Western Railroad Discussion > Donner Pass - Where Am I ?

Recently I travelled over Donner Pass, a place basically unfamiliar to me, and shot this view from Amtrak #5 looking back to the east.

Can anyone explain where I was, and what is shown in the photo ?

I am thinking near Cisco ?

The whole district from Sparks to Roseville is a place I would like to know more about and come back and explore. I will say it looked very dry with little snow for late January.

I've heard that back in the day the SP guys really loved their F units here before the C628's and SD40-45's showed up. I would have loved to have been here and heard PA's pulling the hill or experienced cab forwards. Can't imagine going through all the old sheds with a conventional steam locomotive much less battling the legendary snows.

Also to note one track is concrete ties and one wood. Any reason for that and how does each perform ?

Thanks for any information.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/15 12:15 by train1275.

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Yuba Gap? They should have left both tracks. Removing a track over Donner, that was brain child of that IC big shot the SP hired in the 1980’s.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/15 08:01 by HardYellow.

Yes, Cisco.

Concrete ties on the track closer to the edge of the cliff, same thing in the Sacramento River Canyon. Why both tracks are not concrete ties I don't know. Next year's budget maybe?

lynnpowell Wrote:
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> Yes, Cisco.

Tunnel #4 on the left (main 1), tunnel #39 on the right (main 2). One of my favorite places on the Hill!

Posted from iPhone

>Yuba Gap?

No such place on the SP/UP line between Rsv and Spx.

>Yes, Cisco.

Actually, about 1 mile east of Cisco.

Pic is taken from about here

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.3021,-120.5379&hl=en&ll=39.302101,-120.537899&spn=0.003591,0.004823&sll=39.302346,-120.537789&sspn=0.001795,0.002411&t=k&z=18

On the CTC board, track 1 from Tunnel 41
to Shed 10 is depicted like a long siding--
so maybe Amtrak tends to use track 2?

>On the CTC board, track 1 from Tunnel 41 to Shed 10 is depicted like a long siding--

Nevertheless it's CTC 2-MT, not a siding. To the uninitiated it may look like a siding on the DS's track model because the diagram thereon reflects the the handedness of the turnouts at each end of the 2-MT section.

>so maybe Amtrak tends to use track 2?

Usually track 1 because the speed limit west of Norden is 35 mph for several miles.

portlander Wrote:
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> Concrete ties on the track closer to the edge of
> the cliff, same thing in the Sacramento River
> Canyon. Why both tracks are not concrete ties I
> don't know. Next year's budget maybe?

The concrete ties are on the track with curvature, the wood ties are on straight track. Concrete ties hold gauge better so it's popular on heavy curvature trackage.

EtoinShrdlu Wrote:
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> >Yuba Gap?
>
> No such place on the SP/UP line between Rsv and
> Spx.
>
> >Yes, Cisco.
>
> Actually, about 1 mile east of Cisco.

Your right Yuba Gap is on the highway Yuba Pass is on the railroad.
Photo taken looking east from the No2 track showing Tunnel 39 on the no2 track and tunnel 4 on the no1 track
just before entering Tunnel 38.
Good photo of curve no. 305 on the No.1 track. Wide wing rotaries will not clear each other with the wings extended on this curve.

cpn456 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> portlander Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Concrete ties on the track closer to the edge
> of
> > the cliff, same thing in the Sacramento River
> > Canyon. Why both tracks are not concrete ties I
> > don't know. Next year's budget maybe?
>
> The concrete ties are on the track with curvature,
> the wood ties are on straight track. Concrete
> ties hold gauge better so it's popular on heavy
> curvature trackage.

Another good reason

Posted from Android

Isn't this the spot the SP City of San Francisco train was snowed in...

Your right Yuba Gap is on the highway Yuba Pass is on the railroad.


All the photos say Yuba Pass.

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Thanks to everyone who has responded with information !

The man in question, who removed the DT over Donner, was Edward L Moyers (1921 - 2006). He was hired by Phil Anshutz in 1993, after retiring from IC two years earlier. He remained with SP until 1995, then retired from railroading for good. The track he removed went to Arizona; Benson to Dragoon was then DT (2-MT). I was told, a high up in the Sacramento M of W resigned over the move. Moyers said, the traffic over Donner didn’t warrant DT. The older SP people tried to tell him, ‘BUT THE SNOW DOES!” Every new hammer leaves a different mark.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/15 10:14 by HardYellow.