Photo ID: 110878 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden to Rocky (MP 13.4 to MP 17.4) Arvada, CO 60 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Amtrak A UP C44AC-CTE, now rebuilt as a C44ACM, is leading the westbound Zephyr on an afternoon that brought some much needed moisture and cooler temperatures to the area. There has been no significant rain in weeks, and temperatures have been well into the 90°Fs (32°Cs). Today, the temperature is very pleasant 60°F (15°C). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110877 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, August 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden to Rocky (MP 13.4 to MP 17.4) Arvada, CO 68 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Amtrak The westbound Zephyr arrived in Denver a little over two hours late, and ended up getting delayed another hour in town when it stopped to pick up a UP unit as a new leader, likely due to a mechanical issue with one of the P42DCs. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110868 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, August 7, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 39 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A pair of P42DCs (both in Phase 5) are power on a typical Zephyr consist this morning as the train passes by Oberon Lake #1 in Arvada. The Zephyr is roughly halfway between the control point at Arvada (CP DS007) and the east switch of Leyden (CP DS012). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110867 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, August 7, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 66th Avenue (MP 9.25) Arvada, CO 39 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Crossing 66th Avenue, the westbound Zephyr is running right on time as it navigates its way through the residential Denver suburb of Arvada. Arvada has a few areas of commercial zoning, but the vast majority of the city of 120,000 citizens is filled with houses. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110866 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, August 7, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 66th Avenue (MP 9.25) Arvada, CO 37 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr approaches the grade crossing at 66th Avenue in Arvada. With the morning Zephyr generally headed away from the sun, this short stretch of track by 66th Avenue is one of the best places for a reasonably lit (not backlit) shot as the tracks run (more or less) geographically north here. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110859 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS016 (East Rocky) Arvada, CO 47 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The evening Zephyr departs the east end of Rocky and enters into the narrow west end of Barbara's Gulch. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110858 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 58 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Zephyr rolls east on the main at Rocky. In this shot, you can clearly see the difference between welded rail (on the main) and jointed rail (on the siding). Some track equipment is currently tied down on the house track. Note that derails are properly set on both ends of the house track. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110857 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 35 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The eastbound Zephyr wraps its way through Little Ten Curve near the west end of Rocky. In the distance (and above), you can see the signals at the west end of Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110856 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 51 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Coming around Big Ten Curve, the eastbound Zephyr is descending the nearly 2% grade toward Rocky. Note the tail end of the open hoppers that serve as a wind break to the right of the frame. You can see the Denver skyline off in the distance, where the Zephyr itself will be in about 45 minutes. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110842 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel (MP 50.2, 6.2 miles) Gilpin County, CO 60 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The lounge car, along with the rest of the westbound Zephyr, is about to pass underneath the Continental Divide. What you may not know, is that the actually bore in the mountain is still above 500 feet ahead of the lounge car in this shot. There is a significant structure that houses the equipment for ventilating the tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110841 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS050 (West East Portal) Gilpin County, CO 63 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Passenger on the westbound Zephyr prepare for about 12 minutes of darkness as the train gets ready to plunge in to the 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel. The train is passing underneath a small signal bridge that actually holds several cameras that UP can monitor from Omaha. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110840 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 57 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 71 and AMTK 142 peek through pine trees lining South Boulder Creek. The train is facing a red signal as it waits for the Moffat Tunnel to finish venting after an eastbound BNSF manifest exited about 20 minutes earlier. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110839 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 61 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The trailheads at East Portal are a very popular destination for hikers, particularly on the weekend. You can see dozens of cars parked in the lots and long the road. Some of these hikers no doubt take notice of the westbound Zephyr as it approaches the Moffat Tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110838 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed East Portal (5,750 ft) Gilpin County, CO 71 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Running about 45 minutes late, the westbound Zephyr is approaching the east portal of the Moffat Tunnel. Here, at East Portal, the tracks run parallel to South Boulder Creek. The water for which is primarily sourced from the west slope after coming through the Moffat Water Tunnel. We are right around 9,200 feet above sea level, the highest point on Amtrak's system, and the highest active point on Class 1 railroads. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110837 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, August 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland to East Portal (MP 47.7 to MP 48.9) Gilpin County, CO 50 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak After meeting a BNSF manifest at Tolland, the westbound Zephyr is on the move again as it crosses over Tolland Road, which leads to the trail heads at the west end of East Portal. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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