This was the one and only time I personally saw tunnel motors assisting an eastbound manifest up the western slope of Soldier Summit. Soon after the year 2000, DPU came to Utah and the tunnel motors were no longer needed. Here, they push on the back of the MRODV on main two at Gilluly.
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SP 5350, once DRGW 5350 prior to being repainted in 1995, assists in the push through the loops at Gilluly.
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It was not uncommon in the late 1990's to find manned helpers (based out of Helper) assisting eastbound manifest, such as the MRODV, over Soldier Summit. Here, DRGW 5360, SP 5350, and DRGW 5342 push on the back of the MRODV near Detour.
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Once a Rio Grande tunnel motor, SP 5399 retained the number it had when it wore black and gold. It was repainted in 1995, but notice that a small "DRGW" was stenciled on the cab beneath the number.
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A string of SEVEN Grande tunnel motors (SP 5399 was a Grande tunnel motor) are cut into the middle of a westbound coal train coming from CV Spur. The units will assist the train west to the top of Soldier Summit.
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The two railroads that merged together and then got sucked into Union Pacific. DRGW 5396 and SP 277 sit side by side on the ready tracks in North Yard shortly before sunset.
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The northbound MDVNP had a geep leading the consist on this day. 9766 was repainted into the Espee fly letter scheme shortly before the SP/UP merger.
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These units would not be around much longer on the active roster as 20-cylinder engine. SD45T-2 #9311 is the second of four units on the westbound MDVRO.
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An espee tunnel motor, with badly fading paint, leads the westbound MDVRO preparing to leave North Yard.
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Espee 131 is about to overtake ATSF 845 at the east portal of the Moffat Tunnel. The light power will run through the tunnel ahead of the manifest to rescue a stalled coal load at Winter Park. This picture was taken on Ilford Pan-F (ISO 50) film.
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One of only 40 Espee B40-8's was on the point of the MPUDV on this day in the summer of 1997. After some switching in the Springs, the train prepairs to head north to North Yard.
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My favorite Rio Grande tunnel motor growing up was DRGW 5378. Unfortunately, it was one of 16 tunnel motors to be repainted in the Espee speed letter scheme. Here, SP 5378 sits near the yard office (along with SP 5412 and DRGW 5346) in North Yard.
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An eastbound coal load emerges from tunnel 17 and passes by the old Rio Grande intermediate signal. This signal has since been replaced with a single mast on the [trackwise] north side of the track (left side of the picture).
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SP 5397, once DRGW 5397 until being repainted in 1995, sits in North Yard as the sun sets to the west. DRGW 5503 is visible in the background.
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Two relatively new Espee AC4400CW's sit on the point of an eastbound coal load headed into Denver, The train is stopped in the siding, waiting for Amtrak 6 to pass it on the way into town.
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