Amtrak's eastbound 'California Zephyr' descends into Coal Creek Canyon 23 rail miles away from its next stop at Denver.

An eastbound Union Pacific pops out of Tunnel 4 approaching Plainview, Colorado, beneath the massive Flatirons rock formations on April 7, 2019.

Light snow is falling as the California Zephyr exits Tunnel #1 east of Plainview, Colorado and drops down into Coal Creek Canyon.

Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr is led by “Phase II heritage” P42DC No. 130 as the passenger train descends the grade at Coal Creek Canyon east of Plainview, Colorado, on the afternoon ... (more)

One last turn and the California Zephyr will be out of the Colorado Rocky Mountains and heading to Arvada, on its way to Denver's Union Station.

The California Zephyr, lead by Amtrak 189 (P42DC), kicks up the snow as it makes its way out of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The heavy spring snowstorm will likely be the last one as spring is a... (more)

The California Zephyr made a quick stop in the Union Pacific's North Yard to pick up a drift buster and extra muscle as they headed into the Colorado Rocky Mountains during a heavy spring snowstor... (more)

Even after Union Pacific’s merger of Southern Pacific, for several years, locomotives for the West local out of Denver on the Moffat Tunnel route was a pair of Rio Grande GP30s. They ran west on... (more)

Amtrak’s westbound California Zephyr approaches Tunnel 1 east of Plainview, Colorado, on the bright and snowy morning of January 6, 1998.

Three “elephant-style” GE P42DCs power Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr into the horseshoe curve at Coal Creek Canyon just downgrade of Plainview, Colorado, on the afternoon of June 24, ... (more)

Rio Grande EMD SD45 5319, GP40's 3059,3068,3051 and GP30 3010 are in the lead through Plainview, Colorado. Photo from my slide collection, no photographers name listed.

The last car passes as Union Pacific’s MDVRO works upgrade through the mouth of Coal Creek Canyon at milepost 23 east of Plainview, Colorado, on September 17, 1999. Four Rio Grande EMD SD40T-2 �... (more)

Approaching Plainview is a westbound BNSF unit oil train climbing toward Tunnel 1 on a beautiful (but a bit too dry) day in Colorado on January 4, 2019. Thankfully, no houses built on the site… ... (more)

An early snowstorm covers the Front Range west of Denver, Colorado, on October 26, 2006, as Union Pacific’s MDVPV Denver to Provo freight rumbles through Plainview.

Amtrak’s California Zephyr climbs out of Plainview, Colorado, passing through Tunnel 3 in a series of tunnels that penetrate the unique Flatiron rock formations during its westward journey from ... (more)