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Photo ID: 112962
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, August 29, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2)
Arvada, CO
521
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Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
It is August, which means sunflowers are pretty much in full bloom in the Denver-Metro area. Multiple sunflowers are growing on the south edge of Big Ten Curve as BNSF's Provo-Denver heads east on the final 20-ish miles of the journey.
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Photo ID: 112961
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, August 29, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft)
Arvada, CO
548
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Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
BNSF 5699 has a bit of toaster syndrome on the long hood! At some point, excess heat likely burned off the paint. On this day, the Heritage 2 unit is leading BNSF's Provo-Denver on the main at Eisele.
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Photo ID: 112960
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, August 29, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay))
Arvada, CO
550
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Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
At the west switch of Eisele (Clay), an eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver is hustling along at track speed, trying to get to the yard in Denver before the crew runs out of their hours of service. It has been a little while since seeing a Heritage 2 unit leading on the Moffat.
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Photo ID: 112934
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2)
Arvada, CO
584
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
This eastbound oil train has been told that 31st Street yard in Denver currently has no room for the train, so it is going to tie down in the siding at Rocky. The van driver that is picking the crew up is new to the territory...she drove past Rocky and was halfway up Big Ten when she met the eastbound train. The crew told her she should turn around and go back to the east end of Rocky. You can see the van on the right side of the shot, getting ready to turn around.
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Photo ID: 112933
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay))
Arvada, CO
597
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
This shot does a really good job of demonstrating the terrain and the grade of the Moffat between the east end of Eisele (Clay) and partway down the north edge of Big Ten Curve. A trio of DPUs bring up the rear of this loaded oil train this afternoon.
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Photo ID: 112932
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay))
Arvada, CO
537
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
BNSF almost always runs oil trains on the Moffat in a 3x(0)x3 configuration, and this afternoon is no exception. Although the DPUs on the end cannot be seen in the shadows at Eisele (Clay), an NS ET44AC and two BNSF units clearly lead this oil train out the east end of Eisele (Clay).
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Photo ID: 112931
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay))
Arvada, CO
539
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
The east switch of Eisele (Clay) has become one of my favorite spots for pictures of eastbounds. I like the look of the rails along the base of the Rockies. An eastbound oil load passes by the east switch, an NS ET44AC on the head end. The train will be entering the siding at Rocky as there is "no room at the inn" at the yard in Denver.
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Photo ID: 112930
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Detector (MP 22.6)
Arvada, CO
531
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
NS 3641 has just passed by the hotbox detector at MP 22.6. The detector is now counting axles and looking for abnormal heat signature that might indicate a manual brake that has been applied on the train. No such heat signature would be detected today.
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Photo ID: 112929
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Coal Creek (MP 23)
Arvada, CO
560
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
It would seem that BNSF and Norfolk Southern have a joint contract with a company that wants Utah oil. Whomever it is, they must be east of the Mississippi on NS rails. Lately, it has become relatively common to see Norfolk Southern units on BNSF oil trains. Likely the railroads are not always taking the time to fully swap out power when turning the train over to one another. Here, an NS ET44AC leads an eastbound oil train at the base of Coal Creek Canyon.
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Photo ID: 112928
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft)
Arvada, CO
569
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
Just east of Plain, NS 3641 leads a BNSF loaded oil train toward the west portal of Tunnel 1. If the proposed UP/NS merger is ultimately approved, many more Norfolk Southern units might appears on the Moffat when the combined roster starts mixing between the two railroads. For now, NS leased units are all we might see in Colorado.
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Photo ID: 112927
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft)
Boulder County, CO
464
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
There are not that many Tier-4 units in the United States. Even less common (in Colorado) are Norfolk Southern ET44ACs. However, there just happened to be one leading an eastbound BNSF oil train on the Moffat this afternoon. The train is coming through the shortest tunnel in the Tunnel District, Tunnel 29.
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Photo ID: 112926
Date Shot
Photo By
Monday, August 11, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Tunnel 29 (MP 36.4, 75 ft)
Boulder County, CO
486
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) NS, BNSF
It is certainly possible that shots like this will become way more common in the next few years. On July 29th, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern officially announced their intention to merge. We are probably 18 to 24 months away from a final decision, but if all the regulatory approvals go through, a lot of Norfolk Southern units might show up on the Moffat until they are repainted in whatever scheme results from the merger. In this picture, an NS ET44AC leads a BNSF oil train out of Tunnel 29.
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Photo ID: 112908
Date Shot
Photo By
Thursday, August 7, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Rocky (7,330ft)
Arvada, CO
539
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF
An SD70ACe leads an eastbound loaded oil train in the siding at Rocky. DS-378 has set up a great meet with the westbound Zephyr, which is just to the east, entering Barbara's Gulch right now. After the meet, the oil train will continue east to Denver.
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Photo ID: 112878
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
BNSF Engine House
Denver, CO
463
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots BNSF
Sitting near the BNSF engine house was this SD75M! SD75s (both SD75Ms and SD75Is) have become exceedingly rare in recent years. BNSF has been keeping most of them in long term storage. Loved catching this one on this Friday morning.
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Photo ID: 112877
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, July 25, 2025 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
BNSF Engine House
Denver, CO
488
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Yard Shots BNSF
Love that this "yellow bonnet" GP39-2 has been hanging out around Denver lately, and working as a yard job switcher at BNSF's 31st Street Yard.
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