donner

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  1. east_bay_alex

    UP ZG2OA at Dutch Flat, CA with Centerbeam Flats?

    Precision Based Railroading at it's best? Definitely unique to see a premium intermodal with a long string of empty centerbeam flatcars at the end.
  2. Working the chips

    Working the chips

    The Truckee local is preparing to spot the woodchip gons at the lumber mill. The mill would close in 1989 and the need to send the Truckee local 3-times-a-week would also vanish. Can't explain the weird fireman-side numberboard. Jerry C. photo
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner local sd9 sp
    • Comments: 5
    • Category: Vintage Freight Train Photos - Diesel Era
  3. Meet at Switch 9

    Meet at Switch 9

    EB Amtrak #6 and a an Extra SP 8305 West meet at Switch 9 on Donner Summit. A steady warning bell has been steadily clanging to warn track workers that a train is approaching. Jerry C. photo
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • amtrak coal donner sp
    • Comments: 3
    • Category: Vintage Passenger Train Photos - Diesel Era
  4. Snowed in at Tunnel 7

    Snowed in at Tunnel 7

    Since Oct 1993, the former #1 track alignment between Shed 47 and Norden hasn't seen any trains. Tunnel 7 was very unique for Donner because it had been daylighted, but completely re-roofed and enclosed as a concrete snowshed in the late 1960s. Inside the "tunnel" was signal 1941...
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner
    • Comments: 2
    • Category: Tunnels
  5. SPMW 325

    SPMW 325

    UP flanger awaits the next Sierra storm at Colfax, CA. This flanger was built in 1938 and rebuilt in 1971 and 2006. On Donner it primarily vollies between Emigrant Gap and Truckee, CA to remove snow accumalation between the railhead.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner snow sp
    • Comments: 3
    • Category: Maintenance of Way and Non-Revenue Cars
  6. Sugar Bowl Xing '95

    Sugar Bowl Xing '95

    The view of Sugar Bowl x-ing in 1995. SP signal supervisors advised me at the time that these wig wags were high priority to be upgraded to modern flashers. Both were retired soon afterwards, and found their way to the front yards of SP signal maintainers' private residences.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner pass sp wag wig
    • Comments: 0
    • Category: Signals
  7. In need of a mechanic

    In need of a mechanic

    A WB grain train for Livingston, CA (Foster Farms) barely achieves the station of Floriston on a gentle 1% grade. With wet rails and poor maintenance of locos this train does its best to make 12 mph. The next two years would bring herds of leasors and rent-a-wrecks to the SP.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner sp
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Vintage Freight Train Photos - Diesel Era
  8. Truckee Helper

    Truckee Helper

    Having just pushed a wb through the big hole aka T#41, the helper prepares to go east. The wooden snowshed would be replaced by concrete in 1998.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner snowshed sp
    • Comments: 3
    • Category: Vintage Freight Train Photos - Diesel Era
  9. Tie Fire

    Tie Fire

    Several crossties are burning on both main tracks at Gold Run, CA. Sparks from a sticking brakeshoe likely ignited the fire. I called the railroad, and fire trucks responded from Colfax to put it out.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Track
  10. Trotting thru Penryn

    Trotting thru Penryn

    An ACe rolls the piggies westbound at Penryn, CA.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner
    • Comments: 2
    • Category: Western United States
  11. WB stacker approaches Applegate

    WB stacker approaches Applegate

    Following a hail storm, a wb double-stack heads for Oakland via a new routing over Donner. SP last ran "domestic" double stacks from 1988 to 1993.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner double stack up
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Western United States
  12. Norden Turntable

    Norden Turntable

    The covered turntable at Norden only lasted to 1993 because it was more expensive to knock down than to maintain. It was last used to turn engines and MoW (snow removal)in the early 1980s. By 1984, the roof was in danger of collapsing and was susquently reinforced by giant timber beams. The...
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner norden snowshed sp turntable
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Buildings and Structures
  13. Better Days at Tunnel Six

    Better Days at Tunnel Six

    SP 9254 and a "buddy" power the Truckee work train at Tunnel 6 and the original summit tunnel of Donner Summit. This train is actually backing up to go east to Truckee via #1 track. It had just finished picking up tie plates and spikes using a burro crane. Of course, SP-VP Moyer...
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner snowshed sp
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Vintage Freight Train Photos - Diesel Era
  14. Passing Raggedy

    Passing Raggedy

    SP 8363 West is drifting downhill into East Gold Run. SP MoW crews always refered to this xing as Raggedy A$$, but only refered to the first part when using the PBX channel. The wig wag would come out in 1990.
    • rgcx
    • Media item
    • donner sp wag wig
    • Comments: 3
    • Category: Vintage Freight Train Photos - Diesel Era
  15. Downhill at Alta

    Downhill at Alta

    A Union Pacific manifest snakes its way downgrade at Alta, California in June of 2002. Lots of empty reefers are making their way back to California's central valley on the original transcontinental route.
    • SamReeves
    • Media item
    • ac400cw alta california donner pacific pass roseville sub union up
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Western United States
  16. Thunderclouds at Yuba Pass

    Thunderclouds at Yuba Pass

    A BNSF trackage rights train rolls down the west slope of the Sierra Nevada at Yuba Pass, California in June of 2000. Thunderclouds are looming over the 7000 foot level of Donner Pass, and will cover the west slope soon.
    • SamReeves
    • Media item
    • bnsf burlington dash-9 donner fe northern pacific pass roseville santa sub union yuba
    • Comments: 2
    • Category: Western United States
  17. BNSF at Gold Run

    BNSF at Gold Run

    A BNSF trackage rights train rolls off the west slope of the Sierra Nevada at Gold Run, California in June of 2000. BNSF gets to run two trains daily over Donner Pass as per the merger agreements.
    • SamReeves
    • Media item
    • bnsf burlington c44-9w california dash-9 donner fe gold northern pacific pass roseville run santa sub union
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Western United States
  18. Zephyr rolls by Hirschdale

    Zephyr rolls by Hirschdale

    Amtrak #6, the "California Zephyr" makes time as it's late through Hirschdale, California on the Donner Pass route. Amtrak's Zephyrs have been notorious for being late.
    • SamReeves
    • Media item
    • amtrak california donner hirschdale pacific pass river roseville sub truckee union zephyr
    • Comments: 2
    • Category: Amtrak and other US Passenger Trains
  19. Potash down Donner

    Potash down Donner

    A solid train of potash rolls down the slopes of the Sierra Nevada at Casa Loma, California in October of 2006. Union Pacific's route over Donner Pass will become much more active in the future once the tunnel improvements are made.
    • SamReeves
    • Media item
    • california casa donner loma nevada pacific pass roseville sierra sub union
    • Comments: 1
    • Category: Western United States
  20. BNSF On Donner

    BNSF On Donner

    A BNSF trackage rights train descends the west slope of Donner Pass near Yuba Gap. It was an unusually warm spring day, with temperatures approaching 80 degrees.
    • Superchief3751
    • Media item
    • bnsf donner
    • Comments: 6
    • Category: Western United States


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