Rocky Mountain Railroad Club

News & Current Events

This page shows interesting railroad happenings as well as breaking railroad news. Check it often as you may learn the location or schedule of some interesting equipment in time to go out and get some great photographs! If you do go photo 'fanning, please share your pictures with us. Please contact News Page Webmaster Wally Weart.

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June 30, 2009

The last of the Mohicans

Chris Paulhamus recently traveled to Cheyenne with the lone goal of shooting the DRGW 5371. At various points for the next two hours, there was always at least one train blocking my shot. Finally though, an eastbound stack train, the last one to arrive from the west, pulled out, and it was followed by coal empties and then a manifest. This is the last unpatched motor on the UP.

A Warbonnet day

On Sunday, June 21, Chris caught BNSF 737 heading north with a clean Warbonnet scheme heading the train. Chris shot this
from the bridge near at Air Force Academy. When Chris got to Greenland, hr thought the hike he was going to have to make was going to be much longer than what he really needed. Chris didn't have to go very far this spectacular shot with Pikes Peak in the background.

An unusual Private Car move

Former American Orient Express dining car, Jasper - AOEX 800765, was ready for highway. Car was part of GrandLuxe Express but never used by that short lived operation. Car was moved by highway from Colorado Railcar, LLC, Fort Lupton, CO, to new owner, Marcus Rail, LLC. The twin diner was built in 1953 by American Car & Foundry as Union Pacific diner 5106; renumbered UP 5113. Several tour operators operated the car. It was refurbished for British Columbia Rail's Whistler Northwind service; BCR 1741 named Strathnaver. It has been drawbar connected to galley car "Vancouver" its entire life. The AOE purchased twin diners for their second train set (operated to Copper Canyon in Mexico - 2004). GrandLuxe stored car off its trucks at Fort Lupton, CO. Photo by Chip June 13, 2009.

A UP Special

UP 4908 lead six cars from Union Pacific’s Heritage fleet on their way to Sacramento, CA for a celebration of President Lincoln’s bicentennial. The train paused in Laramie, WY on June 16, 2009 to host a reception for the Wyoming Mining Association. photo ©2009 David Lucke

A rail grinder at work

A rail grinding train smoothes out the BNSF track just south of Cheyenne on June 13. photo ©2009 Wally Weart

A Rio Grande motor in Green River

Train No. 7866 has very clean D&RGW motor tucked in behind the road power has it leaves Green River, WY on Jun 13. I wonder where it's headed. photos ©2009 Wally Weart

The Disney Train

Disney’s A Christmas Carol 5-car train descended Raton Pass, Colorado, passing Wootton Ranch - June 10, 2009. Amtrak P42DC 157 & 71 led the special over BNSF rails (ex-AT&SF). All photos ©2009 Colorado Zephyr Wagon Mound’ landmark towers in the distance as Amtrak P42DC 157 & 71 split BNSF semaphores with Disney 5-car special at milepost 722 between Wagon Mound and Levy, New Mexico.

Amtrak units 157 & 71 are "wrapped" with Disney's 'A Christmas Carol' Train Tour. Train was stopped to move off BNSF's Raton Subdivision onto the Spanish Peaks Subdivision for journey north via Walsenburg and Pueblo enroute to Denver.

A painting shows the D&RGW from the past

In this 2005 Joe Priselac water color painting four SD40T-2's lead an east bound coal train at Blue Mountain Crossing with the tail end helpers emerging from tunnel 1 across the valley. Photo by the artist.

Two very interesting pictures

Abilene and Smokey Valley rebuilt Santa Fe 4-6-2 3415 on its first revenue run May 23, 2009. The train was ready for its eastbound departure at Abilene, Kansas. Although a large crowd turned out to see the locomotive, passengers were few. The locomotive will run again July 4-5, August 1-2, and September 5-7. Stratton CO-OP shuttlewagon switching tanks cars at Stratton, Colorado May 18, 2009. ©2009 Larry D. Dilts

A Kyle Railroad train

On my way back from Virginia on June 3, I saw this Kyle train tied down near Seibert on the old Rock Island. Two ex SP Tunnel motors provide the power for a train of very mixed assortment of cars. Had they tied this down a couple of miles west, it would have been a 100 feet the highway and much easier to photograph. ©2009 Wally Weart

The Grand Lux arrives in Denver

Mr. Anschutz has purchased 25-cars of the former GrandLuxe Express operation. It's impressive he's obtained the majority of former American Orient Express cars rather than one or two cars. A new chapter has opened for Ansco passenger train options. Full length dome lounge COPPER CANYON was on eastbound Napa, CA, to Denver, CO, Amtrak train 904-27 stopped on new highway overpass near the Winter Park Ski Resort. ©2009 Chip image at Winter Park, CO, May 29, 2009. The former GrandLuxe Express, ex-American Orient Express, train with round-end observation lounge bar car NEW YORK entered Moffat Tunnel enroute to Burnham Shops, Denver, CO, May 29, 2009 about 4:30 PM. ©2009 Chip at Winter Park, CO.

