At the north end of Hazeltine, the Ski Train picks up some speed as it prepares to leave the siding. The train will head to Brighton where it will meet another southbound.
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It's almost as if UP found the worst-looking unit in the yard to lead of the Ski Train on its final journey! This AC4400CW was dirty and scorched on the conductors side. The train just met a manifest here at Hazeltine and are now headed north.
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A closeup look at the cab of SKTX 283 (soon to be AMBX 283). Behind the F40PH, a southbound streaks past on the mainline.
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Car #2, La Plata Peak (which used to be Car #1) holds a special place for me. Several years ago, when I was a regular Ski Train volunteer, I had to load nearly 30 mountain bikes onto this car one day. The Bike Car had suffered fire damage, so passengers were kept out of this car and it was used as the Bike Car. That was a LONG (but fun) day!
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A look inside the windows of the Ski Train at the familiar red chairs that have served skiers in Colorado for the past 21 years.
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Sitting on the siding at Hazeltine, here is a good look at Car #9, the "Winter Park". This car was the base of operations for the Ski Train personnel and volunteers for each trip.
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Near the north end of Hazeltine, the Ski Train slows to a stop on the siding to meet the MNPNY which was a few miles to the north. The sun was generous and punched through the clouds a bit for this shot.
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The Ski Train approaches 96th Avenue and I was able to get a final shot of the train with both the Denver Skyline and the Rocky Mountains in the shot. UP stuck an grungy AC4400CW pilot to lead the train.
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For the first time (to my knowledge) and for the last time, the Ski Train crosses over the South Platte River on the Belt Industrial Lead. Shortly it will curve north and head up the Greeley Sub toward Cheyenne.
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Rio Grande lettered equipment passing over a Rio Grande lettered bridge! Just as 5371 did 14 months earlier (to the day), the Ski Train passes over York Street on its way out of Denver.
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The Ski Train is on the roll over the grade crossing at Broadway. The train also passes underneath I-25, which can be seen in the distance. Note the FRED in the middle of a flash on the back of the train!
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On its way out of Denver for the last time, the Ski Train holds briefly at Broadway to allow a coal empty to enter Bypass One. Once the empty is in the clear, the Ski Train will start east on the Belt Industrial Lead.
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The main workhorse! When the Ski Train would make trips up into the Colorado high country, it would typically fall on SKTX 289 to generate the Head End Power for the train, providing power to all the passengers.
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When SKTX 242 was unable to lead the Ski Train for whatever reason, the duty would often fall upon SKTX 283. The rest of the time, the unit would typically be found second up in the lineup.
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The tried and true leader of the Ski Train for nearly a decade! SKTX 242 has been the standard leader on the train ever since the former Amtrak F40PHs came to town.
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