Western Railroad Discussion > Great day on the Moffat Tunnel line

On Wednesday, April 24th Union Pacific ran a pair of empty coal trains Westbound up the Craig Branch between Bond and Phippsburg with both heading to load at the Energy Mine. 
I bet it has been probably at least 10 years or so since 2 coal empties have traveled on this Branch on the same day!
The first train was the CMSEY9-20 that originated at Memphis, TN.
It was set-up 6xFRED with four UP and two BNSF engines.

We were hoping for a morning shot at the Crater S-curves but when the Dispatcher tried making a meet between this train and the Eastbound Grand Jct. to Denver manifest at Troublesome and neither train fit in the clear, the coal bucket had to shove back with the Conductor riding the rear the 3 miles back to Flat Siding!

Can't spell stupid without UP:}

1) After the "Trouble at Troublesome", I first intercepted the train as it headed into Little Gore Canyon located between Azure and Radium Sidings.

2) Next was a shot as it neared the East switch at Yarmony alongside the Colorado River.

3) By the time it finally arrived at Crater, it was in mid-day Sun as seen with the train heading around the first of the two S-curves.

Above the train to the right is the scoria pit that will load open top hoppers during the Summer months with lava rock used in landscaping.
Some of the cars will be shipped all the way to Florida! 
The Mountain that is scraped above the engines in the background is at the West switch of Volcano.

-----------------------Nine More Pictures Posted Below----------------------------
 

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4) Still standing down below at Crater, I used a long telephoto lens to shoot the train up above at Volcano.

This stretch of the old Denver & Salt Lake route between Bond and Toponas is one remarkable piece of railroad!

5) We then heard a crew on a Westbound BNSF loaded coal train (that had been tied down at Yarmony for over 24 hours) say that they were ready to go so we went back down to the Dotsero Cutoff for him but the Westbound Amtrak California Zephyr showed up.

6) After a lengthy wait with no BNSF train, I decided to head back East towards Bond and heard the Rocky Mountaineer highballing Radium so I set up at State Bridge and caught him with the Colorado River in the foreground. This was the first revenue run of the season for this unique looking train.

---------------------------Six More Pictures Posted Below----------------------

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7) I traveled West to Dell for another shot of the Rocky Mountaineer and was greeted with this guy standing in the road:}

8) Another view of the Rocky Mountaineer at Dell Siding with their cool standard cab GP40's which hopefully will power the train for most of this year.

9) The Rocky Mountaineer meet the Eastbound Zephyr at Dell which then went to Bond to meet the BNSF coal train so I again headed back East and waited near milepost 136. BNSF 9211 was the leader on this Powder River Basin, WY to Valmy, NV coal train that runs 3x3 but even with all those engines, it struggles up the East side of the Moffat Tunnel line out of Denver and with the slow speed and many tunnels the engines get covered in soot.
The  power plant at Valmy, which is slated to close soon, has seen an increase in trains due to California needing more electricity. Just don't tell anyone living there that some of their power is being generated by coal and I also believe that the pollution stops at the state line anyway:}

----------------------Three More Pictures Posted Below------------------

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After shooting the BNSF I drove back to Bond and then a long wait and guessing game took over. The next coal empty was heading East out of Grand Jct. and there was also a Westbound Union Pacific Passenger special approaching! I was trying to figure out what train to shoot or if I could possibly get both or maybe neither as it was getting late in the day.
The coal empty showed up first and headed over to Orestod to change ends/direction to next travel Westbound up the Craig Branch. Since the location that I had in mind entailed a steep hike up a hill, I decided to go for the coal train.

10) This empty originated at the Intermountain power plant located near Delta, UT and with that facility converting to Natural Gas soon, these trains won't be around much longer. Also this particular set of cars with the half painted sides is not normally seen in Colorado so I was glad that I made the choice to shoot it climbing out of Bond and about to head into the horseshoe curve at Coppers Spur. The three mid-train DP's (one of which was Dead-in-Consist) is seen the background.

11) From the same vantage point, the rear DP's are heading into Tunnel #44 as the shadows are creeping in.

I then scaled down the hill as fast as I could and quickly drove over to the Dotsero Cutoff to see if I could also catch the Passenger special. I only had about 15 minutes remaining of Sunlight and couldn't believe my luck as after standing there about 5 minutes or so, I could see the headlight of the train over at Bond!

12) At Very last light, UP 4533 and 4404 with 11 cars on a Denver to Salt Lake City special has just passed over the West switch at Bond and is about to cross the Colorado River.

---------------Thus ended a Great day being able to visit with friends and also a few funny side stories to add to the railfan book:}---------------------------------

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Outstanding set of photographs.

As always, John, great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Tom Klinger

Wow, that was one fine day!
JB

Congrats gettin into Egeria Canyon

Great shots John! === === = === JLH

What a great series of photos John! I think you're right, too. Pollution stiops at the state line because of the pollution laws. 8-)

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Really nice amount of trains and scenery. Such a neat area and piece of the system. I really like your shots
Brian Stevens

Posted from iPhone

Lot's of great images there. Thanks.
I once drove into a heard of wandering cattle. I believe it was somewhere in rural Canada. Each time the catle seemed to be headed in a direction that would allow you to move they would wander back the other way. Worse than herding cats! Eventually they wandered off into a pasture  and we got underway. Strange encounter, repeated in a Sheep herd at a later date!
Gonut

Beautiful shots, great lighting and shadows!
GK

Outstanding series.  You certainly had a super outing.
ALLEN

Epic day, well executed!

Lots of action! Most of the time when I look at UPVision, from GJ to Denver is usually dead. Nice images!

Some of your best stuff yet! Wow!!! :^)

Lance

Wow, a wonderful day for the record book. Thank you for sharing these exceptional photos.
John

Thanks for posting this great display of pictures and the story behind them.  I'm exhausted just looking and reading.  Gerry

Terrific shots, terrific day!

JG