Photo ID: 110737 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 19, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 43 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The morning Zephyr heads west on the main at Eisele (Clay). Interestingly, the Zephyr has eight Superliners this morning! There is a third coach on the train. For many years before COVID, this was the standard on the Zephyr. Since COVID, it dropped to seven. Is this a one time thing, or a sign that demand has picked up and Amtrak is adding supply to accommodate? Time will tell... Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110736 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 18, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 43 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A pair of Phase 5 P42DCs lead the westbound Zephyr out of Tunnel 1. Amtrak is actively working to repaint their fleet of P42DCs in their new Phase 7 scheme. No doubt, in just a few years, catching the Zephyr (or any long distance train) with Phase 5 P42DCs will be the focus of every railfan as Phase 7 because the dominant scheme. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110735 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 18, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 50 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak This time of year, when the westbound Zephyr is on time, the sun shines almost directly on the nose of the westbound Zephyr as it climbs from the base of Coal Creek Canyon toward Tunnel 1. Indeed, this is the case this morning as the Zephyr is indeed right on time. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110734 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 18, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 48 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive is a staple in the Denver railfan community. It is a very popular spot for some great shots of both westbounds and eastbounds. This morning, a Zephyr with a standard consist (for 2024) crosses the grade crossing on its way west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110733 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 18, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele to Plain (MP 21.8 to MP 24.0) Arvada, CO 51 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr makes its way around the curve from the west end of Eisele (Clay), approaching the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Drive. Off in the hazy distance, you can see the Denver skyline. Humidity this morning is around 50%, which is quite a bit higher than what is normal for the Denver-Metro area. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110671 Date Shot Photo By Friday, July 5, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 68 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is approaching the 80th Avenue grade crossing and the east switch of Leyden. AMTK 170 is just crossing over Church Ditch, a man-made irrigation ditch from Clear Creek running up to Standley Lake. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110661 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 66th Avenue (MP 9.25) Arvada, CO 57 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Anything look weird or out of place in this picture? The crossing gate for opposing traffic at the 66th Avenue grade crossing is stuck up. This crossing has a center median and "quad gates" because it is a quite zone. When working properly, trains do not use their horns at this crossing. However, since the crossing gate is malfunctioning, trains are currently using their horns here. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110660 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 66th Avenue (MP 9.25) Arvada, CO 39 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak There is a short stretch of track between the cut west of Carr Street and the curve along Oberon Lake where the tracks run north northwest (for westbounds). It is a great place, particularly in the summer months, to get westbound with decent lighting in the morning. Case-in-point is this morning's westbound California Zephyr, with AMTK 18 and AMTK 824 on the point. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110659 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 66th Avenue (MP 9.25) Arvada, CO 48 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is only going about 20 MPH as it approaches the grade crossing at 66th Avenue in Arvada. Part of the grade crossing is currently broken, so there is a standing "XH" order at the crossing. This means trains must go slow enough to stop if a car darts out in front of them. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110653 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Union Station Denver, CO 59 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Denver Union Terminal (RTD) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is stopped on Track 4 at Denver Union Station for its scheduled station stop. Here at Denver, there is a crew change. The crew getting off the train has been on since Lincoln, NE. The new crew will take the train to Grand Junction, CO. In the foreground, an RTD A-Line train (from Denver International Airport) is arriving on Track 1. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110652 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Union Station Denver, CO 45 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Denver Union Terminal (RTD) Amtrak The classic Union Station building, now declared a National Historic Landmark, has been surrounded by new buildings over the past 15 years. The westbound Zephyr is stopped on Track 4 for its station stop. An RTD commuter train is out of service on Track 6. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110651 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 23rd Street Denver, CO 60 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr backs across the wye bridge on the Buck Main toward Union Station. Once the train clears the switch, the conductor will re-align the switch, and the train will continue in to the station. The crew have already contacted RTD dispatch for permission to back in to Track 4. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110650 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS000 (Prospect Junction) Denver, CO 49 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The head end of the westbound Zephyr is stopped in the OS at Prospect Jct. The train is technically on Main 2, with Main 1 over to the right of the frame. The nose of AMTK 18 is actually in Yard Limits and out of CTC. The only stretch of CTC on Main 2 here at Prospect Jct is between the two signals. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110649 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 23rd Street Denver, CO 44 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Colorado Springs (UP)/Pikes Peak (BNSF) BNSF, Amtrak A conductor from the California Zephyr is on the ground on the wye bridge and has aligned the switch for the Buck Main. You can see a restricting signal at the diamond. The Zephyr will use this track to back in to Union Station for its schedule station stop. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110648 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, July 4, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS000 (Prospect Junction) Denver, CO 52 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr is arriving in Denver, having made up some time on the trip in from Fort Morgan. Once the train clears the wye bridge over the South Platte, it'll back across the Buck main into Denver Union Station. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

Previous Page     Next Page