Photo ID: 111600 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 111 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 8854 is holding on the main at the west end of Rocky. Why is it holding on the main? Because it will be meeting an eastbound oil train that is currently above it, on the main at Eisele (Clay). Usually, the first train to arrive for a meet would take the siding, but in this case, the eastbound will hold the siding at Rocky for the westbound Zephyr. The flag on UP 8854 has definitely seen better days. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111601 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 131 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound UP oil train leaves the main at Eisele (Clay) behind, and will be taking the siding at Rocky to meet a westbound UP oil empty, as well as the westbound Zephyr, which is just departing Union Station. Note the westbound at Rocky, already waiting on the main track of the eastbounds arrival. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111602 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 157 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound unit oil train is on the south edge of Big Ten Loop, three units on the point. The train has 93 loaded oil tank cars with three units on the point and three units on the tail end. This is the first time I've seen this configuration on a UP oil train on the Moffat. Typically, UP has run their trains in a 2x2x2 or 2x2x1 configuration. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111603 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 151 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific On the final day of 2024, an eastbound UP unit oil train wraps around the east edge of Big Ten Curve, continuing its descent toward Rocky. A recently rebuilt (and repainted) C44ACM leads the train, with a ET44AC second. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111604 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 105 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The conductor for this westbound oil train is on the ground, ready to give a roll by to an eastbound oil load that will take the siding. As you can see, the switch is bent for the siding, and the signal is showing a red-over-yellow (Diverging Approach) aspect for the approaching train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111605 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 185 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific At the west end of Rocky, an eastbound UP oil train takes the siding, meeting a westbound oil empty. These oil trains have truly given new life to the Moffat over the last 1-2 years. Granted they are not nearly as common as coal trains once were, but they have increased the average number of trains in a 24 hour period from 5-6 to 7-8. UP 5919 is taking the siding not only to meet the empty on the main, but also to meet the westbound Zephyr, currently around Utah Jct. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111606 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 150 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the final day of 2024, I decided to try to replicate the first shot I took on New Year's Day to start the year. You can see the photo that I am referring to, taken at the west switch of Leyden. Getting the westbound Zephyr at this same spot today felt like a nice way to book end the year. It was a record-setting year for ColoradoRailfan. I added 1,627 photos to my site, obliterating the previous record of 1,060 that I set in 2023. I look forward to bringing more pictures to everyone in 2025! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111607 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 109 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Between Arvada and Leyden, in the middle of Arvada, the tracks go through a cut that is surrounded by some trees and gives it a real rural look, despite being in the city. UP 5919 leads a loaded oil train through the cut, headed toward Bypass 2 in Denver for some power changing and a crew change. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111608 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 115 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific After several hours of overcast skies this morning, the sun has largely broken through the clouds to light up the three units on the point of this eastbound loaded oil train, wrapping through the cut around MP 9 in the middle of Arvada. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111609 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 151 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF After waiting for about 15 minutes at Arvada (CP DS007), this BNSF oil empty gets its turn on the single track main of the Moffat to head west. As is pretty common on BNSF oil trains, six units are on the head end of the train, though only three of the units are actually online and loading. The trailing three are currently just catching a ride. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111610 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 171 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The final shot of 2024 for me! Six BNSF units - all GE except for a single SD70ACe - lead a westbound oil empty through Arvada on the way west to Wellington, UT. From there, the power will be changed and the train will return east in a 3x3 configuration. That, of course, will happen in 2025. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.