Photo ID: 111040 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Routt County, CO 176 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The westbound Phippsburg Local crosses a private grade crossing on the main at Crater. This siding is only 5,160 feet long, and probably has not actually had a meet at it in many years, if not decades. The horn that just echoed through the canyon will likely be the only one heard for at least the next 24-48 hours. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111041 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 48 Routt County, CO 185 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Deep in Rock Creek Canyon, the Phippsburg Local emerges from Tunnel 48 on the Craig Branch. The west portal of Tunnel 46 is also visible on the right side of the frame. Tunnel 47 is obscured behind a curve. There are rumors that UP is trying to negotiate with UP to potentially bring daily passenger runs between Denver and Steamboat Springs. That would be great, allowing people to see the amazing scenery. Scenery that hasn't been scene by train passengers since the demise of the Yampa Valley Mail, the final train running on April 8, 1968. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111042 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rock Creek Canyon Routt County, CO 122 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific When the Moffat route was originally built and the railroad was faced with Rock Creek Canyon, there were two options. Build a roughly 1,800 foot long bridge across the canyon, or build back into the canyon roughly a mile in and back out, where a fill and four tunnels could facilitate the journey. The railroad chose the latter option. The westbound Phippsburg Local has just completed that journey in and out, and is now continuing west toward Phippsburg. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111043 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS144 (West Volcano) Routt County, CO 147 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific At the west end of Volcano, UP 6038 and UP 6543 lead 38 covered hoppers west on the Craig Branch. Volcano is the longest siding between Bond and Phippsburg, at 7,470 feet in length. It was a common place for coal loads to meet empties 20 years ago, when multiple coal trains were loaded a day on the branch. Today, the siding sits empty, no meets being required. Note the classic Denver and Salt Lake searchlight signals. It is not worth the investment from UP to upgrade the signals on this, the least-used stretch of mainline track with CTC in the country. Its almost surprising that UP hasn't shut down the CTC in favor of track warrants. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111044 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 49 (299') Routt County, CO 198 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Not too far west of the siding of Volcano, the track make a near 180° turn to head toward Toponas (the next siding west) and, eventually, Phippsburg, CO. On the first curve, the tracks pass through Tunnel 49. A pair of GEs lead the Phippsburg Local as it approaches the tunnel. After this tunnel, there are six more the train will pass through prior to reaching the yard in Phippsburg. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111045 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 49 (299') Routt County, CO 112 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Just west of Tunnel 49, the Phippsburg Local curves along the mainline of the Craig Branch on its journey west from Bond to the yard in Phippsburg. UP used to run a train between North Yard and Phippsburg (and back), but stopped doing that about five years ago. Now, instead, the MNYGJ and MGJNY pick up and/or setout cars at Bond for the Phippsburg Local. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111046 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Dell Eagle County, CO 162 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Amtrak Over the course of the (roughly) 36 miles of the Dotsero Cutoff between West Bond and Dotsero, there are two siding for meets. When heading west, the first siding is Dell, which is located a canyon not directly visible from Colorado River Road. The east end half of the 7,430 foot long siding is straight, while the west half is on a sweeping curve. The westbound Zephyr, with Phase 7 AMTK 167 in the second position, moves toward a clear (green) signal at the west end of Dell. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111047 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS131 (West Bond) Bond, CO 181 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Rocky Mountaineer, Union Pacific Similar to last year, the Rocky Mountaineer has once again run with UP power more frequently in 2024 than with its own GP40-3s. This Sunday was no exception as the train departs the west end of Bond and crosses over the Colorado River. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111048 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Bond to Dell Eagle County, CO 160 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Amtrak The Dotsero Cutoff is one of the newest stretches of significant mainline in Colorado. "Newest", in this case, is relative as the cutoff was completed in June 1934. The cutoff created a vital connection between Denver and Salt Lake City, eliminating the need for trains from Denver to run south to Pueblo and west over Tennessee Pass. 175 miles were cut out of the old route. Here, the eastbound Zephyr winds along the Colorado River near the east end of the cutoff under dramatic skies. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111049 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Bond to Dell Eagle County, CO 211 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Amtrak The eastbound Zephyr passes by the Rocking F Ranch west of Bond. The ranch, located on the Colorado River, has horses, a tennis court, and a few holes for a golf course! The train will pass through Yarmony Tunnel just ahead, and then knock down a clear (green) signal at West Bond. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111050 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Bond to Dell Eagle County, CO 140 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific This westbound oil train was tied down in the east siding at Bond for about two hours while waiting for a relief crew from Yampa. After meeting the eastbound Zephyr at the west end of Bond, the empty train has clear (green) signals for the foreseeable future as there are no other eastbounds nearby. The train is wrapping around one of the many curves along the Colorado River, currently between Bond and Dell. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111051 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Dell Eagle County, CO 117 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific Some of deciduous foliage around Dell looks to be on the brink of shifting into fall color mode as a westbound oil empty rolls by in the canyon on the main track. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111052 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Dell to Range Eagle County, CO 137 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific Along the Dotsero Cutoff, the tracks cross from one side of the Colorado River to the other multiple time. One such bridge is right around MP 149.5 in red canyon. I am not sure if red canyon is the official name, but I do know that, as a kid, I always referred to these mountains as sunburnt mountains. A westbound oil train crosses the Colorado River as thunderstorms build to the east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111053 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS156 (West Dell) Eagle County, CO 121 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific UP 5251 sports UP's newest paint scheme as it leads a long, empty oil train out the west end of Range. The train is crossing a bridge that allows people to access Horse Creek, part of Eagle County Open Space. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111054 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP RG342 (East Dotsero) Eagle County, CO 118 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Glenwood Springs (UP) Union Pacific This westbound oil empty has reached the western end of the Dotsero Cutoff, at Dotsero. The train just knocked down a clear (green) signal at the east end. The same control point at East Dotsero also provides access to Tennessee Pass from the west. You can see the track just above the the spot where the oil train winds to the left. The Minturn Local (which hasn't run as far in Minturn in decades) still runs a few miles to Gypsum on the west end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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