Western Railroad Discussion > Extreme Foaming at Soda Springs!

While my Wife and I were leading snowshoe trips in the back country out of the Sierra Club Lodge at Norden this past weekend, some of my best friends, who shall remain nameless were catching the action two miles west at the Soda Springs Crossing. I can only tell you that their house has more railroad history in front of it than most museums, having said that they have a birds-eye view of Leland Stanfords handi-work just a few feet away. I have taken a few shots in my time up the hill in bad weather but IF I did what these two folks did, my wife would hand my me brains.....and the other parts later.  So here area few shots to give you an idea what I am talking about. Its a short snowshoe walk to the mainline.  There house is in the background. Once down to the crossing, its time to get comfortable......Lawn chairs are a definite must along with the proper food and beverages!  Oh, yea, than as you get settled in, wait for an eastman to grind up the Hill towrds the Big Hole in heavy snow!

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I should also tell you that none of this was staged and that they really enjoyed being out here this last Sunday for three hours!  Mike Pechner

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Wow!!!  Those are great photos, Mike!!  Talk about a LOT of SNOW!!

Donner is one gorgeous place any time of the eyar, and when it
snows a lot, it is spectacular!!

I have no idea where those pictures were takem, but *I* sure would
NOT want any sweetie-pie of MINE to take big risks in bad weather!
LOLOL about what you said Eleanor would do to you if you did what
your friends did!  LOL!  But -- you know what wise people say: "If you 
rfeally love someone, let them follow their dreams; if they come back,
that is wonderful, but if they don't, that is just life.  (Or words to that
effect.)  

Donner is incredibly gorgeous right now, from what I have seen on the web.
Wow.....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/17 15:11 by Margaret_SP_fan.

Sit down in the chair, relax, and pop open a cold one - NOT!!!
- Eric B.

Great pics.
And yeah pop open a cold one as they would on Cheers a cold one cancels out feeling cold. Or something like that.
Plus I am sure it was super quiet out there.
Very nice!!!
 

Thats a great area, regardless of the weather. I consider Donner-Truckee as my "playground". Summer or winter, I do love that area. Be safe out there!

Desmond Praetzel, "4451 Puff"

 

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Nice! Here's my take at Soda Springs mid-March 2011. On this s day there was a slight drizzle at this altitude but snow any higher. We got our shots and headed back down the hill. A couple weeks later the pass was shut down by a blizzard and the rotaries were called in. The snow was like cement!

Chico

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OUTSTANDING !!!!!!!!

Looks like Tom and Sue's place. 

Don't they have a cut down SP signal in their front yard?

 

Quite a difference. A couple years ago I stopped at Soda Springs at this time of year and had to find a shady spot where there was a bit of snow to make a photo of #6 look like winter. No other snow around.

Jim B

Ha!  Yep, that's the way ya do it!  I'm down The Hill a'ways  (3500')  so we don't get the big snow pac, but every bit as close to the track.  The real estate lady thought I was nuts back when I signed the papers...    but love it!  
SR

 6 units,  guess they don't want to 'stick' a flanger again.

Better in 1966!

Regards, Jim Evans

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4451Puff and chico and Five Chome --
Thank you for those GREAT photos!!
Wow.....just wow.....They are each quite
wonderful!

Donner is one incredibly beautiful place
any time of year.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/17 16:30 by Margaret_SP_fan.

Great series, I sure miss that area!

Larry

Here's a couple I shot up there awhile back. Another photographer said about these photos, "That train was a Sparks section of number six (2/6) on (Saturday) February 16, 1974. I made a copy of a slide of the train at 16th St and it was flying green flags??. Gas shortage (at the time) kept motorists off I-80. Amtrak put together a special train to Sparks, so the regular Number Six wouldn't be 30 cars long. All the equipment came off the Reno Fun Train pool. It was President's Weekend, so the equipment came back as 2/5 on Monday. UP958 led on Saturday and SP6453 on Monday, the 18th." According to WAF, "UP958 was pulled off the Sparks section that weekend and replaced with AM425 and the Sparks section was 2/5 on Monday 2-18. SP6453 and 6451 were the two SP Fs on 1/6 in his picture."

~Steve Sloan
San Jose, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/17 00:14 by ssloansjca.

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