Photo ID: 111082 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 356 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer Between the 2023-2024 seasons, the Rocky Mountaineer leased this (former) SD45, now an SD40-2 internally. An SD18 was also leased to shuffle cars around in Denver. The GP40-3s have had a lot of mechanical issues and the RM has had to lease power from UP. Apparently, the lease of both of these units is less expensive than the cost to lease on UP SD70M. It took most of the 2024 season for PTC to be installed in RMRX 8600. But with it now installed and operable, it is on the train west with one of the GP40-3s at East Portal. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111081 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland to East Portal (MP 47.7 to MP 48.9) Gilpin County, CO 354 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Rocky Mountaineer In between Tolland and East Portal, the westbound Rocky Mountaineer approaches the east end of East Portal. PTC has finally been installed in RMRX 8600, a lease SD40-2 (in an SD45 car body). It along with one of the GP40-3s lead the train west. In the distance, you can see a westbound empty oil train in the siding at Tolland. After the tunnel vents, it will be its turn to head west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111080 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 362 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Near the west end of Tolland, deciduous trees line both sides of the rails (the main and the siding). As the westbound Zephyr has just overtaken a UP oil can (out of view behind the curve) and is approach a clear (green) signal at the west end as it passes by trees that are at their peak fall colors. If you wonder why Rio Grande used "Aspen Gold" as its main color, this shot says it all! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111079 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 383 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific In this 400mm shot of a westbound oil empty, stopped in the siding at Tolland, you can easily identify which track is the main and which is the siding. The main has continuous welded rail, while the siding still has joints every 66 feet (roughly). The train is stopped to allow both the morning Zephyr and the Rocky Mountaineer to pass. The Zephyr is only about 15 minutes away. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111078 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 304 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A hint of frost holds on to the tips of the evergreen trees in the midst of a sea of yellow. Just as fall is officially starting, temperatures in the high country got below freezing last night, leaving some snow on the ground. However, the ground and even air this morning is warm enough that most traces of the snow are gone as a westbound oil empty comes to a stop in the siding of Tolland. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111077 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 365 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 7346 crosses over South Boulder Creek just around the bend from the east end of Tolland. The train will be facing a Diverging Approach (red over yellow), going in to the siding at Tolland. The smattering of deciduous trees makeup a beautiful scene as fall colors reach their peak. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111076 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 360 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Fall colors have pretty well reached their peak above 8,000 feet, and the trees in the canyon between Rollins and Tolland are no exception. Five units lead an oil empty along South Boulder Creek. The train will be going into the siding at Tolland to let the westbound Zephyr and the Rocky Mountaineer pass. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111075 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS038 (West Cliff) Gilpin County, CO 306 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The rain is still lightly falling after a night of freezing temperatures and consistent rain. Five units lead a westbound oil empty as it approaches a clear signal at the west end of Cliff. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111074 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 347 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This westbound oil train, emerging from Tunnel 1, is ducking just beneath the low hanging clouds on a chilly September morning, just one day in to the official start of fall. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111073 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 351 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is a dreary, drizzly morning and a mere 45°F (7°C) as a westbound empty oil train moves through the cut between MP 22.6 and the base of Coal Creek Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111072 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 266 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific There is a small platform and a railing for the conductor to hold on to as this oil train makes a reverse move on the main at Rocky. The conductor is ensuring the track behind the track is clear, and that the train has a signal out the east end. After the tail end of the train in on the main just east of Rocky, the conductor will get off the last car and the train will continue to back up without any protection under General Code of Operating Rule 6.6. This rule allows for unprotected reverse movements in CTC when the train will not pass a control point or grade crossing (among other things). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111071 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 269 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The conductor of this westbound oil train is riding on the last car of the train. The train is currently backing up east through the siding. The switch at the west end of Rocky is broken, and the train will have to back out onto the main and then continue west on the main. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111070 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 318 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr makes its way on the main at Eisele (Clay), a few hundred feet above a westbound UP oil train in the siding at Rocky. Just minutes earlier, the Zephyr was passing by the oil train, heading right-to-left through the frame. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111069 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 333 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 187 (Phase 7) approaches a clear (green) signal at the west end of Rocky. The Zephyr is running 1 hour and 15 minutes late this morning. It was a bit behind schedule when it approached Denver from the east, but encountered an additional delay as there was a minor derailment of a BNSF train in the yard in Denver. Only one truck was derailed, and no cars were overturned. But the derailment temporarily block Amtrak's route into the station. Now, it is overtaking a UP oil train in the siding. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111068 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 290 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific This is definitely a unit that could stand not only a wash, but a full on repaint. At least the unit is operable, an issue that a lot of UP units has been facing lately. It is the third unit on westbound oil train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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