Western Railroad Discussion > Moffat Tunnel Sub Questions

So I took a ride on the California Zephyr and seen what I consider most scenic line Ive ever been on. Anyway first question is about the Moffat Tunnel's history. I know it was never electrified like Cascade Tunnel was, so did tunnel always have ventilation system from day one that it first opened? If not how did steam locomotives go through there without suffocating the crew and passengers? Next question is about the BNSF trains that use that route. Do BNSF's own crews operate on the line or do UP crews run them as haulage rights? One final question. Whats daily traffic like out on the line? When I came through there I only saw 3 trains between Denver and Helper UT where daylight faded away. Just hoping to learn all I can about the very scenic route. Thanks for any replies!

Posted from iPhone

BNSF has trackage rights and uses its own crews. They built a small yard near Rifle, east of Grand Junction, that they evidently use for crew changes and inspections. I believe they run a daily pair of road freights plus occasional unit trains.

UP's focus on this line seems to be to run as few trains as possible. They feed local customers in the Grand Junction area (including the famous Potash Local) from Denver but it's my understanding they forward those cars in the consists of unit trains whenever they can rather than running a dedicated manifest freight on a regular basis.

DanCM Wrote:
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> So I took a ride on the California Zephyr and seen
> what I consider most scenic line I've ever been on.  

If you want a ride over the most scenic mainline passenger train route, in my opinion, look north to Canada and Rocky Mountaineer's deluxe train over the Canadian Pacific Rockies.  

The tunnel has had big electric blowers at the east end since construction in the 1920s as far as I know. 

The BNSF trains are true trackage rights over the former DRGW, crewed by BNSF. 

Traffic is pretty much dead compared with what it used to be.  There's the BNSF trains (was 4/day, but I don't know what it's running at these days), Amtrak, UP manifests Denver-Grand Junction, the UP local from GJ down toward Moab once a week, and random coal off the North Fork branch.  Last I'd heard they were loading an average of one a day or so, but that may have changed.  The first couple coal trains off the Craig Branch this year just moved a couple weeks ago - some joint UP/BNSF move to a plant in Arizona.

NDHolmes Wrote:
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> The tunnel has had big electric blowers at the
> east end since construction in the 1920s as far as
> I know. 
>
> The BNSF trains are true trackage rights over the
> former DRGW, crewed by BNSF. 
>
> Traffic is pretty much dead compared with what it
> used to be.  There's the BNSF trains (was 4/day,
> but I don't know what it's running at these days),
> Amtrak, UP manifests Denver-Grand Junction, the UP
> local from GJ down toward Moab once a week, and
> random coal off the North Fork branch.  Last I'd
> heard they were loading an average of one a day or
> so, but that may have changed.  The first couple
> coal trains off the Craig Branch this year just
> moved a couple weeks ago - some joint UP/BNSF move
> to a plant in Arizona.

Wonder why Great Northern did'nt do that when they first built Cascade Tunnel, instead of having to use electrification

Posted from iPhone

toledopatch Wrote:
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> BNSF has trackage rights and uses its own crews.
> They built a small yard near Rifle, east of Grand
> Junction, that they evidently use for crew changes
> and inspections. I believe they run a daily pair
> of road freights plus occasional unit trains.
>

Where do the UP crews take over? Salt Lake City?

portlander Wrote:
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> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BNSF has trackage rights and uses its own
> crews.
> > They built a small yard near Rifle, east of
> Grand
> > Junction, that they evidently use for crew
> changes
> > and inspections. I believe they run a daily
> pair
> > of road freights plus occasional unit trains.
> >
>
> Where do the UP crews take over? Salt Lake City?

BNSF has trackage rights all the way to California. There may be a district east of Salt Lake (to Provo? Helper?) where their trains are handled by Utah Railway crews.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> portlander Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > toledopatch Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----

> > Where do the UP crews take over? Salt Lake
> City?
>
> BNSF has trackage rights all the way to
> California. There may be a district east of Salt
> Lake (to Provo? Helper?) where their trains are
> handled by Utah Railway crews.

UP Sparks-Elko crews handle the train between Sparks-Elko or Portola, and UP Roseville-Sparks crews handle the trains between Portola, Sparks-Roseville.

BNSF crews deadhead up to Roseville from Stockton to get the train and take it back.
G

ExSPCondr Wrote:
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> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > portlander Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > toledopatch Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
>
> > > Where do the UP crews take over? Salt Lake
> > City?
> >
> > BNSF has trackage rights all the way to
> > California. There may be a district east of
> Salt
> > Lake (to Provo? Helper?) where their trains are
> > handled by Utah Railway crews.
>
> UP Sparks-Elko crews handle the train between
> Sparks-Elko or Portola, and UP Roseville-Sparkse
> crews handle the trains between Portola,
> Sparks-Roseville.
>
> BNSF crews deadhead up to Roseville from Stockton
> to get the train and take it back.
> G  

I believe UP crews handle BNSF train from Salt Lake City to Roseville.  The Utah Railway provided switching service in the Salt Lake City-Provo area.  I can be corrected on this.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

ExSPCondr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > portlander Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > toledopatch Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
>
> > > Where do the UP crews take over? Salt Lake
> > City?
> >
> > BNSF has trackage rights all the way to
> > California. There may be a district east of
> Salt
> > Lake (to Provo? Helper?) where their trains are
> > handled by Utah Railway crews.
>
> UP Sparks-Elko crews handle the train between
> Sparks-Elko or Portola, and UP Roseville-Sparks
> crews handle the trains between Portola,
> Sparks-Roseville.
>
> BNSF crews deadhead up to Roseville from Stockton
> to get the train and take it back.
> G


Thank you. I just assumed UP crews all of the way to Denver.

Utah train crews take the BNSF train to Roper from Provo.The deal to crew the trains out of Carlin fell thru years ago.So,UP Roper to Roseville.Bill Webb