Passenger Trains > More UP 1943 on 8-21 Officer Special

I chased UP's Officer Special west on August 21 to get me down to the Black Mesa & Lake Powell which was closing down, and to hit the Santa Fe semaphores on the Raton Line on the way back. I skipped the Tunnel District out of Denver and went directly to Winter Park to get the westbound Special exiting Moffat Tunnel. Photo 1 - The area around the tunnel is torn up as the Moffat Water Tunnel adjacent to the railroad tunnel is being replaced. I shot from the protective berm between the curved Main Line and the ski lodge, which was the only angle left. So here is the Westbound Special PDVGJ1 21 exiting the west portal of Moffat Tunnel at Winter Park. Photo 2 - Negotiating the winding track through Byers Canyon west of Hot Sulphur Springs, and the protective rockslide detector fences and wires are clearly visible. Photo 3 - The clouds were moving in and out rapidly, clearing out mere seconds later for this closer view, with a chute showing evidence of rockslides right next to 1943.
There's Mooore...



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/19 08:10 by highgreengraphics.

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Photo 4 - The train was moving fast, so barely missed it at the Gore Canyon overlook, but ran in and got it at another tunnel between Azure and Radium, CO where the tracks seem to hang tenuously on the side of another cliff next to the Colorado River. Consider this - the tracks here are a Main Line and barely etched into the steep mountainside leading straight into the river, no guardrails, and no rockslide detector fencing or wires. Photo 5 - On the Dotsero Cutoff at Tepee Creek E. of Catamount and Burns, CO . Photo 6 - Right at Milepost 152 still on the Dotsero Cutoff, rolling over the Colorado River on Red Dirt Bridge west of Burns, CO.

Happy Specialfanning! === === = === JLH



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/19 08:17 by highgreengraphics.

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Nice chase, nice lighting, nice all around.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

Quite delicious photography

Posted from iPhone

Awesome photos. Thanlks for sharing.
A couple of these could definitely be IOTD's.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/19 18:38 by Bob3985.

Great shots!  Really eye-catching color and detail in every one.
GK

Hard to pick a favorite but that last one is a killer shot! Thanks for sharing.

Killer shots! You knocked this chase "out of the ballpark":}

JLH, your work is top notch.
John

Excellent shots!

Randy Lundgren
Elgin, TX

Most of these could have been IOTD!

Great chase with outstanding results.

Craig
mcmrailvideos.com

Great stuff..!!  Thanks for posting.

Outstanding images. Four stars. 

the intrepid photog in his natural environment, stalking his prey

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Thanks for the classic images of Highgreegraphics.  Gerry

Must have been wobbly or windy, or I'd be up on the next step! === === = === JLH

Two thumbs up !...SHM

Is there a train crew always assigned the Officer Special?