Moffat Tunnel In September

Skip Weythman posted a quick video of a westbound UP manifest freight at East Portal. Check out the beautiful aspen gold above the tunnel entrance. The trackside shed is missing a little paint and the concrete is showing it's age. Of course, everything ages faster at 9,240 feet ASL!

UP 844 Goodwill Tour Videos Show A Classy Main Line Steam Engine, Crew

Rail photographers Skip Weythman and Dan Barker work as a two-man video team that does a very good job capturing the beauty of locomotives as their trains travel the broad expanses of western railroads, especially in Colorado. Their pacing shots of Union Pacific Steam are exceptional, considering the difficulty of steadying the shot, keeping an even rate of speed, and the physically demanding nature of the work. Their work stayed true to form despite the cold weather during Union Pacific's goodwill Centennial tour of the southwest states, which is winding down in Ogden, Utah, at the time of writing. Their work shows in the first four videos in the playlist below.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Winds Down

UP 4-8-4 #844 and Centennial DD40X
#6936 in Cheyenne, photo: UP

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Special has just about wrapped up its runs for 2011. They are heading south on their final run of the final day as I write. The last run is scheduled to leave Denver tomorrow at 1 p.m. for an arrival at UP Steam's headquarters in Cheyenne at 6:00 p.m. It is the first Cheyenne Frontier Days train since the tradition restarted in 1992 to run without the oversight and steady hand of Steve Lee, recently retired.

Video of Steve Lee's Presentation In Hugo

Have you ever wondered what it takes to field a modern day, main line steam program? Steve Lee, recently retired, is the most experienced at the complexities of Union Pacific's Steam Program. His commentary and photos from his 22 years as head of the program were given as part of the meeting Sunday for the Hugo Roundhouse preservation group.

UP 844 Cheyenne Frontier Days Train west of Cheyenne at 540pm

It's not even Monday and I already have good video of UP's 844 on the front of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Special that ran this weekend. Watch for the Wyoming state capitol in the background.



Way to go, Skip Weythman! Thanks for some great footage! I also liked the pacing shot.

By the way folks, the CFD special means that the height of summer is upon us. Have you gotten out to your favorite spot yet?