Rio Grande Main Line
The Main Line through the Rockies from Denver, Colorado to Salt Lake City, Utah via the Moffat Tunnel, Dotsero Cutoff, Gleenwood Canyon, Utah Desert and Solider Summit. The Denver & Rio Grande Western was sold to the Union Pacific in 1997 and all through through traffic rerouted via Wyoming leaving many sections of the line with little through traffic apart from Amtrak and the BNSF runthrough trains. However parts of the line has seen a increase in coal traffic partically from the North Folk Sub.
 BNSF 4748 is seen climbing the 2% of the Moffat Pass working flat out and barely above walking space seen here below Tolland, Co with a long westbound freight – 24/08/2007 |  After leaving Denver the Moffat Road begins it climb up to 9,700ft by a pretty constant 40 miles of 2% and many horseshoe curves before the entering the 5 mile long Moffat Tunnel underneath the former Rollins Pass. Here just east of Tolland about 6 miles from the Tunnel UP6632 is seen heading downgrade on a loaded coal train from the Craig area. - 24/08/2007 |  Amtrak #100 is seen leading the Califorina Zephyr west through Byers Canyon, Colorado - 04/09/2008 |  UP 6672 is seen leading an empty coal train exiting Byers Canyon, Colorado - 04/09/2008 |
 Amtrak 114 is seen leading the Califorina Zephyr west at Yarmony, Colorado - 08/09/2008 |  To connect the newly constructed Moffat Tunnel with the Tennessee Pass before it enters the Glenwood Canyon the ‘Dotzero Cutoff’ was built in the early 1930s along the Colorado River to give a much shorter route from Denver westwards. Amtrak 204 is seen leading a late #6 the east bound ‘California Zephyr’ along the Colorado River on the ‘Dotzero Cutoff’ at about 4pm, this being the first train seen moving all day due a long possession all morning – 29/08/2007 |  Amtrak #6 is seen with 56 leading out of Grand Junction, Co - August 2000 |  UP 3216 is seen leading an overpowered Potash local west across the Utah Desert - 12/09/2008 |
 Amtrak 67 is seen leading the eastbound 'Califorina Zephyr' east of Cisco, Utah runninh only around an hour late - 12/09/2008 |  UP 7270 is seen leading a empty coal train west across the Utah Desert climbing Cottonwood summit - 12/09/2008 |  Following the manifest was Amtrak #6 with Amtrak 81 in charge seen here again near Thompson Springs (which overtook manifest at the next loop) - 01/09/2007 |  After Grand Junction (so named as its where the Gunnison and Colorado rivers meet) the line enters the Utah Desert. Here a BNSF manifest running under trackage right agreements is seen near Thompson Springs (about 20 miles west of Green River) with BNSF4631 up front heading west – 01/09/2007 |
 Looking the same way from the same 'mud hill' UP7047 is seen leading the daily manifest from Provo to Denver (the old route of US6 can be seen in the distance) – 01/09/2007 |  UP 3423 is seen leading the Potash local back on the main line near Thompson Springs - 12/09/2008 |  At Helper, Ut the 2.4% grade of Solider Summit begins also here the Utah Railway branch comes in and under an early agreement with the Utah Railway were given trackage rights over the D&RGW into Salt Lake City and the line was also double tracked as part of the agreement. Here Utah Railway MK5000 #5005 is seen leading an empty coal train down grade at Castle Gate – 30/08/2007 |  UP 8228 is seen leading a empty coal down the 2.4% grade of Solider Summit – 30/08/2007 |
 UP 6052 is seen leading a westbound loaded coal up the 2.4% grade of Solider Summit at Kyune, Utah - 10/09/2008 |  UP 6515 is seen leading a eastbound empty coal train downgrade at Kyune, Utah - 10/09/2008 |  Climbing the 2.4% grade and working flat out with a loaded coal train behind UP5673 is seen heading west at Colton with 2 other locos at the front and 6 Utah Railway mid trains helpers in the middle which will be cut out at the summit - 30/08/2007 |  UP 4827 is seen leading a empty coal train downgrade at Colton, Utah - 30/08/2007 |
 Utah Railway 5004 is seen leading a loaded coal train up Solider Summit at Colton, Utah - 11/09/2008 |  Utah Railway 5004 is seen at Solider Summit, Utah - 11/09/2008 |  BNSF 7713 is seen leading a Denver-Provo Manifest west at Thistle, Utah - 10/09/2008 |  UP 7182 is seen leading a loaded coal train from the Plesant Valley sub north at Thistle, Utah - 11/09/2008 |
 Utah Railway 5004 is seen leading a loaded coal train downgrade at Thistle, Utah - 11/09/2008 |
All Photos © Copyright Jonathan Lewis and may not be re-used without permission. Please e-mail jonathan@milepost39.co.uk if you require a high resolution image.