Photo ID: 114322 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel (MP 50.2, 6.2 miles) Gilpin County, CO 14 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound UP coal load is approaching the east end of the Moffat Tunnel on a beautiful September morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114323 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel (MP 50.2, 6.2 miles) Gilpin County, CO 14 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific For nearly 100 autumns, eastbounds have emerged from the Moffat Tunnel with a great backdrop of fall colors. Such is the case this morning as a UP AC4400CW emerges on the point of an eastbound coal load. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114324 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 13 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This eastbound coal train, which loaded at the West Elk Mine on the North Fork branch, rolls down grade at the west end of East Portal. Fall colors here at East Portal have just about reached their peak. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114325 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 15 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific There are a lot of cars in the East Portal parking lot this morning as a lot of people came up this Sunday morning to check out the fall colors. I would wager that the vast majority of the people pay little attention to the UP coal load that is rolling by on the main track here, after just emerging from the Moffat Tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114326 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 12 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Fortunately (for me), this eastbound originally had a red signal at the west end of East Portal and briefly stopped inside the Moffat Tunnel. I say that it was fortunate for me because the train was going slow enough that I was able to beat it to the grade crossing at the east end and get this shot. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114327 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 14 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This is, without question, one of my favorite locations on the Moffat is here just east of Tolland where the track crosses over South Boulder Creek. On a beautiful, crisp September morning, a pair of UP GEs leads a loaded coal across the creek. Fall colors this year, so far, have been a bit more erratic than in most years. Some trees are at their peak, while others are still very green. Of note, UP 6290 was originally SP 244 when delivered in 1995. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114328 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 11 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The West Elk Mine has been trying to get new contracts and up its production in recent months. It appears that it has, to some extent, been successful as more coal trains have returned to the Moffat. This eastbound coal load is following along South Boulder Creek between Tolland and Rollins. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114329 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins (8,320 ft) Gilpin County, CO 13 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This eastbound coal load is in the siding at Rollins, slowing to a stop at a red signal. It will be stuck here for about two hours. A westbound Denver-Provo went into emergency just west of Crescent and the conductor is walking the train. Once it starts moving again, the train will take the siding at Cliff and let the morning Zephyr pass by to meet the coal load here. Note that you can just see the single DPU on the back of the train in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114330 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins (8,320 ft) Gilpin County, CO 13 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A couple of steers are hanging out in the field along the Moffat Tunnel Sub where an eastbound coal load is stopped in the siding. Per the usual coal train arrangement, a single DPU is bringing up the rear. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114331 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins (8,320 ft) Gilpin County, CO 13 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Four units are cut in as mid-train swing helpers on this eastbound coal load. One of the units may look a bit out of place! That fourth unit is indeed an SD40-2...not a sight you see on coal trains in 2026. In reality, this SD40-2 is not online. It is either due for inspection, or it is defective and in need of repair. Either way, rather than waiting for UP's thrice-weekly MGJNY, it looks like it was added to this coal train for convenience (and faster transportation). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114332 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins (8,320 ft) Gilpin County, CO 13 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A UP SD40-2 is essentially "catching a ride" on an eastbound coal load. It is likely headed to North Platte, NE either for a 92-day inspection, or for repair. Kinda cool seeing it on a coal train, even if it is not working. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114333 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS032 (West Crescent) Boulder County, CO 14 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This westbound BNSF manifest (two DPUs seen on the rear here) went into emergency and has come to a stop. Unfortunately, the head end of the train is right in the middle of Tunnel 22. That has made it a little more difficult as the head end cannot communicate with DS-378. The conductor walked the train and found no problems. She the used the radio in the DPU to update DS-378. After the long walk to the head end, the train is going to continue west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114334 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS032 (West Crescent) Boulder County, CO 10 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The westbound Zephyr took the siding at Crescent. The westbound Denver-Provo manifest went into emergency and stopped just shy of the west switch. The conductor is walking back to the head end after inspecting the train (and finding nothing). The train will soon continue west and take the siding at Cliff to allow the Zephyr to overtake it. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114335 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Gilpin County, CO 14 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF 5616 is pulling into the siding at Cliff, approaching a red signal at the west end. It is getting in the clear so the morning Zephyr can overtake the train. The Zephyr will pass by on the main track. DS-378 is doing his best to keep Amtrak moving, giving it the highest priority he can. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 114336 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 20, 2026 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 16 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 13 and AMTK 203 (the Operation Lifesaver unit) lead the westbound California Zephyr by Tolland amidst some very nice fall colors. The Zephyr has shifted to winter operations, meaning there are now only two coaches on the train due to lower offseason demand. During the summer, the train generally had a third coach added. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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