Photo ID: 110487 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 381 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A look at a pair of former Chicago North Western C44-9Ws that have likely been sitting in storage in Grand Junction for months (or even years). Not entirely sure where they are headed, but it is possible they are going to be rebuilt into C44ACMs by UP. This would change them from DC traction motors to AC traction motors. UP has done this to roughly 50 other C44-9Ws as of this picture. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110486 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 338 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A pair of ES44ACs lead two (offline) C44-9Ws and a relatively short MGJNY, rolling east on the main at Leyden. There is a string of well cars in the siding at Leyden that, as of the time of this picture, have been tied down in the siding for "long term storage" for 4 months and 1 week. It has been an unusually chilly May so far, and this morning is no exception, with low-hanging clouds all along the Front Range and temperatures around 42°F (6°C). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110485 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 272 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific As a westbound oil train meets an eastbound manifest at Rocky, we look up the (rather steep) 8% grade of the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead (also know as the Rocky Spur) that used to lead up to Rocky Flats. Now, it serves a single aggregate plant. The West Local makes a trip up the spur (at most) once a week. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110484 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 340 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is almost funny, but with UP trains seemingly the minority of trains that run on the Moffat these days, catching a meet between two UP trains feels like a rarity! Yet, on this gloomy Friday morning, an eastbound MGJNY sits in the siding at Rocky as an oil train rolls west on the main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110483 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 305 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The crew on this westbound UP oil train just got off the "phone" (the radio) with the UP Mechanical Desk. The crew asked permission to bring the second unit online as they were concerned about stalling with the sole unit on the point. The desk gave the okay, and the second unit is now roaring to life, spitting out a bit of exhaust as it does so at the east switch of Rocky. Two of the three sun visors on the eastbound signal in the foreground have been ripped off in recent high winds. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110482 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 303 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Under gloomy, overcast morning skies, a westbound oil train (empty) rolls through Barbara's Gulch, coming up to the narrowest part just east of Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110481 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 292 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A westbound UP oil empty, with 88 tank cars in tow, heads west through Barbara's Gulch. Of the three units on the head end, only the lead unit is actually online and pulling. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110480 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 335 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP's eastbound MGJNY (manifest from Grand Junction to North Yard in Denver) is stopped on the siding, hiding behind some maintenance of way equipment that is tied down in the house track. The manifest will be waiting here for a westbound oil empty coming out of Denver. In the background, the westbound Zephyr is right on time as it heads west out the west end of Eisele (Clay). The lead unit on the eastbound MGJNY was "born" as SP 209! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110477 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 365 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This former Chicago North Western C44-9W (ex-CNW 8656) was likely pulled out of long term storage in Grand Junction. Perhaps the unit has been sold? Perhaps UP has other plans for it. In any case, it is headed east on the Moffat. Note the fact that the exhaust stack is "capped", indicating the unit is definitely shut down. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110476 Date Shot Photo By Friday, May 10, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 378 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific While there are still a lot of C44-9Ws on BNSF's roster, UP has not had many (if any) in regular service in years. This particular unit, which was originally CNW 8639, was likely taken out of storage in Grand Junction. Where is it headed now? I don't know for sure, but it is possible it is headed to be rebuilt (by UP) into an C44ACM (as UP designates them). The unit would be converted into an AC unit (AC traction motors). UP has done this with roughly 50 C44-9Ws as of this photo. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110469 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 295 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific With the advent of drones, I really enjoy getting shots at Eisele (Clay). If you are on the ground, you have to hike in to Clay. Consequently, I did not have too many shots from Clay prior to about 2019. It's great to be able to easily access in 2024 for this westbound oil empty. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110468 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 284 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 5284 leads a westbound oil train around the outside of Big Ten Curve. You can just see part of the wind break hoppers on the inside of the curve. In the summer, it is pretty common to have totally clear skies in the morning with clouds and thunderstorms in the afternoons. However, on the first day of May, it is still very spring-like and some partly cloud skies are around this morning. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110467 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 297 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A pair of ES44ACs, with an SD70ACe sandwiched between, lead a westbound empty oil train up the north edge of Big Ten Curve as some clouds rolls in from the Rockies, headed for the plains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110465 Date Shot Photo By Monday, April 29, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 361 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A very short special climbs toward the east portal of Tunnel 1. The last car on the special...which is what makes it a special..is an FRA track geometry car. It has a lot of advanced equipment that checks the integrity of the track as it rolls. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110463 Date Shot Photo By Monday, April 29, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 316 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) inspects the tracks off the Class 1 railroads (and maybe smaller railroads as well...I'm not sure). Looks like today it is the Moffat's turn to get the inspection. UP 6060 has a gondola and FRA inspection car in tow. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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