Photo ID: 109949 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Sulphur to Flat (MP 86.2 to MP 92.3) Grand County, CO 359 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Oil trains on the Moffat have basically become a successor to coal trains as far as "energy" trains go. While the oil trains are not as ubiquitous as coal trains once were, they have become more common in the past year. Here, an eastbound example rolls toward the west entrance to Byers Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109948 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 407 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The westbound BNSF Denver-Provo has come to a stop in the siding at Flat as an eastbound UP oil train rolls by on the main. The manifest has a very colorful consist today, with a New Image SD70ACe leading a KCSM ES44AC, a Canadian Pacific AC4400CW, and a Heritage 2 AC4400CW. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109947 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 382 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Kansas City Southern de Mexico, BNSF In 1996, when the Mexican government privatized freight railroad operations, one railroad formed was Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM). Kansas City Southern was one of the creators of and stock holder in the railroad. In 2005, KCS bought out its partners and took full control of the railroad. The name was changed to Kansas City Southern de Mexico, a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern. The subsidiary had its own fleet in the Retro Belle scheme, but with "de Mexico" printed on the unit. Here is an ES44AC sporting that paint scheme. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109946 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 379 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Other than the westbound Zephyr, I only saw two other trains on the Moffat on this day. A loaded eastbound UP oil train, and a westbound BNSF Denver-Provo. As it happens, the two trains met at Flat, between Sulphur and Kremmling. The BNSF manifest took the siding, although it was really close to a rolling meet as the two trains each knocked down their respective ends of Flat at close to the same time. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109945 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Flat (7,050 ft) Grand County, CO 423 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's westbound Denver-Provo manifest is taking the siding for a well-timed meet with an eastbound UP oil train. Indeed, the oil train has already knocked down the light at the west end of Flat. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109944 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Troublesome (5,570 ft) Grand County, CO 364 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific After running through canyons (include Gore Canyon) nearly nonstop since leaving Bond, the valley opens up east of Kremmling. Here at Troublesome, this eastbound unit oil train is actually able to reach speeds of 45-50 MPH. Not bad for the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109943 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Troublesome (5,570 ft) Grand County, CO 378 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific 2 1/2 hours after pulling out of Bond, this eastbound oil train is on the main track at Troublesome. Ironically, it was here at Troublesome where a significant derailment occurred in the late 1950s. That derailment involved the crew of an eastbound missing an approach (yellow) signal at West Troublesome and hitting a westbound that was entering the siding at East Troublesome. It led to Rio Grande creating a safety/training video called "The Trouble at Troublesome". Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109942 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS129 (Bond) Bond, CO 425 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 8230 and UP 5871 are in the OS at Bond, sometimes referred to as Orestod. Here, there are crossovers between the main and the east and west sidings at Bond, as well as Craig Branch. The name Orestod comes from Dotsero spelled backward. It is here that the Dotsero cutoff was built in the 1930, connecting the original Denver and Rio Grande Western (at Dotsero) with the Denver and Salt Lake (here at Bond, or Orestod). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109941 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS129 (Bond) Bond, CO 354 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Right at the transition from the Glenwood Springs Sub to the Moffat Tunnel Sub, an eastbound oil train creeps along on the siding at Bond. A fresh crew just got on the train and is preparing to depart eastbound. Note the rails breaking away and climbing a grade above the oil train. This is the Craig Branch that heads to Steamboat Springs and ultimately Craig. Once busy with coal traffic, the line between Bond and Phippsburg now sees about two trains per week on average. Locals from Phippsburg down to Bond and back. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109940 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Yarmony to Bond (MP 124.6 to MP 127.0) Eagle County, CO 405 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak West of the west switch of Bond, the Zephyr continues to snake along the Colorado River on the journey west through the Colorado high country. Here, the tracks are a bit below 6,800 feet above sea level. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109939 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS126 (West Yarmony) Eagle County, CO 364 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Zephyr knocks down a clear (green) signal at the west end of Yarmony. This is one of the newer sidings on the Moffat. The siding of Yarmony has existed for many decades. However, it was a relatively short siding (less than 5,000 feet) that UP rarely used after the SP merger. Which is why, when a derailment at the west switch occurred, UP did not reconnect the siding! The switch was completely gone. After nearly a decade, UP finally invested the money to relocate the east end of the siding just west of a grade crossing, and extend the siding to the west, creating the 7,760 foot siding that it is today. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109938 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Yarmony (7,760 ft) Eagle County, CO 436 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak When you stand next to Amtrak (or any train, for that matter), it feels so huge. Then, you plop it in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and suddenly it doesn't feel quite so big at all! The Zephyr is on the main track at Yarmony, just a few miles from Bond and the transition from the Moffat Tunnel Sub to the Glenwood Springs Sub. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109937 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 40 (MP 113.8, 63 ft) Grand County, CO 384 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak In Little Gore Canyon, the westbound Zephyr passes through one of the shortest tunnels on the Moffat, Tunnel 40. The trains is cast in shadows as the sun does not quite reach the rails here this time of year. In addition to the stark difference between light and shadow, there is an equally stark difference between snow and no snow! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109936 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Byers Canyon Grand County, CO 415 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On the shortest days of the year, the sun is so far to the south, that much of Byers Canyon spends the day cast in shadows. The westbound Zephyr is following along the Colorado River (and US-40) near the west end of the canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 109935 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Granby to Sulphur (MP 76.2 to MP 84.6) Grand County, CO 374 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The forecast called for overcast skies, but the skies have actually largely cleared out, creating some great sunny (and snowy) shots as the westbound Zephyr approaches the east end of Sulphur, out of frame around the bend to the left. 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