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Photo ID: 112930
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Detector (MP 22.6)
Arvada, CO
488
(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.
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Photo ID: 112929
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Coal Creek (MP 23)
Arvada, CO
485
(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.
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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
526
(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.
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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
427
(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.
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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
451
(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.
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Photo ID: 112908
Date Shot
Photo By
Thursday, August 7, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Rocky (7,330ft)
Arvada, CO
487
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
An SD70ACe leads an eastbound loaded oil train in the siding at Rocky. DS-378 has set up a great meet with the westbound Zephyr, which is just to the east, entering Barbara's Gulch right now. After the meet, the oil train will continue east to Denver.
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Photo ID: 112878
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
BNSF Engine House
Denver, CO
427
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots BNSF
Sitting near the BNSF engine house was this SD75M! SD75s (both SD75Ms and SD75Is) have become exceedingly rare in recent years. BNSF has been keeping most of them in long term storage. Loved catching this one on this Friday morning.
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Photo ID: 112877
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
BNSF Engine House
Denver, CO
446
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots BNSF
Love that this "yellow bonnet" GP39-2 has been hanging out around Denver lately, and working as a yard job switcher at BNSF's 31st Street Yard.
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Photo ID: 112876
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
BNSF Engine House
Denver, CO
441
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots BNSF
The fuel tracks and BNSF ready tracks are busy as ever as crew work to refuel and prep units for their next assignment.
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Photo ID: 112857
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, July 21, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2)
Arvada, CO
383
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
Three units bring up the tail end of an eastbound oil train on Big Ten Curve. As has become relatively common of late, there is a Norfolk Southern unit mixed in with the two BNSF DPUs. Several of these oil trains are originating east of the Mississippi on Norfolk Southern. Not sure if that is the case for this train or not.
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Photo ID: 112856
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, July 21, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2)
Arvada, CO
386
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
A trio of elephant-style BNSF units lead a loaded eastbound BNSF oil train through the S-curve on the north edge of Big Ten Curve toward a clear (green) signal at the west end of Rocky. The evening has brought with it partly cloudy skies. Fortunately at the moment, we are in the "partly" portion, great evening light cast on the eastbound.
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Photo ID: 112855
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, July 21, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2)
Arvada, CO
380
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
This is a shot that I have come to really enjoy. The perspective with an eastbound coming around Big Ten with the Denver Skyline in the distance makes for a cool shot. BNSF 5888 is leading an eastbound oil load on the trip east. I think it is interesting that the number boards on the SD70ACe are inverse, with black numbers on white boards.
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Photo ID: 112854
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, July 21, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2)
Arvada, CO
376
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
From the hill between Rocky and Eisele (Clay), we look up the slope at an eastbound BNSF oil train, just coming out of Eisele (Clay) and heading to the south edge of Big Ten Curve. There are some clouds building to the south, although they will not end up resulting in any significant precipitation.
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Photo ID: 112853
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, July 21, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft)
Arvada, CO
391
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
The last few fleeting moments of sunlight on the main at the east end of Eisele (Clay) light up the lead units of this eastbound oil train. The train will continue to Denver without stopping, although it will meet a westbound UP manifest, holding at Arvada.
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Photo ID: 112852
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, July 21, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Cliff (6,900 ft)
Boulder County, CO
381
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
After meeting a very late westbound Zephyr here at Cliff, this eastbound BNSF oil train is preparing to depart east. While DS-378 has set up a clear (green) signal out of Cliff, PTC is still showing a red. The engineer would log out of PTC and log back in, resolving the issue and allowing the oil train to depart eastbound.
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