Photo ID: 110817 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 2, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden (7,020ft) Arvada, CO 51 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A relatively short BNSF Provo-Denver makes its way through the various neighborhoods located in western Arvada. The manifest is short enough that it does not even have any DPUs on the tail end. Very unusual for this particular train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110760 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 75 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF 704, sporting one of the most popular paint schemes in railroading (the Warbonnet Scheme) is the second unit on this eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver. The Warbonnet does have an order battery cover behind the cab. This component is compatible with all like models, and is frequently changed out. Also of note, half the nose has just be straight up repainted in red. Regardless, the unit still looks mighty good, nearly 30 years after the BNSF merger. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110759 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Chemical (MP 14.5) Arvada, CO 68 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A pair of C44-9Ws, one in Heritage 2 paint and one in the Warbonnet scheme, lead two ES44ACs as this eastbound manifest approaches the switch to the old Chem Spur. The spur has now been out of service for about a decade. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110758 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 62 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF On an extraordinarily hazy day July day, an eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver makes its way through Barbara's Gulch, four units on the head end and two DPUs bringing up the back. The train had been tied down in the siding at Rocky since the pre-dawn hours, but a relief crew finally came and got it. The haze, incidentally, is primarily due to summer forest fires to the northwest. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110757 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel (MP 50.2, 6.2 miles) Gilpin County, CO 56 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF For nearly 100 years, trains have passed beneath the Continental Divide through the Moffat Tunnel. In 2024, a scene that has been repeated more times than can be counted, a trailing DPU will be the last part of the train in daylight until the head end emerges in Winter Park. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110756 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 63 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A long string of tank cars are just ahead of two DPUs, bringing up the rear of BNSF's Denver-Provo manifest. The units are helping to push the train in to the 6.2 mile long bore underneath the Continental Divide. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110755 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 47 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF It seems like there have been more C44-9Ws wearing the original Heritage scheme running around lately. These units earned the nickname "goat boats". The history there is in two parts. "Goat" comes from logo of the Great Northern railroad, from which much of the inspiration of the Heritage scheme was taken. "Boat" comes from the reference to 1st and 2nd generation GE units as "U-Boats", from their model IDs (U25B, U30C, etc). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110754 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel (MP 50.2, 6.2 miles) Gilpin County, CO 63 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Looking from directly above the east portal of the Moffat Tunnel, we see a westbound BNSF manifest charging forward toward the tunnel that'll carry the train under the Continental Divide. There are a ton of hikers parked in the parking lot at East Portal, enjoying the July day. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110753 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 59 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A westbound BNSF manifest is staring at a clear (green) signal on the main track leading into the Moffat Tunnel. In just a few moments, it'll be 15-20 minutes of darkness for the crew as they pass through the 6.2 mile long tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110752 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 52 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Two SD70ACes are the bookends to a Heritage 2 C44-9W, the three units leading the westbound Denver-Provo manifest on the main at East Portal. Since Elderado Canyon near Tunnel 8, the tracks have (off and on) been following South Boulder Creek, located to the right of the tracks in the frame. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110751 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, July 21, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS038 (West Cliff) Gilpin County, CO 58 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF 9301 leads the westbound Denver-Provo manifest at the west switch of Cliff. In the Rio Grande days, the west switch of Cliff was interesting as it was a "Y" switch. There was a bit of a diverging both for the main and the siding. UP has reconfigured it so the only turn is toward the siding. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110718 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 54 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF A rare visitor to the Moffat to be sure, MRL 4303 was the trailing DPU on this eastbound BNSF manifest. The train is crossing Simms Street in Arvada, headed for BNSF's 31st Street Yard. BNSF took over the MRL on January 1, 2024. Since then, MRL units have started to roam the BNSF system. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110717 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 79 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF On January 1, 2024, the lease that created the MRL on October 31, 1987 was terminated early. In 2022, BNSF agreed to pay MRL $2 billion to terminate the lease early. The lease was originally created for 60 years, set to expire in 2047. With BNSF taking over the MRL, the MRL power (now owned by BNSF) left Montana to explore the BNSF system. MRL 4303 happened to be the rear DPU on BNSF's Provo-Denver this afternoon. BNSF will eventually repaint the units, and the classic blue and large "W" will fade into rail history. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110716 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 60 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF With MRL (Montana Rail Link) now owned by BNSF, former MRL units are roaming free on the BNSF system. One of the 29 SD70ACes happened to be the trailing DPU unit on BNSF's Provo-Denver manifest on this July afternoon. Eventually, no doubt, the MRL units will be painted orange. I will certainly miss the distinctive blue scheme. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110715 Date Shot Photo By Monday, July 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 54 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Montana Rail Link, BNSF An MRL SD70ACe, now owned by BNSF, brough up the end of this eastbound Provo-Denver. In another 12 miles or so, the train will reach BNSF's 31st Street Yard and the power will be taken off and serviced. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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