Western Railroad Discussion > New Look Near Utah Junction, CO

New Fastrax signal bridges were erected October 11, 2004 just west of Pecos Street near Utah Junction, CO. UP is building a direct line to allow coal trains faster movement through Denver area. The Utah Junction Flyower added this control point with crossover switches. UP AC4400Cw 6293 was departing UP's North Yard, Denver, CO, with an 11-unit light engine move going to Grand Junction, CO, on October 12, 2004. UP 6293 is on the Moffat Runner. Tracks from right to left will be called Moffat Runner, Moffat Main, Belt Main and Belt Runner.

This control point will be used to add and cut out distributed power units. The moves into North Yard will be reduced once the Utah Junction Flyover becomes operational December 2004.

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Any pics or track diagrams of the new flyover area?

Nice lookgin signal bridge. Sure beats what they have out here--in Martinez they have two mammoth cantelievers that come within 4' of each other in the middle--the bridge looks like a much less expensive option.

Ted in Davis

Quite a distance Denver to GJ. Why send a consist of light units instead of working them there on a train?

UP runs coal empties to Grand Junction via Wyoming and Utah. They arrive at Grand Junction with three or four units. Once loaded at North Fork branch mines, trains need two or three units for run over the Colorado Rockies to Denver, i.e. 2x2x2 or 3x2x2. The Colorado coal locomotive pool is always in need of distributed power capable units. Power sometimes comes from Wyoming. Moving from Cheyenne, WY, on Friday was the E CYGJ 15 (Cheyenne, WY, to Grand Junction of October 15th). It has eight units with UP 5573 leading the train south to Denver then west.

Coal power is also moved on the North Yard, Denver to Grand Junction manifest train, M NYGJ. It typically leaves North Yard with eight units. The M NYGJ 15 with UP 8211 had six unit handling only 44 cars.

Once the loaded coal trains reach Denver, two or three units are cut out of the trains. Depending on maintenance and quarterly inspections, they can be rotated out of the coal pool for maintenance at the Denver Locomotive Shop (AKA Burnham Shops). Thus, a variety of factors keep the units rotating in and out of the Colorado locomotive pool.

UP is sending new General Electric units into Colorado to keep the coal pool fluid. Noted recently;

UP 5579 on C TSBR 12
UP 6020 on C SMLHG 14 (Somerset Mine load)
UP 5868 and 6030 on C AICQ 14 (Axial Mine load)

skeeter Wrote:
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> Quite a distance Denver to GJ. Why send a consist
> of light units instead of working them there on a
> train?


Because Grand Junction ALWAYS needs power. Trains can only carry 8 locomotives at a time (in most cases). So its not uncommon to see 8 to 15 units moving as a power move Denver to Grand Junction rather then let the power "dwell" in North Yard.

cozephyr Wrote:
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> New Fastrax signal bridges were erected <snip>

Hi Zeph-
Curious why this is a Fastrax bridge? Fastrax, assuming it passes (on election day), won't be using any of these tracks, will it?
-Wes