Passenger Trains > Pardon Me... Do You have any Grey Poupon???

Private Car "Chapel Hill" as viewed from the Private Car "Tioga Pass" at Dotsero, Colorado.

An interesting meet between the two Amtrak California Zephyr's. Although the siding at Dotsero was clear, the Union Pacific Dispatcher saw it fit to run the eastbound California Zephyr toward Minturn and the "out of service" Tennessee Pass, in order to meet the westbound Zephyr. After we cleared, the eastbound train backed up to clear the control point and then continued toward Denver on the Dotsero Cutoff.

This is the second time in a year that I have been on the Tioga Pass and a meet like this was made here. (image #2) Last September, we were on the rear of the eastbound Zephyr and the Union Pacific Dispatcher sent us toward Tennessee Pass to meet a westbound Executive train at Dotsero. This time the siding was occupied with stored cars, so the move made more sense.

I should have titled this "Interesting Meets at Dotsero", but anyway....

Andy

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Nice photo story. We did that same kabuki dance on my last eastbound trip. No PVs though, so we passed the French's...

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Too bad image 2 isn't a regular scheduled appearance!

Andy, home come when you and I are on the Tioga Pass we always see action on the Tennessee Pass route? (Sort of...)

Posted from Android

Neat drum head on Chapel Hill. When did the PV's pass at Dotsero, Colorado?

cozephyr Wrote:
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> Neat drum head on Chapel Hill. When did the PV's
> pass at Dotsero, Colorado?

Late June; returning from Chicago and the NKP 765 steam trips.

wheel_slip Wrote:
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> ........Although the siding at
> Dotsero was clear, the Union Pacific Dispatcher
> saw it fit to run the eastbound California Zephyr
> toward Minturn and the "out of service" Tennessee
> Pass, in order to meet the westbound Zephyr. After
> we cleared, the eastbound train backed up to clear
> the control point and then continued toward Denver
> on the Dotsero Cutoff.........
>

And now, boys and girls, how long will it take somebody
to use this as evidence that the UP is going to reopen
Tennessee Pass? Been a while since we've had a good rumor
of that!

I'm sure there is a good reason why UP doesn't put storage cars on the Tennessee Pass line and let the siding be used for its intended purpose? I guess it would require an extra move to run around their train to set off or pick up storage cars but how often do they do that and it sounds like a meet is not an uncommon occurrence. But, great photos.

palmland Wrote:
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> I'm sure there is a good reason why UP doesn't put
> storage cars on the Tennessee Pass line and let
> the siding be used for its intended purpose? I
> guess it would require an extra move to run around
> their train to set off or pick up storage cars but
> how often do they do that and it sounds like a
> meet is not an uncommon occurrence. But, great
> photos.

I believe there maybe still some customers east on the line toward Minturn though how far I don't know. When we went through there enroute to Leadville during last summer's NRHS, Minturn had blossomed into another artist/craft enclave that was hosting a mountain bike race up the pass on the narrow highway.