Looks somebody has spent some time to try to "unpatch" this former Espee GP40M-2! You can clearly see the outline of a UP shield that has been painted over on the nose!!
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The Rocky Local (now referred to as the West Local) makes a rare Saturday appearance on the Rocky Flats Industrial Lead. The local is switching out hoppers at the TXI Aggregate plant, about four miles north of the Moffat mainline.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
After nearly three years, the Espee Heritage Unit finally made its way to Denver. It came in the night before on the Moffat. Didn't hang out long! It headed north on the MNYNP the following day. Here, the MNYNP sits in the siding at Platteville, CO.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A last bit of light shines through here at Platteville before afternoon storm clouds totally take over. UP 1996 came through Denver for the first time. Here, the train sits on the siding at Platteville to wait for a southbound.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A pretty descent action shot of UP 1996. The unit was second in the consist on the MNYNP. The train is on the Greeley Sub and the shot was taken from US-85, moving along at close to 40 MPH.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A long lens look at the Espee Heritage Unit, UP 1996, as it runs north on UP's MNYNP. Lighting was a bit harsh here as the sun and the clouds were both in the western sky.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have come across this consist! These days, finding a patched Espee unit is still fairly common. Two patched units in a consist is increasing rare. Finding three - particularly three without an other units - is just awesome. These units were on a coal empty heading for Energy, tied down in the siding at Sable.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
I'm not certain if I'll ever seen another unpatched Espee AC4400CW or not. UP 6417, seen here as the end DPU on an eastbound coal load in front of the Denver skyline, has worn a yellow patch now for nearly seven years! It switched from SP 371 to its new number on January 14, 2002.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The Rocky Local throttles up as it moves west through Barbara's Gulch. The grade increases through here and a bit more power is needed to get the (rather long) local up to Rocky.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Don't attempt to adjust your monitor! At the time of this shot, only 37 unpatched Espee units remained, and I was lucky enough to come across this SD40M-2, the fourth unit on the MNYRO-27. The rebuilt SD45 along with the SD40T-2 behind it are on their way to Ogden, UT where they will be placed in "long term storage".
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The power for the Rocky Local has run around the wye and is now backing to attach to the hopper returning to town. The train will shove down the spur back to the mainline and will then be in position to return to town.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Two things are being done by the Rocky Local in this shot. First off, the power is preparing to spot some covered hoppers on the tail leg of the wye. Once those have been spotted, the power will come back around the wye in the foreground, attach to the hoppers in the foreground and shove back down to the mainline.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Approaching the grade crossing at what used to be the west entrance to Rocky Flats, the Rocky Local is moving along at a cautious 10 MPH. A few of the hoppers that were to be dropped off at TXI Aggregate could not fit on the inbound track. Those hoppers will be spotted on the tail leg of the wye near the old Rocky Flat. They will be delivered to TXI at a later date.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Backing down the Rocky Spur toward TXI Aggregate (at the end of the line), the Rocky Local passes by "Old Time Lumber", a company located right off Highway 93.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Even as common as patched Espee AC4400CWs are these days, it is still pretty uncommon to catch two of them together in a consist! Such was the case on this Sunday morning though, as UP 6406 (ex-SP 360) leads a coal load east out of Leyden after meeting three westbounds. Interestingly, the train is actually headed for the power plant in Cañon City on the eastern end of Tennessee Pass!
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