The 20-car ex-GrandLuxe Express train (discontinued August 28, 2008) moved from California (departed May 27, 2009) to Denver as an Amtrak move - took three days. Two Amtrak P42DC locomotives; Amtrak 197 & 56 couldn't handle the load. Union Pacific added UP 7916 in Nevada after an engine fire developed on Amtrak 197. The UP 5260 was added at Salt Lake City, Utah. The train passed under former Denver & Rio Grande Western RR signal bridge at Utah Junction north of Denver, CO, about 6:30 PM Friday afternoon May 29, 2009. ©2009 Chip.

Denver's skyline with a Colorado Rockies baseball game underway at Coors Field met Mr. Anschutz' 20-car passenger train May 29, 2009. Train was wyed at BNSF 31st Street Yard and shoved to Burnham Shops where Ski Train (departed Colorado May 8, 2009) had been parked and serviced. Car at left is diner CHICAGO and lounge car SEATTLE with piano next to the right. ©2009 Chip at Prospect Junction, Denver, CO.

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Copyright 2009 Rocky Mountain Railroad Club.


On Sunday, June 21, Chris caught BNSF 737 heading north with a clean Warbonnet scheme heading the train. Chris shot this from the bridge near at Air Force Academy.	When Chris got to Greenland, hr thought the hike he was going to have to make was going to be much longer than what he really needed. Chris didn't have to go very far this spectacular shot with Pikes Peak in the background.


Train No. 7866 has very clean D&RGW motor tucked in behind the road power has it leaves Green River, WY on Jun 13. I wonder where it's headed. photos ©2009 Wally Weart


Disney’s A Christmas Carol 5-car train descended Raton Pass, Colorado, passing Wootton Ranch - June 10, 2009. Amtrak P42DC 157 & 71 led the special over BNSF rails (ex-AT&SF). All photos ©2009 Colorado Zephyr	Wagon Mound’ landmark towers in the distance as Amtrak P42DC 157 & 71 split BNSF semaphores with Disney 5-car special at milepost 722 between Wagon Mound and Levy, New Mexico.

Amtrak units 157 & 71 are "wrapped" with Disney's 'A Christmas Carol' Train Tour. Train was stopped to move off BNSF's Raton Subdivision onto the Spanish Peaks Subdivision for journey north via Walsenburg and Pueblo enroute to Denver.


Abilene and Smokey Valley rebuilt Santa Fe 4-6-2 3415 on its first revenue run May 23, 2009. The train was ready for its eastbound departure at Abilene, Kansas. Although a large crowd turned out to see the locomotive, passengers were few. The locomotive will run again July 4-5, August 1-2, and September 5-7.	Stratton CO-OP shuttlewagon switching tanks cars at Stratton, Colorado May 18, 2009. ©2009 Larry D. Dilts


On my way back from Virginia on June 3, I saw this Kyle train tied down near Seibert on the old Rock Island. Two ex SP Tunnel motors provide the power for a train of very mixed assortment of cars. Had they tied this down a couple of miles west, it would have been a 100 feet the highway and much easier to photograph. ©2009 Wally Weart


Mr. Anschutz has purchased 25-cars of the former GrandLuxe Express operation. It's impressive he's obtained the majority of former American Orient Express cars rather than one or two cars. A new chapter has opened for Ansco passenger train options. Full length dome lounge COPPER CANYON was on eastbound Napa, CA, to Denver, CO, Amtrak train 904-27 stopped on new highway overpass near the Winter Park Ski Resort. ©2009 Chip image at Winter Park, CO, May 29, 2009.	The former GrandLuxe Express, ex-American Orient Express, train with round-end observation lounge bar car NEW YORK entered Moffat Tunnel enroute to Burnham Shops, Denver, CO, May 29, 2009 about 4:30 PM. ©2009 Chip at Winter Park, CO.

The 20-car ex-GrandLuxe Express train (discontinued August 28, 2008) moved from California (departed May 27, 2009) to Denver as an Amtrak move - took three days. Two Amtrak P42DC locomotives; Amtrak 197 & 56 couldn't handle the load. Union Pacific added UP 7916 in Nevada after an engine fire developed on Amtrak 197. The UP 5260 was added at Salt Lake City, Utah. The train passed under former Denver & Rio Grande Western RR signal bridge at Utah Junction north of Denver, CO, about 6:30 PM Friday afternoon May 29, 2009. ©2009 Chip.	Denver's skyline with a Colorado Rockies baseball game underway at Coors Field met Mr. Anschutz' 20-car passenger train May 29, 2009. Train was wyed at BNSF 31st Street Yard and shoved to Burnham Shops where Ski Train (departed Colorado May 8, 2009) had been parked and serviced. Car at left is diner CHICAGO and lounge car SEATTLE with piano next to the right. ©2009 Chip at Prospect Junction, Denver, CO.