The Westbound Zephyr is about to knock down a clear signal at the east switch of East Portal. A very similar scene was repeated about an hour ago when the Winter Park Express passed over these same rails.
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The westbound Zephyr is nearing the highest point of any mainline in the United States! It is currently between Tolland and East Portal at an elevation of about 9,100 feet.
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AMTK 152 leads the westbound Zephyr on an Approach signal on the main at Leyden. The MGJNY on the siding next to Amtrak has not quite cleared the west switch, so Amtrak is slowing as it approaches the west end.
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The morning sun has crested the eastern horizon and is bathing the westbound Winter Park Express in brilliant light. The train is running right on time and should provide patrons with a full day of skiing at Winter Park. The train is climbing up from Coal Creek Canyon and is just about to duck in to Tunnel 1.
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As has been the case in previous years, the Winter Park Express has three coaches with a wrap applied for advertising to help cover the cost of running the train. The wrap and the lack of a baggage car is about all that separates this consist from the California Zephyr that will be following in another hour or so.
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It is only 14°F, a freezing but clear morning, for the second run of the 2020 Winter Park Express. The rising sun has cast a beautiful orange light on the Denver skyline, but the tracks at Leyden are still cast in the shadows for the train.
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It is shaping up to be a glorious sunrise as the second run of the Winter Park Express (Ski Train) approaches the east switch of Leyden. For the fourth year in a row, Amtrak has put together six coaches and a lounge car to take eager skiers up to the slopes at Winter Park.
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Safe journeys, #5! The tail end of the westbound Zephyr is about to disappear in to the east portal of Tunnel One. Passengers are getting close to the start of the "Tunnel District", which really starts at Tunnel Two. Between there are Tunnel 29, its light and dark as the train passes in and out of 27 tunnels.
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Quickly gaining altitude as it rises above the plains, the head end of the westbound Zephyr is about to disappear in to Tunnel One. This is the first of 28 tunnels the train will pass through in the next 15 miles on the way up to the Moffat Tunnel.
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Running a little over an hour late, the westbound Zephyr climbs up from the base of Coal Creek Canyon toward the east portal of Tunnel One. This is a fairy typical consist for the Zephyr this time of year.
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One of Amtrak's Phase III Heritage Units, AMTK 822, leads the westbound Zephyr on the main at Plain. The train is running about 2 1/2 hour late this morning. Plenty of snow remains on the ground from several decent storms that have hit in November and early December.
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The privately own passenger car Sierra Hotel was on the back of the Westbound Zephyr on this morning. It is a bitter sweet trip for the Sierra Hotel as this is the final trip for the car. It will head back to Chicago on the back of the Eastbound Zephyr in a few days. The car's owner has been running it for 27 years and has said that it is time to retire it.
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A slightly different perspective from the east switch at Rocky! The Westbound Zephyr, with two extra baggage car on board, just knocked down a clear signal and passed by a signal maintainer checking out something inside the signal box at the east switch.
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The Westbound Zephyr is at the west end of Barbara's Gulch passing underneath CO-93 on the approach to a clear signal at the east switch of Rocky.
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Tolland Road and the track both follow South Boulder Creek in between Rollins and Tolland. The road is on the south side of the creek and the track are on the north side. The Zephyr is moving at track speed, running on clear signals as it heads west. The first train it will see is a BNSF manifest currently at Yarmony!
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