Photo ID: 107977 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1068 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The entirety of this empty oil train can be see from this vantage point, although the first half or so is secluded in the shadows ahead at Eisele (Clay). An SD70ACe and a C44-9W bring up the rear of the train, just coming off the last curve of the Big Ten Loop. The train is headed to Utah for loading. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107976 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 911 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Just around the curve ahead, you can see the east switch of Eisele (Clay). This empty oil train has clear signals to continue west, with no trains to meet on this side of the Continental Divide. Also note the tracks at Rocky up and to the right, from where the train just came. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107975 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 935 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A pair of ES44C4s and a buffer car (covered hopper) lead an empty oil train along the final leg of Big Ten Curve. This last leg does not actually curve until getting close to the east switch of Eisele (Clay), when the track turn to the north. Note part of the rest of the train, still making the climb up the grade on the other side of Big Ten. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107974 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1000 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This perspective of Big Ten Loop really shows just how impressive the S-Curves are that make up both Little Ten and Big Ten. For those that may be unfamiliar with Big Ten Loop, it was a bit of engineering genius that allowed the Denver, Northwestern, and Pacific to climb the face of the Rockies while keeping to right around 2%. You may note the covered hoppers on the inside of the curve in the foreground. They have been there for nearly 50 years, filled with cement and dirt and serving as a permanent wind break. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107973 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1007 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A pair of ES44C4s lead a westbound oil train out of Rocky, climbing up toward Big Ten Loop. While you obviously cannot tell from a still photo, the train was creeping along at 10 MPH (due to a slow order) around Big Ten. The slow order was supposedly for high winds, but there was barely a breeze out at this time. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107972 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 976 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A westbound oil train wraps around the long, steady curve at Little Ten Loop, West Rocky, and climbing toward Big Ten Loop on a beautiful January morning. Tunnel 1 can be seen off in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107971 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 1031 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF While hopper cars once dominated the Moffat (on coal trains), today it tends to be tank cars (for oil) that are most commonly found. While a unit tank train is obviously going to up that count, most BNSF manifests on the Moffat consist primarily of tank cars as well. This unit oil train is headed to Utah for loading. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107970 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 880 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF An empty BNSF oil train makes its way west on the main at Rocky. Oil trains have rather disappeared from the Moffat in the last year or so, but have suddenly reappeared at the end of 2019 and start of 2020. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107969 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 4, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 1058 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This eastbound Provo-Denver is in the siding, but not because it is meeting a westbound. The route to the yard is currently blocked at Utah Junction by a UP train, so they'll be hold here for 45 minutes or so until the route is clear. There will not be any other westbounds leaving Denver today. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107968 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 4, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 1050 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Here is a scene that looked dramatically different 25 years ago! This was once "rural" west Arvada, but now just as much "suburb" as any other part of Arvada. The siding of Leyden is now among a few neighborhoods and Ralston Valley High School. BNSF's Provo-Denver glides east on the siding amidst the suburban scene. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107967 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 4, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 1069 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Three C44-9Ws, all still wearing their original Heritage 2 paint scheme, roll slowly east through the siding at Leyden. The train will be stopping briefly because a UP train is setting out a bad order car at Utah Junction, blocking the main. Note the cars, clearly blocked, in the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107966 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 4, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1039 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A C44-9W and an ES44C4 bring up the tail end of BNSF's Provo-Denver manifest just east of the grade crossing at Blue Mountain. As is rather common, a majority of the train is made up of tank cars. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107965 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 4, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1041 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A trio of Heritage 2 C44-9Ws lead an eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver through the S-Curves at Coal Creek and Blue Mountain. It is a little unusual to see three Heritage 2 units together like this in 2020! Another two DPUs are bringing up the tail end, currently obstructed behind trees and a small cut in the distance. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107964 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, January 4, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 997 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF After meeting the Zephyr at Plain, the eastbound Provo-Denver got lights to continue east toward Denver. Here, a trio of C44-9Ws leads the train toward the grade crossing at Blue Mountain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 107950 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, December 31, 2019 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Palmer Lake Palmer Lake, CO 1093 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF A pair of DPUs bring up the tail end of this southbound coal load, which is now in dynamic braking mode as the train is descending downhill. The head end of the train is not far off from the first of the four sidings the train will pass by on the single track, Monument. The three others beyond Monument are Academy, Colorado Springs, and Kelker. The last, Kelker, is generally not too useful for meets as it is too short to accommodate most of the trains on the Joint Line. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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