Day 9: Helper to Mexican Hat

This morning dawned bright and sunny in the motel room it felt almost summery, but I changed my mind on that aspect as soon as I stepped outside! I decided my time in Helper was up for now, so I packed up, consulted the maps and decided to head south. While I was packing I heard a horn, and it wasn't an Amtrak horn, and it wasn't a modern diesel horn, so I decided to check out the Utah Railway depot on the way out of town. Sure enough there were many extra coal wagons there, and plenty more signs of life than there had been Saturday or Sunday. Maybe they'd be running a coal train today? And yes, as I watched the train started moving, so up the highway I raced to catch it.

The train eased down off the Utah Railway track and onto the UP mainline, but had to wait at the signal bridge for a green light. While waiting the morning UP manifest came squealing down the hill with a very heavy aroma of burnt brake shoes.

Waiting for permission to proceed.

Here comes the UP manifest / Smoking brakes.

The Utah Railway train then took off up Main 1, the 5 EMD locos on the head singing away in unison.

I raced up the road a bit further and caught her at ground level, locos slogging it out. Just as I was packing up the video camera I saw some smoke part way down the train and thought I could here some locos… mid train helpers!!! My one remaining goal of Soldier Summit was to catch a Utah Railways coal train with manned mid train helpers, and here it was!

First five locos under the signal bridge / Mid train helpers smoking it up

Nothing says Rio Grande like a coal train crawling up Solider Summit with EMD locos and mid train helpers. Now the Rio Grande may be well dead, but here in 2010 the Utah Railway is doing a pretty good impression. There aren't many places in the US you can see a 10 loco train, and as for NZ I'm not even sure we have 10 locos. As for the noise… it was phenomenal.

As for the windchill, well… it was several degrees below freezing, and there was a fairly brisk breeze whipping down the valley. Since it'd been sunny I dressed lightly and was regretting it now; I reckon it was actually colder than when it was snowing. Still, I had a coal train to chase :-)

Up the mountain I headed, and with all those locos pulling she certainly took off with a roar once the grade eased. Missed it at Jane Park Road but caught her at the Schofield turn off motoring along.

Then it was off to catch her at Soldier Summit itself, and was pleased to see the road has since been plowed, which made finding my way down much easier. Snow at the bottom was amazingly soft and fluffy and barely a track in it.

 

Not a bad start for a day I thought would be train-free. I headed back down the hill, topped up the tank, and checked out the depot. The UP manifest was still there switching locos, there is now a very hodge-podge collection of UP helpers at Helper, with dash-9s, AC4400s, ES44DCs, SD70, SD70MACs, even a SP loco. I guess that is what makes the UP interesting; the BNSF stick almost religiously to modern GEs, but the uniformity is nice too.

So the UP manifest got its orders and headed out with an AC6000 on the front, and a GE and EMD trailing that.

Removing helper locos at Helper.

I was very surprised to see a caboose on the rear instead of the usual DPU. I have no idea what it was for.

 

The poor train made excruciatingly slow progress south, first getting a red signal, then stopping at a level crossing, then going into emergency braking. I gave up and left it behind in Price.

Easing through Carbonville after the second of many stops.

South I headed into the great desert of South Eastern Utah. I remember being wowed by this patch of country last time I drove through in Fall, but now in Winter it has taken on a whole new atmosphere. I crested a hill and was greeted by a breathtaking panorama of snow and cliffs.

Utterly amazing. On I went and stopped somewhere on the desert floor. I found some tracks in the snow from something with little feet…

Now imagine this scene with a trio of warbonnets roaring round the curve.

Even though it was a cool 0°C here, I had great fun walking around and taking in the views. In places the snow was mid-thigh deep, as in, if the snow gave way I was up to my thighs. The snow had amazing patterns in it where howling winds had swept over it. It is a great shame so few trains use this patch of track, sometimes it sees just two trains a day.

Onwards I went and quite quickly I was at Green River and then on the road south through Moab. Approaching Moab I was day dreaming, rounded a corner and snapped to full alert when I saw the tell tale triangle cluster of locomotive lights. The UMTRA local?! Hot dang!

Is there a more scenic setting in the world?

Wings meet UP wings / UMTRA local grumbling past

Even though I had limited time, I knew this train was worth chasing. And boy am I glad I did…

I found a little side road and got there just in time to catch it speeding past. I was surprised by how hard the 4 locos were working.

The UP version of yesterday's shot.

So what exactly is the UMTRA local?

Signage on the side of each container

UMTRA = Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action. It is a Department of Energy project to clean up uranium contaminated soil and water from between two national parks, and bordered by the Colorado River — the very same river that runs through the Grand Canyon and powers the Hoover Dam. Every day for the next 18 years a train will take loaded containers of contaminated tailings to Crescent Junction for disposal. Amazing project. Get in before 2028 if you want photos of this train!

It's hard not to appreciate the irony. Here we have world class scenery and a pristine environment, carrying radioactive waste!

I said goodbye to the train and continued down to Moab. Once again I was blown away by the crimson rocks that surround this area. The UMTRA project site is just to the left of this photo.

Had a quick pizza in Moab and continued south. Struck an amazing sunset which somehow made the tussock glow.

Further down the road I found an arch, and then the sunset itself.

By now it was getting quite cold, the car thermometer said 14°F which is a crisp –10°C! The snow was getting thicker too, and as I approached Monticello the snow was billowing across the road like a dense fog, making driving difficult. I passed a truck which had come to grief on the side of the road and was sitting at a very unpleasant looking angle deep in mud, while further on I came across many flashing lights and discovered an SUV that had somehow jumped the railing and ended up upside down on the top of a snow bank. I don't know how they managed that, but car was still in tact so presumably no major injuries, just some soiled underwear.

In Monticello, the roadside snow was up to the windows of my SUV.

Made for quite a sight. On I drove into the night, determined to reach Mexican Hat before 8pm. I turned up at 8:08 and pulled into the motel car park, only to find a "closed for winter" sign in the window!!! This was not part of the plan! Mexican Hat is a tiny town, and I only knew of one other motel there. They at least were open, but wanted $55+tax a night. I managed to get them down to $48+tax; I guess I've been spoiled by $35 motels recently.

On the up side, I'm mere hours from Flagstaff now, and Monument Valley is on the route. So it's goodbye Union Pacific and hello to the BNSF.