Western Railroad Discussion > Skyline / Pleasant Valley Sub Question

Hello-

Anybody out there in Utah (GrandeGold, sdrake....) or elsewhere have the latest on the Skyline Mine on UP's Pleasant Valley Sub (off of Soldier Summit)? I guess I should rephrase to say if there is any "latest" at all. Since I haven't heard otherwise, I assume the mine is still sitting idle, but I also know that, when it was shutdown, there was the possibility that it might reopen at some point in the future.

With the mine now being inactive, is there any use for the Pleasant Valley Sub, or is it just sitting idle too for the time being?

Took the following shot, the tracks run parallel to Highway 96 near Scofield, UT. The coal train is empty on its way to Skyline Mine.

http://www.drgw.ws/gallery/photo.asp?id=100136

Kevin Morgan
The Front Range
http://www.drgw.ws/

I am not really sure of the current status. It was supposed to shut down but then I heard that it was still open on a reduced basis. I have not been up there recently but I did stop at Colton where the Pleasant Valley Sub splits off from the main line a few months ago and the rails had obviously seen some recent use. I posted a few shot from there last night for the fall colors contest but they were from 2 years ago.


http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1025799,1025809#msg-1025809

Thanks for the info. Nice shots too by the way....it was actually that exact set of photos that you posted that got me thinking about the mine and inspired me to ask the question! :)

Kevin

Still loading at SkyLine I believe.

I hiked into Lower Fish Creek Canyon about a month ago to shoot an empty Skyline train wending it's way down the branch toward the mine. While hiking in (about 2.5 miles from Scofield Dam) I discovered the granite block foundation from a long gone water tank still sitting beside the line adjacent to the deck girder span where the rails cross the river.

In fact there is a train at the mine right now. It should leave in the wee hours of tomorrow morning as the CSKVY-28. The only trains I've seen running have been CPFSK/CSKPF and CVYSK/CSKVY trains to and from Port Stockton, CA and the Valmy, NV power plant respectively. It seemed that there was only about one train a month on the branch but has no picked up to about one a week lately.

Hope this helps.

Dave.....

dbla8342 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hiked into Lower Fish Creek Canyon about a month
> ago to shoot an empty Skyline train wending it's
> way down the branch toward the mine. While hiking
> in (about 2.5 miles from Scofield Dam) I
> discovered the granite block foundation from a
> long gone water tank still sitting beside the line
> adjacent to the deck girder span where the rails
> cross the river.

Cool! Anyone got pics of the water tower in its heyday?

> In fact there is a train at the mine right now.
> It should leave in the wee hours of tomorrow
> morning as the CSKVY-28. The only trains I've
> seen running have been CPFSK/CSKPF and CVYSK/CSKVY
> trains to and from Port Stockton, CA and the
> Valmy, NV power plant respectively. It seemed
> that there was only about one train a month on the
> branch but has no picked up to about one a week
> lately.

Glad to hear it Dave! Thanks for the report. I was thinking about asking, but Kevin beat me to it.
Take care,
-Wes