Photo ID: 106734 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 29, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1294 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF and KCS leaders on an eastbound unit oil train make for a mighty fine sight on a mild November afternoon. The thermostat is reading 60°F as the train rolls past the neighborhood of Leyden Rock (off to the left). It's possible that at some point in the future, this shot could include a highway overpass in the scene. If the Jefferson Parkway is ever completed. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106733 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 29, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 1166 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF For a period of time in 2015, it looked like oil trains might be the new staple on the Moffat after the demise of coal. But with the subsequent decrease in oil prices, shipping by rail because less economical and oil trains largely disappeared from the Moffat. That said, they do still appear every once in awhile. Such was the case on this day as a loaded oil train rolls east with a BNSF leader and a pair of KCS units behind. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106719 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 28, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 1257 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF It's pretty crazy just how much the city of Arvada (suburb of Denver) has grown in the past twenty years. In 1997, Leyden was practically out in the middle of nowhere. Just a few houses, many with pastures for horses, around. Now, there are five major neighborhoods surrounding Leyden as well as one of Arvada's four high schools (Ralston Valley). An eastbound BNSF manifest takes the siding, skirting the south edge of one of the neighborhoods: The Village at Five Parks. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106718 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 28, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 1346 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's Provo to Denver manifest has a trio of elephant-style GEs leading it into the siding at Leyden. DS-86 aligned the train into the siding with the intention holding it for Amtrak. However, the train made better-than-expected time down the east slope of the Moffat. As a result, DS-86 already has a clear signal setup for the train out the east end. The train will meet the Zephyr at C&S Junction. Note the sole DPU on the end of the (relatively short) train on the right side of the shot. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106717 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 28, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 1291 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF An eastbound BNSF manifest is approaching the west switch at Leyden. There, it will actually enter the siding. The signal for the siding (well, for westbounds) is visible on the right side of this shot. Note the sign indicating the control point for West Leyden: CP DS013. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106716 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, November 28, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed West of Leyden Arvada, CO 1279 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF This eastbound BNSF manifest departed Provo the day before and has traversed the former Rio Grande along with a UP manifest that is arriving at North Yard right around the time this shot was taken. Hard to tell if the BNSF train was behind the UP train for the entire trip. One or both may have stopped to switch in Grand Junction. The MRONY also had to wait for a recrew at Bond. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106706 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1197 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A trio of elephant-style SD70s work hard to pull a westbound loaded sand train up and around Big Ten Curve. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106705 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 1437 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A busy few minutes at Rocky! The West Local slowly descends down the 8% grade of the Rocky Spur. It has completed is switching and will be returning North Yard with a single covered hopper. Meanwhile, a westbound BNSF sand train slowly charges by on the main track. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106704 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1083 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A pair of GEs bring up the tail end of a westbound BNSF sand train. The units pass by the ominous steel structure which has stood for decades. Its exact purpose...not entirely clear. The most common theory seems to be that it has something to do with coal mining that once took place in the area. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106703 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1209 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A majority of BNSF's 790 SD70MACs have spent their lives wearing the "Heritage 2" paint scheme. This scheme was the primary scheme for about five years (between 2000 and 2005). It was in 2005 when BNSF changed their name from "Burlington Northern Santa Fe" to simply "BNSF". In an effort to create a new identity, the railroad largely shed it heritage ties. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106702 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1212 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Throughout much of the 1990s and early 2000s, the SD70MACs were the coal work horses on BNSF. Many of these units were delivered in the "Grinstein" paint scheme (seen here). Burlington Northern was moving toward this scheme (named after Gerald Grinstein, CEO of BN from 1985 to 1995) when the BNSF merger happened. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106701 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1212 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF It was about ten years ago that many railfans got excited as BNSF ordered their first batch of SD70ACes. It was a relative big deal because, for nearly ten years prior, BNSF had sworn off EMD and had only purchased from GE. Now, ten years later, BNSF has 810 SD70ACes on the roster, including BNSF 9193 seen here. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106700 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1162 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A trio of SD70s (an SD70ACe and two SD70MACs) run elephant style on the point of a westbound sand train. The paint schemes offer a nice "through the years" look at some of BNSF's more common schemes over the last twenty years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106699 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1151 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Despite the (relative) short length of this sand train, it is crawling along at only around 12 MPH. It is a loaded train and, as such, a heavy load for the five units in charge. The lake to the right, just above the DPUs, is Stanley Lake in Arvada and Westminster. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 106698 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 1126 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A westbound loaded BNSF sand train (used for fracking) slowly pulls west near the east end of Barbara's Gulch on a beautiful November afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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