An eastbound coal load...one of few that run on the Moffat these days...emerges from the tunnel in glorious morning light amidst a sea of fall colors.
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An SD70ACe and an AC4400CW lead a loaded coal train out the Moffat Tunnel at the end of September, just as fall colors are hitting their peaks. The coal train loaded at the West Elk mine on the North Fork Branch. There only seems to be about one coal train every few weeks on the Moffat these days, so this was a nice morning surprise.
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A UP coal load passes by some maintenance of way equipment currently tied down in the house track at East Portal. The coal load has the standard 2x3x1 setup as far as power goes. Dynamic brakes are starting to whine in the valley as the grade downhill grade increases.
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A UP coal load snakes out of the valley that the Moffat Tunnel is located in, following alongside the siding at East Portal on one side and South Boulder Creek on the other side.
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This UP coal load is about to cross Tolland Road at the grade crossing near the east switch of East Portal. If you look off in the distance, you can actually see the east portal of the Moffat Tunnel.
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A UP coal load wraps around one of the last curves in the narrow part of the valley leading up to the west end of Rollins. The fall colors around Rollins are really hitting their peak.
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This eastbound coal load is slowing as it rolls through the siding at Cliff. The house track is located to the left and the main, still cast in shadows, is on the right. The train will wait for a westbound unit oil train.
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UP 8879 is about to come to a stop on the siding at Cliff. A westbound empty oil train is about 20 minutes away. After meeting the oil train, the coal load will continue east, meeting the Zephyr at Crescent.
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This westbound oil empty is stopped on the main at Rollins. The train tripped the hotbox detector at MP 39.2. Consequently, the conductor is inspecting the car that reported the hotbox, car 87. He has actually completed his inspection and found nothing wrong. He is walking back up to the head end. The Zephyr is not too far away, and will run around the oil train through the siding.
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Running right on schedule, the westbound Zephyr follows along South Boulder Creek, the head actually crossing over the creek here between Rollins and Tolland. Fall colors above 8,000 feet or so are really reaching their peak.
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Passengers aboard the Zephyr are no doubt really enjoying the trip west this morning! Fall colors are about their peak brilliance as the Zephyr charges west toward a green signal at the east end of Tolland. There is barely a cloud in the sky this morning. Couldn't ask for better conditions.
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After checking for a potential hotbox on the train, the conductor is back on board the head end. With the Zephyr a couple blocks ahead, the train has received a signal to continue west.
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Just west of Rollins, there is a sea of yellow as deciduous trees start their transition from summer to winter. The winds can get very high up here and these leaves could be blown off the trees in just another week. Meanwhile, a westbound oil empty throttles up as it continues west toward the Moffat Tunnel.
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Most of the trees in the valley in which Tolland is located are in full fall colors on this third day of autumn. A westbound UP oil empty crosses the grade crossing at Tolland Road as it continues west toward the Moffat Tunnel.
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A westbound oil empty rolls through full fall colors as it approaches a clear (green) signal at the west end of East Portal. The train will dive in to the Moffat Tunnel to pass underneath the Continental Divide.
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