Western Railroad Discussion > A few signal changes on the Moffat...

Hello-

This picture was taken one year ago in February 2004 as SP 348 east led an eastbound coal load out of Rocky, CO on UP's Moffat Tunnel Subdivision. The signal in the picture, which is of D&RGW origin (actually, it goes futher back to the days of D&SL), will not be around much longer! In fact, this picture can no longer be taken "as is" because a new signal has been erected at the east end (see the next picture)...

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...the new UP signal is much taller, but rather than having a single light for each target, there are three lights on the upper target (green, yellow, and red), and two lights on the lower targer (yellow and red).

In 2001 and 2002, UP replaced all of the Grande signals from east Clay to east Cliff. Signals have also been replaced between Winter Park and Tabernash. I suspect Leyden (the next siding east of Rocky) will not be far behind!

Kevin Morgan
The Front Range
http://www.drgw.ws/

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The signals for eastbound trains at east Rocky are currently laying on the ground about fifty feet away from the east switch. As of yesterday, the masts for the east signals had not yet been put in. West Rocky is also a little too hidden to know if any changes have been made there...

Kevin

Great Shots guys, Me and a couple other Rfans were there on Sunday, saw the new stuff in the dirt.. Sad to see the old ones on there way out.. Alot of trains have past by those signals.

Any word on what will be done with the old signals, especially the D&SL(s)? To the Colorado Railroad Museum, perhaps - Golden does have a privately-owned caboose from the Moffat Road.

-Jim

We were told by the UP crew working on the new signals that they use the parts from the signals to replace others until the whole signal gets replaced. The rest of it all ends up at the blue building near Denver's North Yard at 52nd and Kalamath. We were told by the crew that anyone can go to that building and they will let you walk around and take anything you want that is laying there. Not sure if that is 100% true but it might be worth a try.

Anyway, here is a shot from last Friday at Rocky. Pretty cool to see the old searchlight displaying green. You always see red signals in pictures and it gets boring.

Rio Grande Fan
Denver, CO

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I would like to ahve a signal head someday. Maybe John can chime in and tell how to leagally obtain one.

John????


KK

Hello

An interesting and unusual observation not relating to the signal changes on the Moffat.

Tyler's first photo post-up shows a UP SD70 on the point of what appears to me as a coal train.
Unusual because as far as I know, UP's SD70's do not have DPU capability.
Most of the coal trains I have observed on the Moffat always have G.E.'s on the point, so they get the DPU help they need to get over the Rockies.

In all the times I have visited the Moffat, it is rare to see a coal train without a DPU locomotive bringing up the rear, or even one or two in the middle for good measure.

Interesting catch Tyler!


Rosevillebill

rosevillebill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello
>
> An interesting and unusual observation not
> relating to the signal changes on the Moffat.
>
> Tyler's first photo post-up shows a UP SD70 on the
> point of what appears to me as a coal train.
> Unusual because as far as I know, UP's SD70's do
> not have DPU capability.
> Most of the coal trains I have observed on the
> Moffat always have G.E.'s on the point, so they
> get the DPU help they need to get over the
> Rockies.
>
> In all the times I have visited the Moffat, it is
> rare to see a coal train without a DPU locomotive
> bringing up the rear, or even one or two in the
> middle for good measure.
>
> Interesting catch Tyler!
>
>
> Rosevillebill
>

SP 348 is a GE. See Silagi's picture at rail pic

(http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=56733)

Craig

I'm glad someone knows that a 70M is a rare catch on the moffat. If you read the caption in the photo you'll see that this is a M-GJNY which is a manifest/freight train. These manifest trains are more or less short coal trains with some random junk on the end. Even then catching a 70M on the point is very rare. Glad you liked the photo. You won't find loaded coal trains on the moffat without DPU's.

-Tyler

eatontm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm glad someone knows that a 70M is a rare catch
> on the moffat. If you read the caption in the
> photo you'll see that this is a M-GJNY which is a
> manifest/freight train. These manifest trains are
> more or less short coal trains with some random
> junk on the end. Even then catching a 70M on the
> point is very rare. Glad you liked the photo. You
> won't find loaded coal trains on the moffat
> without DPU's.
>
> -Tyler

Okay, I missed that he was talking about your first photo and not Kevin's. But isn't UP3839 practically a brand new SD-70M? (UP roster changes show it was built June of 2004) I thought all the new 70m's had DPU capability and it was the older SD-70's that did not?

Craig