Union Pacific's freight MRONY approaches Blue Mountain grade crossing west of Clay, Colorado, on April 23, 2001. Crisp snow-covered mountains at the mouth of Coal Creek Canyon provide a wintery ba... (more)

An eastbound Union Pacific coal train encircles Coal Creek Canyon on UP's Moffat Subdivision east past the detector at mile 22.6 on November 26, 1998. Two Southern Pacific AC4400CWs operating as m... (more)

BNSF’s M-PVODEN (Provo, Utah to Denver manifest) curves around the hopper car windbreak at Big 10 Curve east of Clay, Colorado, on October 20, 2012. The city of Denver is 16 miles (“as the cro... (more)

Two BNSF SD40-2 helpers shove BNSF’s Denver to Provo freight at Coal Creek Canyon, Colorado, on October 20, 2002. As the pushers pass the mile 22.6 detector, the lead locomotives approach Tunnel... (more)

Amtrak No. 5, the California Zephyr, finishes encircling Big 10 Curve and approaches the east switch of Clay siding on the afternoon of October 23, 2011. This long 10° curve uses a mesa and 2 per... (more)

A westbound Union Pacific coal train climbs past the siding at Clay, Colorado, on May 29, 2011. The geographic layout of the curves of this scenic former Rio Grande main line that climbs up the fr... (more)

On June 28, 1998, Amtrak No. 5, the California Zephyr is at Clay, Colorado. This train is running 10 hours late, and is entering Clay siding to meet Amtrak No. 6! General Electric-powered by two G... (more)

On May 29, 2011, Amtrak No. 6, the California Zephyr, cruises through Clay, Colorado, as a westbound UP coal empty waits patiently at Rocky siding below.

The California Zephyr gets it own scenic runby courtesy of the local wildlife, as the racket of the silver iron horse sends a herd of elk running along the tracks at the foot of the Rocky Mountain... (more)

After a minor ice/snow storm coated everything nicely with winter, Amtrak's California Zephyr heads west over Blue Mountain Drive west of Clay, Colorado, on February 8, 2001.

The head end of a westbound Union Pacific coal train is at the east switch of Clay, while the rear of the train still trails below on the 2 percent grade. I’m encircled by the train in the middl... (more)

A westbound Union Pacific coal empty rumbles by the east switch at Clay, Colorado, with seven AC4400CWs leading the way on April 29, 2009.

Still looking like the Southern Pacific, a Union Pacific coal train descends the loop at Coal Creek Canyon west of Clay, Colorado.The lead AC4400CWs are passing the detector at mile 22.6, while th... (more)

A westbound BNSF freight with SD40-2 pushers crosses Blue Mountain Drive at the mouth of Coal Creek Canyon on October 23, 2001. Climbing toward Tunnel 1 in the background is the head end of the tr... (more)

Spectacular soft winter light shines down on the front range of the Rockies hours after the snow storm clears out of town. From across the valley, we see an eastbound UP coal train stretched out a... (more)