Western Railroad Discussion > Best day ever in eastern Nevada

I have been coming out to Arnolds Loop on Silver Zone Pass in Nevada since Western Pacific days in about 1980. It is without a doubt my all time favorite photo location. Ever since Amtrak began running it’s California Zephyr this way instead of taking the ex SP route across the Great Salt Lake I have dreamed of someday catching #5 or #6 rounding the Loop in daylight. This is much harder to accomplish than it sounds as both #5 and #6 pass around the Loop between about 12:30 and 2:30 AM if they are on time, and they have to be several hours late to do so in daylight. Nevertheless, I diligently watch Amtrak’s Track-a-Train site and also the weather forecast for eastern Nevada. Of course I also need at least an 8 hour heads-up to drive the 300 miles from my home over to eastern Nevada and very importantly I also need an OK from my War Department. Well, last night everything fell into place, as #5 was running nearly 12 hours late at Denver. That would put it on Silver Zone Pass in early afternoon. Off I went and arrived at Wendover at the eastern base of the pass around 8AM after a nearly all night drive. I was prepared to sit on the mountainside all day if need be, but Amtrak #5 arrived at 2PM in great light. Mission accomplished!

1. A couple of hours before Amtrak #5 showed up here comes what I think is the MRORV. The light was terrible and I hesitated to post this shot at
all.
2. Finally here is the Zephyr in beautiful light rounding the Loop with snow capped Pilot Peak looking on approvingly.
3. Nearly done with the Loop Amtrak #204 is just exiting the cut at the west end of the Loop with most of its train hidden.

I spent 8 hours perched at this spot on the east slope of the Toano Range and saw exactly 2 trains!

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/18 20:02 by 2ebright.

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It looks like it was well worth the wait and effort!

thanks for going, neat to ride on reverse schedule trains 12 hours late to see what is normally missed

Your effort was well worth it to us. Thanks for sharing. I hope y’all didn’t inform The War Department “Mission Accomplished!” She’ll never let y’all out again.

⅂ɐɹɹʎ

Very good photos, Dick! I am glad you got to see Amtrak there in the daylight. Yesl it was well worth the long wait. And I agree with dan -- it sounds like fun to ride a train that is 12 hours off-schedule, to be able to see in the daytime what you normally cannot see becaue it is dark out.

Your patience was richly rewarded! :)

When did Amtrak switch to this route and why? Great catch.

mococomike Wrote:
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> When did Amtrak switch to this route and why?
> Great catch.

Because of the flooding on the SP in 1982-83. Officials were worried with the high waves from the lake during storms, that Amtrak might get trapped by flooding in the middle of the lake

Very Cool! Mr. Ebright.

Posted from Android

with switch to the grande doesn't it make sense to run that way, UP likes them down there, and no signals across the lake still?

Very nice. 8 hours well spent with these results. #3 is a winner.
Brian Stevens

Beautiful!

Thanks for posting, great images. You got what I saw from another late No. 5 a few years ago.
I have had the good/bad fortune to be on very late Nos 5, 7, and 8 and thus see almost all the hours of darkness territory.

Dick, looks like your sojourn was well worth it. You bagged some nice shots. Thanks for sharing.

Kent in CArmel Valley

Great shots!

Really great photos.

Ronda Thomas

You were rewarded for your effort and patience. Well done!

Don't be too hard on yourself - shot no. 1 is very nice as well!

Great work Dick, you are a trooper to pull off that one. It’s too bad the Zephyr doesn’t have 2 departures a day so we could have a regularly schedule daylight run here in Utah.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone

Nice Images Dick. You are correct, everything had to fall in place just perfectly and it certainly did for you!

Dave

Great shots, particular with Pilot Peak (of California Trail fame) as a backdrop! Thanks for sharing!!

ShastaDaylight