BNSF 6158 comes around the curve from Blue Mountain Drive to turn directly into the rapidly rising sun as it approaches the west end of Eisele (Clay). If you look closely, one of the tank cars to the left is passing by the silver control box for the hotbox detector at MP 22.6.
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At the base of Coal Creek Canyon, this eastbound BNSF oil train is emerging from the cut just west of Blue Mountain Drive, the head end now looking toward the grade crossing (and the hotbox detector at MP 22.6). If you look just above the covered hopper, at the tank cars a bit back in the train, you can see the top of the bridge that crosses over CO-72.
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An ES44AC and a pair of SD70ACes lead an eastbound oil train toward the west portal of Tunnel 1. As is the case with most BNSF oil trains on the Moffat, the three units on the point are accompanied by three DPUs on the end of the train.
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After meeting the Winter Park Express Ski Train here at Plain, this eastbound BNSF oil load now has a clear (green) signal at the east end of the siding. It is slowly starting to roll toward the signal. In the distance on the right side of the shot is Tunnel 4, which the Ski Train will momentarily be passing through.
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A single ES44AC brings up the tail end of this eastbound BNSF coal empty. Prior to the start of this Valmy coal train a few years ago, I never thought I would see a coal load running west on the Moffat or, as in this shot, an empty coal train running east.
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Four units on the head end and a single DPU provide power on this eastbound coal empty. As light as the coal empty is, I'd bet only the first two units and the DPU are actually online for the journey. The train is wrapping through Little Ten Curve and on the main here at Rocky.
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An empty BNSF coal train comes around Big Ten Curve. BNSF has a contract with the Valmy power plant in Nevada. The train loads in the Powder River Basin and then head west on the Moffat (loaded). After unloading, it returns east (empty). I would typically use the drone for a shot around Big Ten, but some stronger winds made me decide to just get the shot from the ground, the old fashioned way.
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This westbound Denver-Provo manifest is (and has been) stuck in the siding at Tolland for quite awhile. The train met an eastbound BNSF oil train, waited for the Moffat Tunnel to vent, then waited for the Winter Park Express (that is what it is waiting for now). After that, the tunnel had to vent again, before the train departed west to meet the Zephyr at Winter Park.
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A trio of SD70ACes bring up the tail end of this eastbound BNSF (loaded) unit oil train. I have had people ask why there isn't a buffer car between the end DPUs on the train (like on the head end). The reason is because the buffer car is primarily used to protect the crew. With no crew on the DPUs, a buffer car is not required.
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Just west of Rollins, an eastbound BNSF oil train approaches a clear (green) signal at the west switch of Rollins. The train passes the Winter Park Express at Fraser and had enough time to make it through the Moffat ahead of the Winter Park Express.
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A pair of GEs, a C44-9W and an ES440AC, bring up the tail end of this eastbound Provo-Denver manifest as it crosses Indiana Street at the west end of Leyden. BNSF manifests on the Moffat frequently consist of more tank cars than anything else, and today is no exception.
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A trio of SD70ACes leads this eastbound Provo-Denver as it approaches the west end of Leyden. While much of the mid-west is buried under multiple inches of snow, the Denver area has seen hardly any snowfall so far this winter season.
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This BNSF oil train, like all oil trains on the Moffat, was loaded at the Transload facility in Wellington, UT. Interestingly, I shot this train about a week earlier, on New Year's Eve, when it was headed west on the Moffat in Arvada.
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After spending several hours tied down in the siding at Rocky, waiting for a fresh crew, this BNSF oil train is back on the move in Barbara's Gulch.
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Two SD70ACes are DPU'd on the tail end of this eastbound Provo-Denver. The train is passing through the east OS here at Fraser. Note the derail switch, currently aligned for the derail position, protecting the siding at Fraser.
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