Western Railroad Discussion > Some UP Shafter Sub in UT

As has been previously reported on TO and elsewhere Union Pacific's Lakeside sub in Utah is closed due to flood damage near Montello NV causing traffic to be detoured on the Shafter sub (former Western Pacific). The Shafter sub normally sees only a handfull of trains so I made a trip west from Salt Lake City, UT to catch some of the detoured trains. I spent a few hours near Low, UT which is at the summit of a roughly 1% climb that lifts the line 300 feet over a ridge on the otherwise flat run from Salt Lake to Wendover.  It was a hazy morning due to warmer air trapping the colder, dirtier air in the valleys but exciting none the less. All photos taken February 16, 2017.

1) UP 7260 West passes over a section of old US 40 as the sun begins to light the eastern sky.
2) UP 8833 West crests the grade at milepost 868 as the sun rises at 7:30am.
3) UP 7827 West running 1x1 follows about 30 minutes later.

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4) UP 7843 West with a ballast train at mp 868
5) The signals for the west end of Low siding can be seen in the distance
6) UP 9038 West with a train load of concrete ties at mp 868.25

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7 & 8) As I was leaving I was surprised by UP 5829 West grinding up the last half mile to the summit at 10:25am.

It was great to see six trains in the span of several hours when normally I consider myself lucky to see one. I only wish I was able to make it out to Arnold Loop in Nevada but hopefully others on TO are able to do so (and are willing to share :).

Spencer Evans
Salt Lake City, UT



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/17 21:52 by Searchlight.

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Great series of shots of an area rarely photographed.

I was at Low for a morning of photography back in July of 2000. I decided to hike to the top of Telegraph Hill which offers this elevated perspective of Low siding and Aragonite.

James Belmont
Salt Lake City, UT

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GrandeGold Wrote:
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> I was at Low for a morning of photography back in
> July of 2000. I decided to hike to the top of
> Telegraph Hill which offers this elevated
> perspective of Low siding and Aragonite.

James, I was inspired by that image when I saw it over on RP and had intended to find that vantage point on this visit but alas, was foiled by the hazy conditions...

Fantastic set of shots, thank you for sharing!

As for access to Arnold Loop, if it's like anything else in Elko County right now one would probably have to hike in from the interstate due to washed out roads and bottomless mud.  And it's been raining all day, the first of what's promising to be four or five waves of rain and snow lasting most to all of the week. 

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

Great series, #2 is fantastic!

Very nice...!!  Pic 2 is my favorite too!!

Nice shots!

Awesome set of shots! You found some really nice angles and locations along this deserted stretch of railroad, and the results show. Thanks for making the effort to get these shots.

Great shots, Spencer.  I'm envious that you made it out there.

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah

Wow, Spectacular shots!