Nostalgia & History > Removing the rails at Yuba Pass 1993

My late Father shot some video of the #2 track being lifted in Aug 1993 on Donner Pass. Track crews first removed and salvaged the ties. Later they unbolted long sections of ribbon rail so a burro crane could reposition the rail to both sides of the #1 track. Finally, a rail train had the arduous task of picking them up while tying up the new single main track between Switch 9 and Shed 10.

It should be noted that the #2 was not taken up between tunnels 35-37. This was retained but laid dormant until Spring of 94 when a new transition track was built to connect the #1 track alignment with the #2. The #1 track was then lifted between the previously mentioned tunnels. Additionally, trains bogged down at the former 10mph x-overs until larger turnouts (25mph) were installed in 1994.

This was very unpleasant to see first hand.

I have more footage of the last MoW activity on the #1 track at tunnel 6 as well as the final views of the tunnels and sheds with rails.

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mix match the best sections of both tracks and piecing them together to form the new single track

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Even the blue jays were protesting.

More proof of railroading's insidious ability to turn smart people into blithering idiots.

Wicked sound of the strength inside the rail being released

One of the dumbest things ever done by any American Railroad!

Regards, Jim Evans

FiveChime Wrote:
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> One of the dumbest things ever done by any
> American Railroad!
>
> Regards, Jim Evans


Yes indeed. But, that's the SP for you!

This was not typical of SP. It was during the brief tenure of Edward L. Moyers whose direction from Phillip Anschutz was to turn around the SP losses of 1993. One of his methods was to "cut excess capacity" and transition SP into a more attractive merger partner with UP in which Anschutz already owned considerable stock.