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On a hot summer afternoon in eastern Utah, an equally-hot westbound freight is scorching the ballast as it charges out of Helper. Of the six units powering this mixed freight, only lead GP40-2 #3111 has the new larger Rio Grande image lettering. With harsh winter weather about seven to eight months of the year here in the mountains of Utah, the summer months were the only time the Rio Grande could do any major track improvements. A new layer of ballast has been spread on the eastbound main line, waiting for a parade of mechanical track equipment that will come along and take out any low spots, leaving the track structure just as good as new. (Matthew J. Herson Collection)

Photograph from Rio Grande In Color Vol. 5: Second Generation Diesels.

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