One of the most uniquely painted locomotives is certainly AMTK 203. It was painted in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Operation Lifesaver. I think the designers did a very good job of using one of the two parts of the cross in the railroad crossing signal to wrap around the base of the nose. Unfortunately, the unit was the trailing unit this morning.
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The westbound Zephyr, having departed Denver only about seven minutes late, has knocked down the green signal at the west end of Eisele (Clay). AMTK 203, Amtrak's Operations Lifesaver unit, is second out in the consist.
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BNSF 8523 and two GEs work to pull an empty oil train up and around Big Ten Curve. BNSF frequently runs oil trains with six units on the head end, so the power is present to run eastbound (on the oil load) in a 3x3 configuration. However, these three units are the only units on this westbound. BNSF will be getting three additional units from somewhere else when the train is ready to head east.
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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.
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The Rocky Mountaineer, running on the siding at Rocky, passes between a westbound oil train on the main, and three gondolas loaded with new ties in the house track.
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As the Rocky Mountaineer enters the siding at the west end of Rocky, a westbound BNSF oil empty sits on the main, headlight dim, waiting for the passenger train to clear the switch so the oil cans can continue on their journey west.
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The Rocky Mountaineer descends on the north edge of Big Ten Curve, through the area where Union Pacific recently reinforced the grade along the tracks. You might also take notice of the tank cars in the distance...a westbound BNSF oil train is holding the main at Rocky, waiting on the Mountaineer to arrive.
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Look up toward Big Ten Curve from slightly below, we find the Rocky Mountaineer rounding the curve on its journey east, while a not insubstantial thunderstorms spills from the Rockies over the Front Range.
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It is a little difficult to see, but if you look toward the top of this shot, you can see the Denver Skyline still in the light, resting in a relatively high amount of humidity. Meanwhile, the Rocky Mountaineer descends down the roughly 2% grade from Tunnel 1.
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From above Tunnel 1, we view the eastbound Rocky Mountaineer as it snakes its way out of Plain, continuing east on the final 24 or so miles on the trip into Denver.
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After a couple trips with RMRX 8600, the blue SD40M-2 leaser, it is great to see both Rocky Mountaineer geeps back on the train as it emerges from the shortest tunnel in the Tunnel District, Tunnel 29. The great light would not last as some major thunderstorms are building and will move it from the west soon.
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RMRX 8021 and RMRX 8020 lead the eastbound Rocky Mountaineer through a sea of deciduous trees, lining both sides of the tracks near the west switch of Tolland. Come September, these trees should be burning in beautify fall gold.
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After meeting the California Zephyr at Winter Park, and then waiting for the Moffat Tunnel to vent, it was the Rocky Mountaineer's turn to head east. Ten minutes before 3pm, the train crosses over East Portal Road and South Boulder Creek as it heads toward Tolland. The Continental Divide still has plenty of patches of snow on it, despite the fact we are now officially into summer.
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In the Valley where the Moffat Tunnel is located, we see the westbound Zephyr, running about three hours late, on the main track at East Portal. The train is just about to knock down a clear (green) signal, and dive into 6.2 miles of darkness, passing underneath the Continental Divide at roughly 9,200 feet above sea level.
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About a month ago, Union Pacific reinforced the track on the north edge of Big Ten Curve. A lot of rip rap rock was laid on the slope of the track, as you can see to the right. The California Zephyr, with nine Superliners, climbs up and around Big Ten.
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