Cheyenne or bust

[VeniVidiVici]

Bringing back some great memories of our trip on the Zephyr. Appreciate the trip report!

 

[UP4014]

Bringing back some great memories of our trip on the Zephyr. Appreciate the trip report!

I met some from the California Zephyr supporters group, they insisted we go out watch it on the ‘Big Ten’ curves west of Denver in sub zero temps.

Zephyr photos on the camera to come

 

[UP4014]

Heading the last leg to Cheyenne.



A Watco loco (Watco have operations in WA, Port Kembla and parts of QLD) spotted. Looked like a hand me down as these SD40-2’s have mostly left the class 1 railroads.



The self service beer taps at the Accomplice Brewery

 

[UP4014]

And to the grand finale, Cheyenne.

The Big Boy is asleep in the great cathedral of steam.

Mission accomplished.



844 parked in the next road.

 

[Hvr]

@BAM1748 you do realise you're the reason I am drooling on my keyboard?

Am loving your TR photos and hope we get to ride the BAM again in the near future so you can regale us with tales of your travels.

 

[Quickstatus]

Winter Park - one of my favourite places.
Thanks for the memories.

There I discovered Noosa Yoghurt. From Noosa made in colorado.

 

[UP4014]

@BAM1748 you do realise you're the reason I am drooling on my keyboard?

Am loving your TR photos and hope we get to ride the BAM again in the near future so you can regale us with tales of your travels.

Thanks for the kind words. The BAM is in the shop and up for a short test run at the end of March to Moss Vale. If that’s all good then hopefully back in service after Covid and let’s all go for a ride.

 

[UP4014]

Winter Park - one of my favourite places.
Thanks for the memories.

There I discovered Noosa Yoghurt. From Noosa made in colorado.

I didn’t eat the yogurt, didn’t know.

 

[UP4014]

The back side is the relative quick trip to drive the car back and fly home.

Flat tyre in Seligman Arizona while out on the old Santa Fe trans continental along Route 66. 80 mile drive with the space saver to Kingman.

 

[jastel]

The way they tow the trucks freaked me out the first time I saw it.

 

[UP4014]

Over the coming days will post some photos from the camera proper.

Some local shunting in and around Denver is carried out by the Denver Rock Island Railroad, tracks are laid in the street and on the footpath and wagons dropped and collected from customers. Would be a bit like the railway here providing customer service to all the factories in Botany (like they used to) Click through to the larger format.

https://flic.kr/p/2os3cBi

https://flic.kr/p/2os3aXw

 

[UP4014]

A train of Abrams tanks and supporting mechanized infantry vehicles heads towards Colorado Springs, the home of Fort Carson, Cheyenne Mountain and drum roll, Space Force at the Patterson Space Force Base.

This line is the "joint line" shared between BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) and the Union Pacific.

https://flic.kr/p/2os2VUm

https://flic.kr/p/2os2U9C

https://flic.kr/p/2os4YXf

 

[UP4014]

Hanging around Denver meant some trainspotting, The California Zephyr Train 5 (Westbound to Salt Lake City, Reno and San Francisco on time and hitting 79MPH through Lochbuie just north of Denver.

https://flic.kr/p/2os4Cfs

 

[Quickstatus]

@BAM1748
I've always wondered how these trains stay on track in heavy snow. I've seen those tracks between Winter Park and Kremmling winding through the mountain passes completely covered in deep snow.

 

[UP4014]

@BAM1748
I've always wondered how these trains stay on track in heavy snow. I've seen those tracks between Winter Park and Kremmling winding through the mountain passes completely covered in deep snow.

There are three types of plow, spreader, wedge and the big gun is rotary.

Video starts with a spread go forward to about the 6 min mark and a rotary

This one has a wedge plows which relies on speed.

 

[UP4014]

This beauty was used the week after I left. 1800hp at the blade, steam heated outer skin to keep the ice build up down. It's like a submarine inside.

https://flic.kr/p/2om3AEY

https://flic.kr/p/2om56oC

https://flic.kr/p/2om2qGE

 

[Quickstatus]

There are three types of plow, spreader, wedge and the big gun is rotary.

Thanks. Does it clear the snow down to the rails or does a small layer on the rails remain ?

 

[UP4014]

Thanks. Does it clear the snow down to the rails or does a small layer on the rails remain ?

Many do clear snow below the top of the rail, there is a blade they can lower down between rails. Takes a skilled operator with route knowledge so the blade can be raised at level crossings, turnouts and other items that are fixed between the rails. Otherwise the weight of the wheels is enough.