Photo ID: 112678 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland to East Portal (MP 47.7 to MP 48.9) Gilpin County, CO 25 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The paint on UP 6397 has certainly seen some better days as the unit crosses over East Portal Road roughly halfway between the west switch of Tolland and the east switch of East Portal. About 20 years ago, there were rumors that Union Pacific was considering a project to connect Tolland and East Portal. However, if any such project was ever seriously considered, it was dropped with the economic bubble, and start in the downturn of coal, in 2008. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112677 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Detector (MP 48.0) Gilpin County, CO 24 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Not too far west of the west switch of Tolland, UP 6397 and train pass through the high/wide detector at MP 48. The wire surrounding the tracks on the detector is just slightly smaller than the smallest bore of any tunnel between here at Denver. If any loads have shifted, causing something to stick out of the train, better to break a wire than hit a tunnel wall. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112676 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 18 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The deciduous trees here at Tolland are some late-bloomers. I was up here about a month earlier in May, and all these trees were still devoid of leaves. However, thanks to a relatively wet spring, they are now as green as you can get, filled with leaves as this westbound coal empty passes by at the west end of Tolland. Note the classic yellow and green Tolland school house on the left side of the frame. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112675 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 20 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I was hoping for some direct sunlight here, east of Tolland, as this coal empty crosses over South Boulder Creek. However, in retrospect, the overcast skies to the west probably helped the shot as the sun might have created some odd shadows from this perspective. The train crosses South Boulder Creek to run parallel to East Portal Road for a few thousand feet on the approach to Tolland. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112674 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rollins to Tolland (MP 41.2 to MP 45.8) Gilpin County, CO 22 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific At roughly 8,700 feet (2650 meters) above sea level, four units lead this westbound coal empty along South Boulder Creek between Rollins and Tolland. East Portal Road (also referred to as Tolland Road on some maps and in some places) is a well-maintained dirt road that carries a lot of vehicular traffic. Fishers, campers, hikers, and off-roaders all come up here to the high country, in addition to the handful of railfans. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112673 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS038 (West Cliff) Boulder County, CO 18 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific With partly cloudy skies, the scene here at Cliff had been fluctuating between brilliant light and muted shade while waiting for this westbound coal empty to arrive. Alas, muted shade ended up being the conditions when it actually arrived. UP 6397 is facing a green signal as the train has picked up some speed, the max authorized speed increasing a bit here at Cliff. UP 6397 started life in scarlet and gray as SP 351 in August of 1995, so it certainly no stranger to the Moffat. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112672 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Boulder County, CO 22 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Roughly halfway through the block at Cliff, the main and the siding both cross over South Boulder Creek. Here, the four units on this westbound coal empty are crossing over that exact bridge as they continue west on the main track. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112671 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Cliff (6,900 ft) Boulder County, CO 19 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific A somewhat rare UP coal empty crosses CO-72 as it heads west on a green signal on the main at Cliff. At this spot, the tracks run between South Boulder Creek and the highway. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112668 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 27, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 19 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The crew for this westbound coal empty was called about five hours earlier at 8am, before the train had actually arrived on Bypass 1 in Denver. Once arriving, the crew had to shuffle some power around. Alas, the SD70ACe in the fourth position is not loading, and the train is limping into Leyden to check the problem. It would turn out to be a faulty MU cable, and not a problem with the unit itself. After replacing the MU cable, the unit started loading and the train continued west after a 15 minute delay. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112660 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 53 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It appears that Union Pacific is planning to replace some ties on the Moffat in the not-too-distant future. The West Local ran out of North Yard two days early and spotted these three gondolas in the house track here at Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112644 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crescent (5,550 ft) Jefferson County, CO 48 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP is hauling their EC-5 track geometry car through the siding at Crescent. The geometry car assesses the rail geometry as it moves, ensuring compliance with FRA standards. It is also a preventative maintenance tool to look for damage. The car uses laser systems and vehicle/track interaction (V/TI) systems to perform its work. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112643 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crescent (5,550 ft) Jefferson County, CO 44 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 7232 is heading west through the siding at Crescent, hauling UP's EC-5 track geometry car. The train is slowly heading west and will stop at the west end of Crescent and wait for the Zephyr to overtake the work train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112642 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS030 (East Crescent) Jefferson County, CO 42 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An C44ACM, rebuilt from an AC4400CW, is the sole unit on a short work train that includes UP's EC-5 track geometry car. The car used to be self-propelled, but now requires it be pulled by a locomotive. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112641 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Plain (6,530 ft) Jefferson County, CO 46 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Five UP maintenance workers are walking the rails between Tunnel 2 and Tunnel 3, checking for defects. They found several tie plates that needed to be replaced, and marked them accordingly for a maintenance crew that will come out of Plain and replace them. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112630 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I am not a maintenance of way expert, but I believe that the maintenance vehicle on the left is a spike driver and the vehicle on the right is a spike puller. they are currently tied down in the house track at Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Previous Page     Next Page