Photo ID: 105905 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, March 12, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 1356 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division, Union Pacific Descending from Tunnel 1, the SD70ACe-T4 special approaches the bridge at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. When the special went west earlier in the week, a UP SD70AH was on the point. However, once the special started testing, the SD70AH was removed and EMDX 1502 ran on the point. When the train climbed the grade from Tabernash to the Moffat Tunnel, the UP units were put in full dynamics to simulate a train for the SD70ACe-T4s. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105904 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, March 12, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Tolland, CO 2089 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division, Union Pacific A bit of winter weather blows over the Continental Divide to the west as EMD's SD70ACe-T4 special glides east on the main at Tolland. The special made extremely good time on its way back east. After this shot, I was unable to catch the train again until Blue Mountain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105903 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, March 12, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 2122 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division, Union Pacific After several days of testing these SD70ACe-T4s through the Moffat Tunnel, EMD has collected all the data needed and the consist will now head east back to Denver. The SD70ACe-T4 is supposed to go in to production a little later in 2016 and rumor has it that UP has already ordered several dozen copies. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105902 Date Shot Photo By Saturday, March 12, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 2019 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division, Union Pacific Over the past several days, EMD and UP have been testing this pair of SD70ACe-T4s for the past several days. The consist has been running between Tabernash and East Portal, running through the Moffat Tunnel. Testing is completely now, however, and the consist will be headed back to North Yard in Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105882 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crescent (5,550 ft) Jefferson County, CO 1344 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division My last view of the SD70ACe-T4 prototypes as the train continues west. Crescent was as far west as I would be able to make it as I had to return to town in order to pick the kids up from school. The paint scheme on these units looks particularly good among the snow and pine trees, don't you think? Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105881 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crescent (5,550 ft) Jefferson County, CO 1350 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division I was actually rather glad that the sky was overcast for this shot at Crescent. The sun was on the opposite side of the tracks, but the trees on that side make it difficult to get much of a shot other than close to head on. Here, an SD70AH leads an EMD special that is headed for Tabernash. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105880 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crescent (5,550 ft) Jefferson County, CO 1352 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division This ended up being one of my favorite shots of the day for this EMD special. The train includes two of EMDs SD70ACe-T4 prototypes and test car #820. The train is headed for Tabernash where it will undergo high altitude and tunnel testing later in the week. With the first eastbound being Amtrak over near Gore Canyon, the train had clear signals up to the tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105879 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1386 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division The first demonstrators that I ever personally saw (and shot) were for the SD90MAC. The 6,000 HP units were actually testing on the Moffat in February of 1998. Just over 18 years later and the SD70ACe-T4 heads west at Blue Mountain, ready to test as well. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105878 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1446 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division The back end of the SD70ACe-T4 does not look too different from the SD70ACe. One thing that is quite noticeable is that the radiator intake is divided in to third instead of in half. This is because the SD70ACe-T4 has three radiator fans instead of only two like the SD70ACe. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105877 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1486 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division Hopefully, EMD will be able to iron out any issues they may find with the SD70ACe-T4 and get it certified soon. EMD has not been able to sell a new unit in the United States since 2014. Fortunately Caterpillar (now the owner of EMD) should be able to absorb the lost sales during the development of the SD70ACe-T4. It'll be good to see some new EMD units out on the road. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105876 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 1306 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division An SD70AH leads what you might consider its children on at Blue Mountain. The colorful units trailing are SD70ACe-T4s, and they are prototypes for EMD's Tier-4 compliant engines. The prime movers are a departure from previous EMD models. The 2-stroke, 710-engine has been a staple of EMD for a couple of decades now. In order to reach emissions standards, however, these new units are 4-stroke, 1010-engines. They only have 12 cylinders instead of the traditional 16, but they still pump out 4,400 horsepower. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105875 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 1273 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division A winter storm blasts through the Front Range, with moisture falling in various spots, as the EMD SD70ACe-T4 special climbs up Big Ten Curve. If you look to the right, you can see the Denver skyline off in the distance, not currently obscured by clouds. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105874 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 1218 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division This consist is headed for Tabernash where, over the course of a few days, the train will make several round trips between Tabernash and East Portal. This will allow EMD to test the performace of their new SD70ACe-T4 both in high altitudes, and in tunnels. The UP units will be onhand to offer assistance, should it be needed. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105873 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 1293 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division A westbound special, consisting of six units (including two SD70ACe-T4 prototypes) and an EMD test car make their way west on the main at Rocky. Meanwhile, the weather is a little crazy on the plains, with moisture spilling out of the clouds between the location of the train and Standley Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 105870 Date Shot Photo By Monday, March 7, 2016 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada Siding (MP 6 to MP 7) Denver, CO 1422 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division Each time a new prototype unit is released, the manufacturer has a new demonstrator paint scheme to accompany it. Personally, I think the demo scheme on the SD70ACe-T4 is one of the better ones EMD has come up with. Granted, some people have referred to it as the Seattle Seahawks scheme...but still, this Denver Broncos fan can overlook that! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Previous Page     Next Page