Photo ID: 111064 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Boulder County, CO 32 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Just west of the siding of Crescent, deep in the middle of the Tunnel District, a westbound oil train curves toward the east portal of Tunnel 19, just out of view to the left. The train crosses one of dozens of fills in place to accommodate the rails here in the Colorado Rockies. Off in the distance, you can see the dam the creates Gross Reservoir. Indeed, the dam is currently undergoing a project to raise its height by 131 feet. If you look closely, you can see some climbing cranes on the scene, being used in the construction. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111063 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed arvada, CO 34 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Five GEs and a single SD70ACe climb the north edge of Big Ten Curve on the point of a westbound oil train. As always, a single buffer car is located between the power and the tank cars. On this day, the buffer car is a Santa Fe open hopper. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111062 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada, CO 31 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF In 2024, mainline locomotives almost universally have around 4,400 horsepower. As a result, fewer units are typically needed on the head end of trains. Whereas 5 or 6 units was not uncommon 40 years ago, 2 or 3 is often then case in 2024. So, it is rather cool to come across a train like this, with 6 units on the head end. These units will be distributed throughout this oil train for the trip east, when the (loaded) train is far heavier than the current empty. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111061 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Following about 15 minutes behind the westbound Zephyr, a BNSF oil train charges west on the main at Rocky. The train has six units on the head end of the empty tanks. After filling at the transload facility in Wash, UT, the train will return east with the power distributed throughout the train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111018 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's Valmy coal load consistently runs west in a 3x3 power configuration. The train is stopped in the siding at Rocky, waiting for the afternoon Rocky Mountaineer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111017 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Little Ten Curve (MP 18.7 to MP 18.9) Arvada, CO 30 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Perhaps the coal train that most common coal train to make appearances on the Moffat in 2024 is this westbound BNSF coal load. BNSF has a contract with the Valmy power plant in northern Nevada. The coal train loads in the Power River Basin, and then runs over the former Grande from Denver to Salt Lake City. Five years ago, I certainly never thought I'd see a westbound coal load on the Moffat once, let alone on a regular basis! On this afternoon, the coal load stalled out climbing Big Ten due to a power issue. The train backed down into the siding at Rocky. The issue has been resolved, but the train has to wait for the Rocky Mountaineer before continuing west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110960 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 30, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 39 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A pair of ES44ACs bring up the tail end of an early morning Provo-Denver manifest. The units are passing Oberon Lake #1, alongside Oberon Road in Arvada. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110959 Date Shot Photo By Friday, August 30, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed 66th Avenue (MP 9.25) Arvada, CO 51 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF BNSF's Provo-Denver manifest is rolling east in the early morning sunlight east of Leyden. The train will make it down to Denver ahead of the departure of the morning westbound Zephyr. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110948 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 38 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Two SD70ACes with an ES44AC spliced in between climb up and around Big Ten Curve with a very heavy coal load in tow. The crew just informed DS-380 that they'll be making a max of about 13 MPH on the climb up to the Moffat Tunnel. The dispatcher is working to figure out where the coal load will meet the eastbound Rocky Mountaineer. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110947 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 39 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Two SD70ACes and an AC4400CW bring up the tail end a loaded BNSF coal train. The train met a Provo-Denver manifest that had no crew onboard at the time. You can see the derail is set in the foreground. The train is tied down and waiting for a relief crew, which is already been called. The train will be headed for Denver in another 90 minutes or so. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110946 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 38 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF In the narrowest part of Barbara's Gulch, BNSF 8780 leads two other units on a heavy, loaded coal train. When BNSF sends units west on a train to Utah, they typically return to Denver fairly quickly. BNSF 8780 led the Denver-Provo west out of Denver just five days earlier. The train must have made it to Provo, and the unit immediately sent back on a Provo-Denver. With this coal load going to Nevada, it'll probably be a bit longer before this unit is back in Denver. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110945 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Barbara's Gulch (MP 15.9 to MP 17.2) Arvada, CO 34 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF The further away from the summer solstice we move, higher quality of light in mid-day slowly starts to return. A westbound BNSF coal load, in a 3x3 configuration, makes its way through Barbara's Gulch when the sun is near its apex in the sky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110944 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden to Rocky (MP 13.4 to MP 17.4) Arvada, CO 35 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Mid-August is the time of year when sunflowers typically bloom in Colorado, and this August is no exception. The mainline is lined with lots of sunflowers as a BNSF coal load passes by a clear (green) intermediate signal at MP 14.5, just west of Leyden. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110943 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Leyden to Rocky (MP 13.4 to MP 17.4) Arvada, CO 31 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF Three units on the head end of this coal load (yes...a load...) work hard to keep the train moving just west of Leyden. The coal was sourced in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, and is headed for the Valmy power plant in Nevada. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 110939 Date Shot Photo By Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 35 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) BNSF A trio of similarly-numbered ES44ACs are the power on the Provo-Denver this morning. Alas, the crew had to tie the train down here at Rocky as BNSF's 31st Street Yard said there was "no room at the inn" for the train, despite the crew having nearly an hour left on the clock. So, the train will wait here until a relief crew is available (and space is available in the yard) for the train to continue east. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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