Trackside Log for Tuesday, August 7, 2007

This morning I was feeling a bit lazy and decided to make a later start. Once I headed outside I could see mostly clear skies to the west. This was a good sign. I started off by dropping by the yards in Grand Junction, Utah to see what was going on. Union Pacific had a variety of power parked in their yard but it wasn't terribly accessible. I swung by the station where I discovered a lone Burlington Northern Santa Fe C44-9W. A four axle dash-8 was just about to shove some cars onto the engine. I photographed it before that happened.

• 0932 MDT Grand Junction, Colorado - BNSF power - BNSF 4162 (photo)

The dash-8 cut off the cars and the dash-9 began shoving them around the yard. Not much else was going on so I headed west into the desert. I drove for a long time before I finally ran across a moving train north of Green River, Utah. It turned out to be the Burlington Northern Santa Fe trackage rights train.

• 1216 MDT north of Green River, Utah - BNSF eastbound - BNSF 7574-TFM 2657-BNSF 4865-BNSF 5241 w/ DPU BNSF 5328

I decided to give a short chase and photograph the train again since it was the first moving train I'd seen all day.

• 1225 MDT north of Green River, Utah - BNSF eastbound - BNSF 7574-TFM 2657-BNSF 4865-BNSF 5241 w/ DPU BNSF 5328

I continued along to Helper, Utah to see what was going on. There was little in the Union Pacific yard so I began exploring the line westward. I heard the dispatcher talking to a Utah Railway coal train that was going to be cutting their helpers off at Soldier's Summit. Apparently I was just a little too late to catch the train run from Helper to Summit. At least I was able to photograph the helper set returning to Martin. I decided that the Nolan Tunnels would be a good location.

• 1444 MDT Nolan Tunnels, Utah - Utah Railway eastbound helper - UTAH 6060-UTAH 6061-UTAH 6063-UTAH 6064-MPEX 5356-UTAH 5003

On my way back to Helper I found the Utah Railway helper set about to head onto their own tracks. I got a few more photographs there and then returned to the Union Pacific yard to photograph the power there.

• 1512 MDT Heiner, Utah - Utah Railway eastbound helper - UTAH 6060-UTAH 6061-UTAH 6063-UTAH 6064-MPEX 5356-UTAH 5003
• 1524 MDT Helper, Utah - UP power - UP 6212-UP 8065 (photo)

While photographing the power parked in Union Pacific's yard I noticed that a westbound coal train was staged. I drove back out into the Price River canyon to wait for it. Just as I parked I heard an eastbound Utah Railway empty coal train rumble by with Union Pacific power. Oops… I missed that one. Before very long the westbound arrived. I chased it through the canyon for a variety of photographs. The scenery in there is stunning, particularly with the nice lighting I had.

• 1645 MDT west of Royal, Utah - UP westbound - UP 8255-UP 6260-UP 6565 w/ helper UP 5936-UP 6716-UP 5790 w/ DPU UP 6521 (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3)
• 1659 MDT Nolan Tunnels, Utah - UP westbound - UP 8255-UP 6260-UP 6565 w/ helper UP 5936-UP 6716-UP 5790 w/ DPU UP 6521 (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5)
• 1711 MDT Colton, Utah - UP westbound - UP 8255-UP 6260-UP 6565 w/ helper UP 5936-UP 6716-UP 5790 w/ DPU UP 6521

The helper set cut off at Colton and the westbound continued with just the DPU power.

• 1745 MDT Soldier's Summit, Utah - UP westbound - UP 8255-UP 6260-UP 6565 w/ DPU UP 6521

Once again I returned to Helper to see if any other trains had arrived. None had but I was now able to photograph a pair of Union Pacific engines that I was previously unable to.

• 1811 MDT Helper, Utah - UP power - UP 6305-UP 3169 (photo)

Well, it didn't appear that much else was going on so I figured I'd go find a room in Price. As it turned out things were pretty booked up. I called up Marriott and found a room at the Fairfield Inn in Provo, Utah. OK, that works for me. I began the drive to Provo and as luck would have it I ran across a Utah Railway westbound coal train rumbling through the canyon. The shadows of the mountains had engulfed the canyon but I figured I might still have some sunlight at Colton. I drove directly there and proved myself correct. It was getting close, but I had light.

• 1958 MDT Colton, Utah - Utah Railway westbound - UP 5859-UP 5305-UP 7224 w/ helper UTAH 5003-MPEX 5356-UTAH 6064-UTAH 6061-UTAH 6060-UTAH 5005

Colton turned out to be the only location with any light left. The Utah Railway left it to the last minutes. Well, obviously I was done with the day's photography so I drove to the Fairfield Inn for the night. The quantity of trains wasn't high, but I had a lot of fun photographing them. The scenery was great. And the best part was the weather. It was a really pleasant day.