In preparation for the 2024 season, the Rocky Mountaineer's "Rockies to the Red Rocks" is making a test run west. The train is approaching Little Ten Curve, passing alongside a westbound BNSF coal load currently tied down in the siding at Rocky.
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Last season, the Rocky Mountaineer had some issues with the GP40-3s used for power. This year, two EMD leasers came to town to assist with the trips. An SD40M-2 (formerly an SD45) and an SD18M will help out the Mountaineer for the 2024 season. After finding (and fixing) an air leak, the train is about to depart west out of Rocky.
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A test run of the Rockies to the Red Rocks is heading west out of Rocky on the climb up Big Ten Curve. Note the tracks up the hillside at Eisele (Clay), where the train will be in just a few minutes.
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A pair of bright blue leaser units will be helping out the Rocky Mountaineer this season. Last year, the Mountaineer frequently borrowed power from UP when there were problems with the GP40-3s. The two leasers are both six axle units, making for an interesting look, spliced between the RM GP40-3s on the point of the train as it climbs Big Ten Curve.
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RMRX 2021 leads a westbound test of the 2024 Rocky Mountaineer on the main at Eisele (Clay). A former SD45 (now an SD40M-2) and an SD18M are on lease for the season to assist in the trips between Denver and Moab.
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A quartet of units leads the westbound Rockies to the Red Rocks out the west end of Eisele (Clay) on a test run west in advance to the start of the 2024 season, coming in two weeks.
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In a scene repeated countless times for well over a century, a westbound train crosses over CO-72 at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. On this particular morning, the westbound happens to be a test run of the Rocky Mountaineer. The two brighter blue units cut between the RM GP40-2s are leased units to help with the run this weekend.
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Just east of the east portal of Tunnel 1, four units are kicking up some exhaust, pulling the up the 2% grade. The train is (mostly) empty, as this is just a test run for the upcoming 2024 season.
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Test Run 2024! With the 2024 season of the Rocky Mountaineer's Rockies to the Red Rockies starting in two weeks, a test run ran today, heading west from Denver toward Glenwood Springs (tonight) and Moab (tomorrow). The GP40-3s sporting the RM paint had some mechanical issues last year and the RM had to borrow power from UP several times. This year, two six-axle units have been brought in (leased) to help out the train.
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HZRX is a leased SD40M-2 from Horizon Rail Leasing. It started life decades ago as an SD45 and has now found life after Class 1 railroads.
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HZRX 187 is a rather unique engine. It was built as an SD18 in the early 1960s. There were only 114 such units produced by EMD. 60 of those were actually built as export units, meaning only 54 units were in the US. It has since been rebuilt and is now classified as an SD18M.
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