Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Varnish In Barstow

I noticed a rather lengthy BNSF passenger special sitting at the Barstow station early this A.M. Anyone know the story behind what it's up to and where it's headed? It looked like it had a combination of single level 1950s era equipment and some of those double-decker ex-commute cars. One of the older cars is named "Rollins Pass" which is kind of weird since that pass was located on the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad (before Moffat tunnel) and I don't believe the D&SL nor the D&RGW were ever in the league of heritage roads that comprise today's BNSF. Does UP have a car in their fleet named "Marias Pass"?

This is probably the employee appreciation train

Dale Smith

mearsksealand Wrote:
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> This is probably the employee appreciation train
>
> Dale Smith


That is correct - it is the annual employee appreciation special.

"Rollins Pass" was former Santa Fe Super Chief car "Regal Spa". It and sister car "Donner Pass" (formerly "Regal Manor") were given those names by BNSF in 1998 in deference to their recently acquired trackage rights over UP from Denver to northern California via former D&RGW Denver to Salt Lake and over Donner Pass, as a result of the merger of UP and SP. So in fact BNSF does operate over these passes; UP does not operate over Marias Pass so that is not an similar comparison.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/13 20:29 by czephyr17.

It ran turns to Victorville yesterday and today, it's going to Richmond, Stockton, Fresno,, Bakersfield, then to San Bernardino and LA.

I believe the "Donner Pass" car has been renamed "Trinchera Pass," and BNSF certainly never operated OVER Rollins Pass.
I think it helps to have a senior official named "Rollin." The fact remains that there aren't that many
passes on the mighty BNSF. Two of the other cars are named "Raton Pass" and "Glorieta Pass," which
the railroad has basically abandoned.

i read there is a non descript rollins pass along the northern US that the GN runs on, I searched can't find that now