D&RGW SD40T-2s No. 5390 and 5389 roll through Ironton while cows enjoy a beautiful March 3, 1996 afternoon.

An eastbound Union Pacific “dirt train” led by Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 Tunnel Motor No. 5390 curves by the colorful rocks west of Narrows, Utah, on May 5, 2004.

On February 8, 2005, the dirt train power assigned to Helper, Utah, went west to Kyune on the Price River grade up Soldier Summit to pick up a bad order hopper car set out there. After fetching th... (more)

On a beautiful spring day in the Utah mountains, Union Pacific’s LJP45 “dirt train” makes a special run over to Sutro on the western approach of the grade over Soldier Summit. In this view, ... (more)

Three Rio Grande Tunnel Motors head eastbound through Gilluly, Utah, with a “dirt train” picked up at Sutro on the west side of the Soldier Summit grade. With only five unpatched Rio Grande SD... (more)

With late season thunderstorms rumbling over the Bookcliffs in the background, Union Pacific’s LJP45 “dirt train” local approaches Mounds, Utah, late on the afternoon of November 21, 2003. R... (more)

A quartet of Rio Grande SD40T-2s (DRGW 5390, DRGW 5401, DRGW 5377, DRGW 5371) lead the Dirt Train through scenic Wellington Canyon on July 27, 2002.

A two unit helper is cut in ahead of the caboose to assist a heavy coal train to Palmer Lake, summit of the Joint Line between Denver and Pueblo, CO. Although much has changed since this photo was... (more)

Rio Grande SD40T-2s 5390 and 5358 pull a 33 car Dirt Train local through Price Canyon at the Kyune Tunnels. The use of stacked containers of trash transported in well cars was short lived on the S... (more)

By mid-2002, there were still 47 former Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 “Tunnel Motors” roaming the Union Pacific system, but only seven were not patched (renumbered) or painted yellow. At this time, f... (more)

A sunny August 31, 2002 morning finds the famous Dirt Train local rolling east through Wellington Canyon with 33 loads for ECDC.

Long before Rio Grande SD40T-2 #5390 became famous working Union Pacific's 'dirt train' local out of Helper, it was just one of 73 tunnel motors working on the D&RGW. Here it leads Chicago - Oakla... (more)

Just after lunchtime, Rio Grande SD40T-2s leave East Carbon, Utah, passing one of Bo Huff's custom cars (looks to be a Ford product) on October 8, 2004. Until the very end, Rio Grande painted and ... (more)

Long before it gained notoriety leading the dirt train local out of Helper, Rio Grande 5390 works Grand Junction to Roper freight #151 west through Provo on October 15, 1986. The Rio Grande passen... (more)

Engineer Mel Baughman looks over the shoulders of Machinist Gordon Olson as he performs some last minute repairs to Rio Grande “Tunnel Motor” No. 5390 at Helper, Utah, on the morning of May 21... (more)