Photo ID: 112649 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 84 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak About a month ago, Union Pacific reinforced the track on the north edge of Big Ten Curve. A lot of rip rap rock was laid on the slope of the track, as you can see to the right. The California Zephyr, with nine Superliners, climbs up and around Big Ten. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112648 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 76 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak After meeting a Provo-Denver here at Rocky, the Zephyr has already accelerated back up to track speed as it blasts through the OS at the west end of Rocky. Union Pacific gives IDs to all control points, in addition to names. As you can see, the control point ID here at West Rocky is "CP DS019". The "DS" comes from "Denver and Salt Lake", David Moffat's railroad that built the line well over a century ago. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112647 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 87 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 147 and AMTK 194 lead the westbound Zephyr on the main at Rocky as two DPUs pass by the P42s on the tail end of an eastbound BNSF Provo-Denver. The dispatcher set up a really good meet here, and neither train ultimately had to stop. This is referred to as a "rolling meet". Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112645 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 96 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr that departed Chicago on June 23rd had a late start. Unfortunately, it lost more time on its journey west toward Denver, and departed Denver a little over three hours late. Here, that train is coming up to an approach (yellow) signal at the east switch of Rocky. It will be meeting a BNSF Provo-Denver which is already in the block at the west end. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112640 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Plain (6,530 ft) Jefferson County, CO 83 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak While the east half of Plain is one of the most commonly photographed portions of the east side of the Moffat, the west half is likely one of the least photographed portions as it is quite remote. Here, the Zephyr has come to a stop on the main at the west end of Plain. Passengers are going to have to be patient and wait for about 90 minutes for some track plate repairs to take place between Tunnel 2 and Tunnel 3. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112639 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rainbow Cut Jefferson County, CO 119 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr enters the short (and aptly named) Rainbow Cut, about halfway through Plain. You can see red, yellow, and blue hues very clearly in the rock. The train here is moving quite slowly as there is a red signal at the west end of the block. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112638 Date Shot Photo By Monday, June 23, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Plain (6,530 ft) Arvada, CO 80 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is slowly heading west on the main track at Plain, overtaking a maintenance vehicle on the siding. The Zephyr had an approach (yellow) signal at the east switch, and will be coming a stop at a red signal at the west end. UP found a few tie plates west of Tunnel 2 that need to be replaced before another train runs over the rails, so the Zephyr will be stopped for about 90 minutes, waiting. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112634 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crescent (5,550 ft) Jefferson County, CO 75 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak On a beautiful June morning, the westbound Zephyr is on the main near the east end of Crescent. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112633 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 57 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 157 and AMTK 25 lead the westbound Zephyr at West Eisele (Clay). The train has a baggage car, a Transition Sleeper, three regular Sleepers, a Dining Car, a Lounge Car, and three Coach Cars. This was the summer standard before COVID, and it looks like Amtrak is moving back to this as the standard Zephyr consist. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112632 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 52 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The landscape around Big ten is still very green on the eve of the first official day of summer. While the spring was cooler than normal, and saw more rain than normal, it appears that is behind us now. At a quarter to 10am, it is already 85°F (30°C), and it is supposed to get close to 100°F (38°C) this afternoon. The green is probably not going to be long-lived as we get into the summer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112631 Date Shot Photo By Friday, June 20, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 58 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 157 looks to have suffered from scratched pain on its nose. It and AMTK 25 are leading the Zephyr west out of Rocky, digging into the nearly 2% grade. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112628 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS024 (East Plain) Arvada, CO 52 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The siding of Plain is empty this morning as the westbound Zephyr heads toward the Tunnel District. In the distance, you can see the east portal of Tunnel 4. One of these days, I hope to get a shot from this perspective of an upcoming meet, with an eastbound emerging from Tunnel 4. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112627 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 55 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Just west of Tunnel 1, the Zephyr is taking on the 1.75% grade with a baggage car, nine Superliners, and two Patrick Henry private cars in tow. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112626 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 54 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The Zephyr wraps around the bend, heading toward Blue Mountain Drive. A pair of Patrick Henry cars, the Evelyn Henry and Warren Henry, are on the tail end. These cars were both built for Union Pacific in the 1950s. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 112625 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, June 19, 2025 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS022 (West Eiesle (Clay)) Arvada, CO 59 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak About 10 years ago, Amtrak increased the cost of hauling private cars on their long distance trains. They also put in a few other rules and regulations, and reduced the number of stops where private cars could be picked up or dropped off. As a result, the number of private cars on the Zephyr have decreased quite a bit. In fact, the two most common private cars to show up on the Moffat the past few years seem to be the Patrick Henry cars, the Evelyn Henry and Warren Henry. Here, both cars are again headed west on the Moffat at the west switch of Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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