Passenger Trains > #6 can't catch a break

Just overheard DS78 telling #6, abt a half-hour late, that there was an avalanche "between Flat and Sulphur", in other words in Beyers Canyon, "a big one", so he was speculating about how to handle #5, which is on time approaching Burns. There's an eastboud freight not far behind #6. Right now siunds like plan is to let #6 do its thing at Glenwood, back west into the east siding to let #5 make its station stop, then pull #6 back into the depot siding too await buses, if that turns out being necessary. Glenwood will be crowded for awhile! Of course the #5 part of this assumes they can get through Glenwood Canyon, there have been a few rocks come down there over the last several days, and it's raining.......
For those scratching their heads, this is the ex-D&RGW main line in Colorado, now UP's Glenwood Springs Sub; Glenwood is mp 360.1. The avalanche in on the UP Moffat Tunnel Sub.

Appreciate the reason for Amtrak California Zephyr delay.  Going to be wet and wild up in Byers Canyon tonight with a snowstorm moving in.  Thanks for your post.

cozephyr Wrote:
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> Appreciate the reason for Amtrak California Zephyr
> delay.  Going to be wet and wild up in Byers
> Canyon tonight with a snowstorm moving in.
>  Thanks for your post.

You're welcome! #6 is on the move, about 4 hours late. The "avalanche" was apparently not as serious as originally thought, although they were still working on it. #5 made it through the canyon uneventfully, although it had to contend with a high-water alarm west of Rifle. No problem, apparently. Springtime in western Colorado, UP seems to have to learn every year why the D&RGW/SP was so heavy in the M-O-W Department out here!

I wondered when I heard the first report about how severe a Beyers Canyon "avalanche" could be. It isn't really that much of a canyon topographically, unlike Gore, or Glenwood, or even Ruby. Scenic, yes, but not really a place where a whole lot of snow can accumulate over a significant area. A snowslide in a gully, or a rockslide mixed with snow, sure, but what most of us would call an avalanche probably not.