Photo ID: 111064 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crescent to Cliff (MP 31.8 to MP 36.7) Boulder County, CO 30 (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 Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) arvada, CO 29 (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 CP DS019 (West Rocky) Arvada, CO 27 (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 Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 21 (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: 111060 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Eisele (Clay) (5,780 ft) Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak As summer winds down in mid-September, the leaves on the trees are just starting to show signs of their annual fall transition, some hints of yellow starting to show as the westbound Zephyr rolls by on the main near west Eisele (Clay). Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111059 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Big Ten Curve (MP 19.5 to MP 20.2) Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak The skies are crystal clear and you could not ask for better lighting as the the westbound Zephyr climbs the north edge of Big Ten Curve. AMTK 187 (Phase 7) and AMTK 13 (Phase 5b) lead the train, elephant style, on the journey west. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111058 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rocky (7,330ft) Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak A Phase 7 P42DC happens to be leading the Zephyr on the Moffat this morning. The train has a standard consist with seven Superliners as the train rolls west on the main at Rocky. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111056 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Simms Street (MP 11.16) Arvada, CO 26 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) LORAM, Union Pacific Loram's LRV-14 is referred to as a "Rail Vac". It is actually a huge, extremely powerful vacuum on rails. It is capable of sucking up anything along the right-of-way, up to 15 feet from the center of the rail. It is of used for sucking up old ballast that is going to be replaced. Here, it is being transported to Denver on UP's MGJNY. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111055 Date Shot Photo By Friday, September 13, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Arvada to Leyden (MP 7.5 to MP 11.9) Arvada, CO 23 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific UP's thrice-weekly MGJNY runs west on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday and returns back east on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This morning, the manifest is in its final 10 miles as it approaches the grade crossing at Simms Street in Arvada. There are only two units on the train today as it is a (relatively) short train. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111045 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 49 (299') Routt County, CO 36 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Just west of Tunnel 49, the Phippsburg Local curves along the mainline of the Craig Branch on its journey west from Bond to the yard in Phippsburg. UP used to run a train between North Yard and Phippsburg (and back), but stopped doing that about five years ago. Now, instead, the MNYGJ and MGJNY pick up and/or setout cars at Bond for the Phippsburg Local. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111044 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 49 (299') Routt County, CO 45 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Not too far west of the siding of Volcano, the track make a near 180° turn to head toward Toponas (the next siding west) and, eventually, Phippsburg, CO. On the first curve, the tracks pass through Tunnel 49. A pair of GEs lead the Phippsburg Local as it approaches the tunnel. After this tunnel, there are six more the train will pass through prior to reaching the yard in Phippsburg. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111043 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed CP DS144 (West Volcano) Routt County, CO 43 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific At the west end of Volcano, UP 6038 and UP 6543 lead 38 covered hoppers west on the Craig Branch. Volcano is the longest siding between Bond and Phippsburg, at 7,470 feet in length. It was a common place for coal loads to meet empties 20 years ago, when multiple coal trains were loaded a day on the branch. Today, the siding sits empty, no meets being required. Note the classic Denver and Salt Lake searchlight signals. It is not worth the investment from UP to upgrade the signals on this, the least-used stretch of mainline track with CTC in the country. Its almost surprising that UP hasn't shut down the CTC in favor of track warrants. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111042 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Rock Creek Canyon Routt County, CO 41 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific When the Moffat route was originally built and the railroad was faced with Rock Creek Canyon, there were two options. Build a roughly 1,800 foot long bridge across the canyon, or build back into the canyon roughly a mile in and back out, where a fill and four tunnels could facilitate the journey. The railroad chose the latter option. The westbound Phippsburg Local has just completed that journey in and out, and is now continuing west toward Phippsburg. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111041 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Tunnel 48 Routt County, CO 40 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific Deep in Rock Creek Canyon, the Phippsburg Local emerges from Tunnel 48 on the Craig Branch. The west portal of Tunnel 46 is also visible on the right side of the frame. Tunnel 47 is obscured behind a curve. There are rumors that UP is trying to negotiate with UP to potentially bring daily passenger runs between Denver and Steamboat Springs. That would be great, allowing people to see the amazing scenery. Scenery that hasn't been scene by train passengers since the demise of the Yampa Valley Mail, the final train running on April 8, 1968. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 111040 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, September 8, 2024 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crater Routt County, CO 47 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific The westbound Phippsburg Local crosses a private grade crossing on the main at Crater. This siding is only 5,160 feet long, and probably has not actually had a meet at it in many years, if not decades. The horn that just echoed through the canyon will likely be the only one heard for at least the next 24-48 hours. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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