Photo ID: 112936 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 36 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A single UP ES44AC heads west on the main at Rocky, meeting an eastbound BNSF oil train. The oil train just arrived and is going to tie down in the siding as there is no room in Denver for the train at the moment. The single UP unit has a green signal and is going to continue westbound by itself. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112935 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 34 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP sent a single ES44AC west out of North Yard west on the Moffat. While I do not know why, I would imagine it was being sent to rescue a train that had an engine fail somewhere to the west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112934 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 33 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF This eastbound oil train has been told that 31st Street yard in Denver currently has no room for the train, so it is going to tie down in the siding at Rocky. The van driver that is picking the crew up is new to the territory...she drove past Rocky and was halfway up Big Ten when she met the eastbound train. The crew told her she should turn around and go back to the east end of Rocky. You can see the van on the right side of the shot, getting ready to turn around. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112933 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 27 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This shot does a really good job of demonstrating the terrain and the grade of the Moffat between the east end of Eisele (Clay) and partway down the north edge of Big Ten Curve. A trio of DPUs bring up the rear of this loaded oil train this afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112932 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 24 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF BNSF almost always runs oil trains on the Moffat in a 3x(0)x3 configuration, and this afternoon is no exception. Although the DPUs on the end cannot be seen in the shadows at Eisele (Clay), an NS ET44AC and two BNSF units clearly lead this oil train out the east end of Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112931 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 33 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF The east switch of Eisele (Clay) has become one of my favorite spots for pictures of eastbounds. I like the look of the rails along the base of the Rockies. An eastbound oil load passes by the east switch, an NS ET44AC on the head end. The train will be entering the siding at Rocky as there is "no room at the inn" at the yard in Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112930 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Detector (MP 22.6) Arvada, CO 24 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF NS 3641 has just passed by the hotbox detector at MP 22.6. The detector is now counting axles and looking for abnormal heat signature that might indicate a manual brake that has been applied on the train. No such heat signature would be detected today. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112929 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF It would seem that BNSF and Norfolk Southern have a joint contract with a company that wants Utah oil. Whomever it is, they must be east of the Mississippi on NS rails. Lately, it has become relatively common to see Norfolk Southern units on BNSF oil trains. Likely the railroads are not always taking the time to fully swap out power when turning the train over to one another. Here, an NS ET44AC leads an eastbound oil train at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112928 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF Just east of Plain, NS 3641 leads a BNSF loaded oil train toward the west portal of Tunnel 1. If the proposed UP/NS merger is ultimately approved, many more Norfolk Southern units might appears on the Moffat when the combined roster starts mixing between the two railroads. For now, NS leased units are all we might see in Colorado. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112927 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft) Boulder County, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF There are not that many Tier-4 units in the United States. Even less common (in Colorado) are Norfolk Southern ET44ACs. However, there just happened to be one leading an eastbound BNSF oil train on the Moffat this afternoon. The train is coming through the shortest tunnel in the Tunnel District, Tunnel 29. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112926 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft) Boulder County, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF It is certainly possible that shots like this will become way more common in the next few years. On July 29th, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern officially announced their intention to merge. We are probably 18 to 24 months away from a final decision, but if all the regulatory approvals go through, a lot of Norfolk Southern units might show up on the Moffat until they are repainted in whatever scheme results from the merger. In this picture, an NS ET44AC leads a BNSF oil train out of Tunnel 29. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112925 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 28 (Daylighted) Boulder County, CO 24 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This is a classic perspective of the tracks between (daylighted) Tunnel 28 and Tunnel 29. The red-ish rock just behind the last passenger car marks what is left of Tunnel 28. The reason for this passenger train was not known to any railfans. At least, no railfans I know. It was supposedly a deadhead move, although there was some speculation that perhaps it was related to the UP/NS merger announced on July 29th. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112924 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 27 (MP 36.4, 650 ft) Boulder County, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Just west of Tunnel 27, the evening light couldn't be better as a UP passenger train, deadheading west, nears the west end of the Tunnel District. This train is headed to Grand Junction this evening. UP 6045 was recently repainted in UP's newest scheme, sporting the classic shield on the nose and the flag on the sides of the nose. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112923 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 27 (MP 36.4, 650 ft) Boulder County, CO 27 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This UP passenger train is just emerging from Tunnel 27 on its trip west through the Tunnel District. If you were to stand at either portal of Tunnel 27, you would not see any hint of light from the opposite portal as there is a 90° bend in the middle of the tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112922 Date Shot Photo By Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The shot of westbound climbing to Tunnel 1 is, ironically, better suited for morning shots than afternoon shots. That is because this is one spot where westbounds are essentially headed geographically east. Regardless, this UP passenger train still looks great as it approaches the east portal of Tunnel 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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