Western Railroad Discussion > UP Shafter Sub. Busy Morning

I made a quick trip this morning west from Salt Lake City UT to check out detour traffic on Union Pacific’s Shafter subdivision (former Western Pacific SLC- Nor Cal). This line usually hosts only a handful of trains a day but flooding has closed UP’s Lakeside subdivision (former Southern Pacific Ogden-Nor Cal) to the north forcing all traffic to/from Northern California onto the Shafter subdivision. The following six westbound and one eastbound trains were observed:
 
6:35 am, UP 7260 West, Timpie UT, unit tank train
6:43 am, UP 8196 East, Timpie UT, ZDLCYP
7:45 am, UP 8833 West, Low UT, manifest, MNPRV?
8:23 am, UP 7827 West, Low UT, auto racks 1x1
8:48 am, UP 7843 West, Low UT, work train-ballast
9:04 am, UP 9038 West, Low UT, work train-concrete tie
10:25 am, UP 5829 West, Low UT, manifest, MRORV?
 
I could hear the Wendover local on the radio somewhere west of Low UT. I was back in Salt Lake by 11:45am and did not observe any additional trains aside from the other local at Elerbeck (and a pick-up with ‘Railfan’ UT license plates on the 201 frwy). I took a guess on most of the symbols, feel free to post corrections or send a PM. I’m guessing the MRORV is the only regular train and the rest were either detours or flood related work trains. I’ll try to post a few photos later tonight.
SCE
 

Typically the only train that shows up during daylight hours west of Wendover is the westbound Roper to Roseville, though it has become somewhat less reliable in the last 6-8 months.

Lots of trains stacked up in Elko waiting to go east today, including a BNSF trackage rights train. You know things are backed up when the same eastbound manifest on the main just east of the Elko yard at 9 this morning was still there nine hours later.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

Posted from iPhone