Photo ID: 108983 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 19, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS004 (Pecos X-Over) Denver, CO 484 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak If you look closely at the last two Superliner, you'll see the train has just crossed over from Main 3 to Main 2 at the Pecos Street crossover. When coal trains were "a dime a dozen" on the Moffat, you could almost always count on finding at least one, if not two, coal trains here on Main 1 and Main 2. The Pecos Street crossover was built to allow the mid-train helpers to be easily cut out of the coal loads. With coal having all but vanished from the Moffat, these tracks spend most days empty and silent. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108982 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 19, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS003 (Utah Junction) Denver, CO 498 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr passes underneath one of the few-remaining Rio Grande-era signal bridges and searchlights at Utah Junction. The last Superliner crosses over the Belt Industrial Lead, which leads to the Greeley Subdivision. The Zephyr is on the main, and the North Yard siding is now to the left of the train. Note the large number of center beam flats being stored. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108981 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, February 19, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS002 (North Yard) Denver, CO 511 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr, running just a few minutes late, approaches the signal at CP DS002. The Zephyr, just two miles west of Denver Union Station, has UP's North Yard on its left (right side of the picture) and BNSF's Denver intermodal yard, Rennicks, on its right (left side of the picture). A slew of JB Hunt trailers, among others, wait to either be loaded on a train, or picked up by a truck to proceed to their destinations. The track the Zephyr is on is the only track that is signaled and has CTC (and PTC) in this shot. All the other tracks are in "yard limits" and are not signaled. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108980 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, February 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Plain (6,530 ft) Arvada, CO 431 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr glides west on the main at Plain, approaching the grade crossing. If you look in the distance, you can see a tunnel portal. That is the east portal of Tunnel 4, which the Zephyr will be passing through in just a few minutes. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108979 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, February 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 407 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Just west of Tunnel 1, the Zephyr snakes through an S-Curve amidst a snowy Front Range. The Zephyr has a pretty typical consist this morning. Two P42DCs, a baggage car, and seven Superliners (a transition sleeper, two sleepers, a diner, a longue car, and two coaches). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108978 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, February 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 1 (MP 23.4, 366 ft) Arvada, CO 566 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak There isn't a cloud in the sky on this chilly February morning as the westbound Zephyr, running about 30 minutes late, climbs toward Tunnel 1 in a snowy winter wonderland. The lack of cloud cover has resulted in a nose dive in temperature, with it only being 14°F (-10°C) outside. It would be hard to be the view looking out of the Zephyr then on a morning like this. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108977 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, February 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 559 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The best winter mornings in Colorado are the ones that have a crystal clear blue sky the the day after several inches of fresh snow fell. Such was the case on this February morning as the westbound Zephyr, running about 30 minutes late, rounds Big Ten Curve. You can clearly see the hoppers filled with concrete and dirt on the inside of the curve, now having served as a wind break for over 50 years. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108976 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, February 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 601 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak You could not ask for a better morning to be riding the westbound Zephyr out of Denver! A blizzard the day before left about 6 inches of fresh snow across the Front Range. It is only 14°F (-10°C) outside as the Zephyr climbs up to Big Ten Curve. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108975 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, February 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 445 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A fresh blanket of snow covers the ground on a clear, cold February morning. The Zephyr heads in to Little Ten Curve near the west end of Rocky on its journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108974 Date Shot Photo By Thursday, February 16, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 380 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr approaches the turnout to the Rocky Spur. That turnout on the main is next to the turnout at the west end of the house track off of the siding. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108968 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 576 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak When you think January, you likely think winter, and January 2023 is certainly delivering on that image! While the Front Range of Colorado is no stranger to snow, it is fairly typical for a storm to hit, and 2-3 days later, the snow has all but melted. However, this winter, frequent storms every few days and colder-than-average temperatures have resulted in the snow sticking around. Passengers enjoy the frigid winter scene from the confines of the westbound Zephyr here at the Blue Mountain road crossing. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108967 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 784 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak What do you think of this colorful paint scheme? As you can see, The scheme honors 50 years of the program Operation Lifesaver. The program started in 1972 and continues to operate to promote safety around railroad tracks to this day. This unit was unveiled by Amtrak in January 2022. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108966 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Blue Mountain Drive (MP 22.43) Arvada, CO 738 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak Kicking up a little snow along the main, the westbound Zephyr approaches the grade crossing at Blue Mountain Road. It has been a rather brutal winter for much of the United States, and once again, snow is falling here in the Denver-Metro area. AMTK 203 is painted in a special "Operation Lifesaver" scheme, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the program. Amtrak unveiled the paint scheme about a year ago, in January 2022. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108965 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed West of Leyden Arvada, CO 654 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak AMTK 203, sporting a unique and colorful paint scheme, and AMTK 60 lead the westbound Zephyr west out of Leyden. In the background toward the ride side of the frame, you can see a CVS Pharmacy and gas station, either of which were there two years ago. Development in western Arvada continues to explode! AMTK 203 is painted in a special "Operation Lifesaver" scheme, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the program. Amtrak unveiled the paint scheme about a year ago, in January 2022. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108964 Date Shot Photo By Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS013 (West Leyden) Arvada, CO 632 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The westbound Zephyr, led by AMTK 203, is departing the siding at Leyden to continue the journey west after meeting an eastbound UP manifest. If you look in the distance, you can see the sole DPU unit bringing up the rear of UP's MGJNY on the main. AMTK 203 is painted in a special "Operation Lifesaver" scheme, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the program. Amtrak unveiled the paint scheme about a year ago, in January 2022. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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