Photo ID: 111107 Date Shot Photo By Monday, September 23, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel (MP 50.2, 6.2 miles) Gilpin County, CO 324 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An SD70ACe and an AC4400CW lead a loaded coal train out the Moffat Tunnel at the end of September, just as fall colors are hitting their peaks. The coal train loaded at the West Elk mine on the North Fork Branch. There only seems to be about one coal train every few weeks on the Moffat these days, so this was a nice morning surprise. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111106 Date Shot Photo By Monday, September 23, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Moffat Tunnel (MP 50.2, 6.2 miles) Gilpin County, CO 277 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific An eastbound coal load...one of few that run on the Moffat these days...emerges from the tunnel in glorious morning light amidst a sea of fall colors. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111105 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Detector (MP 48.0) Gilpin County, CO 254 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific If you look close, you'll notice a few wires cutting across and near the top of the frame. These wires are part of the high/wide detector at MP 48.0. The detector protects against cars...or more likely anything sticking out from a car...that would not clear a tunnel. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111104 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS048 (West Tolland) Gilpin County, CO 255 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Just west of the west end of Tolland, a UP oil empty makes its way west amongst a sea of fall colors in the last bit of direct sunlight before the sun dips behind the mountains. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111103 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tolland (9,356 ft) Gilpin County, CO 224 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific As the sun approaches the western horizon (well...mountains), the crew of a UP oil empty approaches a clear (green) signal at the west end of Tolland. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111101 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 263 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Akron (BNSF) Union Pacific A westbound oil empty emerges from Tunnel one on a beautiful September afternoon. The day did not start quite as beautiful as it was overcast, drizzling, and cold this morning. In fact, I took a picture of another oil empty at this same spot in the morning. Note the crazy change in weather! Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111100 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Coal Creek (MP 23) Arvada, CO 257 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The two SD70ACes that are trailing on this oil train look a bit dirty on their engineers side, but they are significantly dirtier on the other side! They, along with ES44AC UP 7873 have the duty of taking this empty train to Wash, UT for loading. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111099 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 280 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific It is quite impressive watching the energy transition from coal to oil on the Moffat. 20 years ago, the Moffat saw as many as 16-18 coal trains in a 24 hour period. While oil trains have not (yet) become that common, their presence is absolutely increasing. Two years ago, there might be one UP oil train ever two days. Now, there seems to be an average of at least three oil trains every 24 hours. The train pictured is no exception, three UP units leading the train west at Blue Mountain Drive. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111098 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 277 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 7873 leads a westbound oil train around the bend from Eisele (Clay) and toward the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive. Off in the distance, the skyline of Denver stands amidst a sea of trees that, within the next 2 to 4 weeks should turn to fire with fall colors. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111097 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 458 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific In a shot that, at this point, is perhaps rather cliche for the Moffat, three units lead UP's thrice-weekly eastbound manifest across the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive on a pleasant September afternoon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111096 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Detector (MP 22.6) Arvada, CO 361 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Three units lead a manifest comprised almost exclusively of loaded coal hoppers and covered hoppers through the S-Curves at Coal Creek Canyon and by the hotbox detector at MP 22.6. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111095 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 392 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific I set the location of this shot as Tunnel 1, although Tunnel 1 is technically hidden from view, just around the bend. UP's MGJNY is descending the roughly 2% grade from Tunnel 1 down toward the bridge that crosses CO-72 at the base of Coal Creek Canyon. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111094 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS032 (West Crescent) Boulder County, CO 451 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP 8944 and train just knocked down a clear (green) signal at the west end of Crescent. The crew on this train had to do some work at Bond and they are starting to run short on their hours of service. DS-378 has informed them they will be recrewed at Rocky, about 15 rail miles ahead. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111093 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 19 (MP 32.1, 1,059 ft) Boulder County, CO 376 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Three units lead UP's MGJNY on the approach to the west end of Tunnel 19 in the Tunnel District. In the distance, you can see a few cranes working on reinforcing and increasing the height of Gross Dam. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111092 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 22, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 22 (MP 33.0, 164 ft) Boulder County, CO 319 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The head end of UP's MGJNY approaches the west end of Tunnel 21. The train is also in-and-out of the short Tunnel 21, and the back half is still in Tunnel 23 in the heart of the Tunnel District. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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