On October 18, 1997, a westbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight climbs the front range of the Rockies at Clay, Colorado, on Union Pacific’s former Rio Grande Moffat Tunnel route. Powering the manifest is a quartet of EMDs—BN SD40-2 Nos. 6827 and 8181, Montana Rail Link F45 No. 390, and a Santa Fe SD40-2, while pushing on the rear is a manned helper of two Grinstein-painted EMD SD70MACs.
This view gives a pretty good look at the lay of the land and how the route climbs west. Above the lead power in the distance is a dark shadow, which is the cut approaching Rocky and Barbara Gulch. On the left side of the scene is Rocky siding and “Little 10 Curve.” Over on the right side is the mesa that Big 10 Curve encircles, while most of the train is passing Clay siding. The city of Denver is also visible, just above the big cut approaching Big 10 Curve.
