Photo ID: 111876 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 110 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 151 and AMTK 57 lead thew eastbound Zephyr through a scene at Eisele (Clay) that is entirely dominated by frozen frost on all of the vegetation. The train is a bit behind schedule today, running about 90 minutes late. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111877 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 86 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak While there was not a lot of snowfall overnight, there was a log of fog. That fog turned to freezing fog when polar airs brought the temperature down to close to 0°F (-18°C). That resulted in a lot of rime ice forming on the vegetation. Here, at 11am, the temperature is still only 10°F (-12°C) out. That along with the overcast skies are keeping the rime ice on the trees and plants as the westbound Zephyr comes through the scene at West Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111878 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Detector (MP 22.6) Arvada, CO 106 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A few light snowflakes are falling in this frozen scene as the Zephyr passes by the hotbox detector at MP 22.6, just west of the Blue Mountain grade crossing. When the detector offers up its readout, it will indicate the temperature is a bitter cold 10°F (-12°C) out. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111879 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 93 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Rime ice is formed by fog (precipitation in the air) freezing onto vegetation. However, the rime ice typically does not form on rocks and dirt. The result is the ability to tell at a glance what is vegetation and what is not! The red rock face to the right creates a stark contrast to the winter white pine trees to the left as the Zephyr splits to two, climbing toward Tunnel 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111880 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 107 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak This scene has an almost other-worldly quality to it with rime ice stuck to the pine trees and a lot of the vegetation. The reddish dirt and rock stand in stark contrast as the 90 minute late westbound Zephyr approaches the east portal of Tunnel 1. The little bit of fog floating around adds to the curiousness of the morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111881 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 82 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF An eastbound BNSF oil train is tied down in the siding at Rocky, awaiting a crew to come out of Denver to take it the rest of the way in. Plenty of snow from the Colorado high country is built up on the plow of the lead unit. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111882 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 85 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF It's hard to get a shot that feels much colder than this. Despite the relative lack of snow on the ground, the thick rime ice that has formed on the vegetation is bone-chilling. A BNSF oil train sits in the siding at Rocky, tied down and patiently waiting for a fresh crew. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111883 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 80 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF typically runs loaded oil trains on the Moffat in a 3x(0)x3 configuration. However, this particularly load has a somewhat interesting 3x(0)x4 configuration. There are indeed four DPUs on the back end of the train here, tied down in the siding at Rocky. Rime ice brings a muted, powdery effect to the area. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111884 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 73 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The final DPU on an eastbound oil train shows evidence of the heavy snows the train faced in the Colorado high country on the journey east. Snow is on the front porch, and has actually built up in some of the air intakes along the long hood of the ES44AC. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.