a single train between Denver and Salt Lake City! On this morning, however, only the first seven Superliners actually have passengers in them. The five cars at the end are all empty as they were picked up in Denver. These are the Superliners that were used on the Winter Express Ski Train this winter. The season just ended last Sunday. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110323 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 90 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr with a few extra units and five extra Superliners make their way through the S-Curves at Blue Mountain as seen from the top of Tunnel 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110324 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 125 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Five P42DCs lead the westbound Zephyr across the classic Rio Grande bridge that crosses CO-72 at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. The scene was viewed from the top of Tunnel 1. I applied an effect known as "Iris Shift" that blurs the perimeter of the photos, drawing the attention to the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110325 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 100 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 23 leads four other P42DCs, a baggage car, and 12 Superliners on the grinding climb up the 2% grade to Tunnel 1. The extra units and five of the Superliners were picked up in Denver this morning as they were used on the Winter Park Express Ski Train this winter season. A season that ended three days earlier on Easter Sunday. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110326 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 97 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A substantially longer (and more colorful) than normal westbound Zephyr climbs up the grade to the east portal of Tunnel 1. Two of the five P42DCs and five of the Superliners (on the end of the train) were picked up in Denver. Equipment used on the Winter Park Express Ski Train in the 2023-2024 winter season. With the season complete, the equipment heads west to Emeryville to be put back in standard service. A fellow railfan sits atop Tunnel 1 in a red shirt, capturing the unique scene. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110327 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS024 (East Plain) Arvada, CO 91 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The California Zephyr is combined with the equipment from the Winter Park Express on the main at Plain. The combined trainsets are reminiscent of 40 years ago in the 1980s when the California Zephyr was combined with the Pioneer and Desert Wind between Chicago and Salt Lake City. Would be great if passenger levels allowed for train lengths like this on a regular basis in 2024! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.