After a slight delay, 4014 has left the steam shop and works it’s way to the east end of Cheyenne Yard where it would back onto the line of hopper cars just above pwr/dorm. Car “Howard Fogg”... (more)

An empty coal bucket loops around Palmer Lake passing a few paddleboarders cooling off in the lake, and will soon be descending to Denver.

A mixed freight with 3 matched GE’s up front heads through Colorado’s high country, and in a few minutes will duck under the Continental Divide through the Moffat Tunnel.

The Great Race has begun as the Big Boy and 844 Lift their train out of Cheyenne, and up Sherman Hill in the #3 Track Harriman Line.

Having been on the foreground track about 60 seconds ago, the elevation gain is clear as Amtrak’s version the Ski Train with its unique pink LYFT sponsored wraps climbs towards Tunnel #1.

The day after Christmas, the westbound California Zephyr is a few hundred feet higher than Denver and making its way through the lightly falling snow and fog that had covered the flatirons this mo... (more)

An AZPX unit coal train rolls northbound through the town of Brighton, CO, where it will take the siding and wait for 844 and the southbound CFD Train.

Fresh off the Hill from Laramie! Just after the steamers cut off to head for the shop after a successful excursion, the diesel power and consist wait on track 4. The steam support cars would be sw... (more)

The 4014/844 duo departs Laramie in a cloud of steam, thanks to some overcast weather. In a few more minutes, the engines would be hard at work climbing Sherman Hill eastbound.

A loaded coal train leaves behind CTC signaling as it ducks under the signal bridges at South Littleton on the #1 track. The signal for the # 2 track is for a stack train that will cross over once... (more)

After meeting an eastbound BNSF mixed freight at Leyden Siding, the westbound California Zephyr passes the area know as Barbara’s Gulch or Chemical for the spur that was rail served.

The eastbound California Zephyr is rounding the final curve in Ruby Canyon, and in a few moments will duck through the short Ruby Tunnel.

After waiting in the siding for Amtrak #5 to pass, a unit sand train with a CN Unit 2nd crosses the small Barr Lake causeway, just as the sun breaks the horizon and lights the sky up orange.

A load of black diamonds emerges from the 6.21 mile long Moffat Tunnel, and passes a MOW worker sweeping out the switch points.

About 30 minutes before departing for the eastbound trip over Sherman Hill, 4014 and 844 build up steam in the cool morning air.