As an eastbound Denver & Rio Grande Western exits the Thistle tunnel, thick black smoke pours out of the tunnel portal. The tunnel was constructed in 1983 after a huge landslide wiped out the town of Thistle, Utah which was located in the canyon just beyond the ridge housing the tunnel. This photo was taken along US Route 6, which was also relocated as a result of the landslide. US Route 89, which met Route 6 in Thistle, now occupies part of the original Route 6 alignment, and can be seen in the lower left across the Soldier Creek from the original Rio Grande ROW.
