The California Zephyr rounds the Big Ten Curve as it heads towards Blue Mountain and Coal Creek Canyon on the Moffat Tunnel Sub.

The Rocky Mountaineer passenger train glides down from Big Ten Curve as it transitions from the Colorado Rocky Mountains to the Front Range Foothills on its way to Denver, Colorado.

The evening California Zephyr is framed by the trees on top of Blue Mountain.

The venerable GE P42DC 'Genesis' engine has been a hallmark of Amtrak power since it went into production in 1992. In the 9 year production run 321 engines were built for Amtrak. A new engine from... (more)

This view takes in the Denver Skyline and the Big Ten Curve as BNSF 7068 (ES44C4) leads a long freight down the Moffat Tunnel Sub at Eisele, Colorado.

The California Zephyr runs through Eisele, Colorado (also known as Clay) which is at the base of Blue Mountain.

This shot gives you a good idea of how steep the grade is as the BNSF freight passes through Little Ten and Big Ten Curves and heads towards Eisele, Colorado. The head of the train is passing by ... (more)

With the Flatiron rock formations above Boulder, Colorado, in the background, Union Pacific’s MRONY manifest freight from Salt Lake City to Denver drops downgrade at Eisele, Colorado, on the aft... (more)

An empty BNSF sand train heads downgrade at mile 22.6 at the mouth of Coal Creek Canyon west of Eisele (Clay), Colorado, on December 19, 2017. The train is powered by a pair of GE locomotives, wit... (more)

Crazy eights
Union Pacific coal train CEYPS curves past milepost 22 just west of Eisele (Clay), Colorado, early in the morning of February 9, 2015. UP No. 8888, built in 2014, is a heav... (more)

Led by Western Pacific heritage SD70ACe No. 1983, Union Pacific’s Denver to Phippsburg, Colorado, manifest freight train works upgrade out of Eisele toward Blue Mountain Drive grade crossing on ... (more)

Union Pacific’s MNYPH freight from Denver to Phippsburg, Colorado, works upgrade out of Eisele led by Western Pacific heritage SD70ACe No. 1983 on the afternoon of April 14, 2019.

From this vantage point you get a good perspective of the grade change as UP 6049 (AC44CWCTE) drops down from Tunnel #1 and heads to the Big Ten Curve.

AMTK 11 leads the California Zephyr up the steep grade to Tunnel #1 and will soon pass through 31 tunnels as it winds its way through the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

UP 6049 (AC44CWCTE) leads a long coal train down the mountain from Tunnel 1 and has made the 180 degree turn in Coal Creek Canyon as it heads toward the Big Ten curve. Three helper units provide ... (more)