Photo ID: 111027 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Byers Canyon Grand County, CO 43 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Byers Canyon is one of the numerous canyons the Moffat passes through on its journey west. It is also one of the few that is very easily accessible by car as US-40 happens to parallel the tracks on the opposite side of the Colorado River. A westbound coal empty has just knocked down a clear (green) intermediate. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111026 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Byers Canyon Grand County, CO 50 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Coal trains, once king of the Moffat, have certainly become rare. Perhaps even a novelty. I was fortunate enough to catch this westbound empty as it entered into the east end of Byers Canyon. It has six units on the head end, which will likely be set up in a 2x3x1 configuration for the journey east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111025 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Granby Overlook Grand County, CO 54 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Just before 10 o'clock in the morning, a westbound coal empty rolls west of Granby along the headwaters of the Colorado River. In just a few weeks, fall colors are going to be in full force here in the Colorado high country. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111024 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 29 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 170 and 171, sister units on Amtrak's roster, have led one of the Zephyr trainsets for well over a month. Here, they are making another run to California on the Zephyr, getting ready to disappear into Tunnel 1. The first of many tunnels passengers will travel through between here and Glenwood Springs. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111023 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak In another month or so, there will be some full fall colors here at the west switch of Eisele (Clay). Today, the temperature is already significantly lower than it has been in recent days and weeks. It is only 57°F (14°C) out at the moment, and the high is only looking to be about 65°F (18°C) for the day. About 20°F (10°C) cooler than yesterday. Passengers on the (on-time) Zephyr are enjoying views of the plains under the overcast skies. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111022 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS020 (East Eisele (Clay)) Arvada, CO 25 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Most days along the Front Range have clear skies (at least in the summer), with clouds moving in during the afternoon hours. So it is a little unusual to have a bit of rain and overcast skies in the area as the Zephyr knocks down a clear (green) signal at the east end of Eisele. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111021 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 25 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The transition sleeper is typically the first car on long distance Amtrak trains. In addition to some paying passengers, crew members that right the train generally sleep in this car. The car also connects to the baggage car on the lower level, so crew members on the train can access the car if necessary. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111020 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Climbing out of Rocky, the morning Zephyr climbs along the north edge of Big Ten Curve on its journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111019 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, September 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 34 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On an overcast September morning, the Zephyr makes its way west on the main at Rocky and Little Ten Curve. Unit the mid-1980s, the west end of Rocky was actually located near the end of the Zephyr in this shot. It was extended through Little Ten Curve to accommodate longer trains. Primarily coal trains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111018 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 28 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's Valmy coal load consistently runs west in a 3x3 power configuration. The train is stopped in the siding at Rocky, waiting for the afternoon Rocky Mountaineer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111017 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 31 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Perhaps the coal train that most common coal train to make appearances on the Moffat in 2024 is this westbound BNSF coal load. BNSF has a contract with the Valmy power plant in northern Nevada. The coal train loads in the Power River Basin, and then runs over the former Grande from Denver to Salt Lake City. Five years ago, I certainly never thought I'd see a westbound coal load on the Moffat once, let alone on a regular basis! On this afternoon, the coal load stalled out climbing Big Ten due to a power issue. The train backed down into the siding at Rocky. The issue has been resolved, but the train has to wait for the Rocky Mountaineer before continuing west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111007 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 47 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A "standard" Zephyr consist, including a pair of P42DCs, a baggage car, and seven Superliners, is rolling west of Tunnel on the approach to a clear (green) signal at East Plain. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111006 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 36 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The morning Zephyr emerges from Tunnel 1 on its journey west, three minutes after being seen in this shot just west of Eisele (Clay) on the other side of CO-72. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111005 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 35 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Seven minutes after winding around through Little Ten Curve in this shot, the Zephyr is now continuing west out of Eisele and, approaching the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive. In a few minutes, the train will emerge from Tunnel 1 is this shot. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111003 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 35 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Zephyr, running right on time, just knocked down a clear (green) signal at the west end of Eisele (Clay) on its morning journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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