Photo ID: 112409 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Elba (5,490 ft) Grand County, UT 73 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF If you are a railfan, you are likely aware of the fact that it is not uncommon to find Montana Rail Link (MRL) SD70ACes on BNSF trains. BNSF purchased and took over control of MRL at the start of 2024. When that happened, BNSF also took over ownership of all MRL power, and the SD70ACes in particular have been scattered throughout the BNSF system. Here, MRL 4306 sits as the second unit on the Denver-Provo in the siding of Elba. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112410 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Elba (5,490 ft) Grand County, UT 78 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF Although BNSF has nearly 800 SD70MACs on the roster, it seems that large swaths of them are in storage these days. It actually feels a little rare to catch one out on the mainline. If you look closely, you might also notice that BNSF 9725 is now designated as an SD70MACe. BNSF partnered with Progress Rail to update 24 SD70MACs. The upgrades included replacing the original Siemens electronics with modern Mitsubishi electronics, installing new traction motors, and upgrading the cab to an isolated cab for crew comfort. The units also received the New Image paint scheme, if they were not already sporting it. Most SD70MACs still wear the Heritage 2 scheme. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112411 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Elba to Sagers (MP 516.2 to MP 519.9) Grand County, UT 98 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak Passing by the intermediate signal on the approach to Elba, the eastbound California Zephyr is hustling along at track speed as it has clear (green) signals ahead. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112412 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Elba to Sagers (MP 516.2 to MP 519.9) Grand County, UT 97 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Amtrak The eastbound Zephyr is trying to make up a little time this morning as it is currently running roughly two hours behind schedule. With the Book Cliffs as a backdrop, the train is moving at around 70 MPH across the Utah desert. A BNSF manifest is in the siding at Elba, waiting for the arrival of the Zephyr. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112413 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Elba to Sagers (MP 516.2 to MP 519.9) Grand County, UT 77 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF After meeting the Provo-Denver and the eastbound California Zephyr, it is finally the Denver-Provo's turn to head west across the desert. The train is departing the siding of Elba and taking on the climb up Thompson Hill, a trio of EMDs in charge on the head end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112414 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Thompson Curve (MP 526.5) Grand County, UT 98 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF While I think the Utah desert brings some incredible beauty with it, few spots are quite as delightful as the area known as Thompson Curve. This curve is near the top of Thompson Hill, and just east of the siding of Thompson. A westbound BNSF Denver-Provo is winding its way through the curves on a fantastic, partly cloudy Sunday morning. MRL 4306 is second in the consist, helping on the journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112415 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Thompson Curve (MP 526.5) Grand County, UT 89 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) BNSF A pair of ES44ACs bring up the tail end of the westbound Denver-Provo on the long wrap around Thompson Curve. This manifest will end up having to sit east of Solitude for a couple of hours while waiting for UP MOW to work through a maintenance window. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112416 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 4, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Green River to Sphinx (MP 555.8 to MP 560.9) Grand County, UT 65 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Green River (UP) Union Pacific The final shot on this particular journey to the Utah desert for me came just west of the west switch of Green River. DS-378 informed this eastbound coal empty that they would be holding at Green River for "at least an hour, and possibly longer". UP has a maintenance window ahead at Solitude. The empty will take the siding at Green River to wait not only for the maintenance window to clear up, but for BNSF's Denver to Provo as well. The train is coming to a stop west of the west switch for a few minutes to allow the conductor to run over to a gas station in Green River and pick up a few snacks for himself and the engineer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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