Completed in 1934, the Dotsero Cutoff was built by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad in order to shorten the journey between Denver and Salt Lake City. Previously, westbound trains at Denver were routed south to Pueblo, Colorado. From Pueblo, trains would travel through the Rocky Mountains along the old Tennessee Pass Route. The Dotsero cutoff provided a more direct route through the mountains, shaving off 175 track miles between Denver and Salt Lake City. Today, the Dotsero Cutoff is still active, unlike the abandoned Tennessee Pass Route. Amtrak, BNSF and Union Pacific trains use the cutoff as they travel through the Rocky Mountains along the incredible Moffat Route. In this shot, a Bill, Wyoming to Provo, Utah empty coal repo races west through Range, Colorado. In the distance, a cold storm cell envelops the colorful red mountains of Burns, Colorado.
