Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF on Silver Zone

About mid-day yesterday I noticed a train of mostly empty baretables and a BNSF trackage rights train sitting at the east end of UP's Elko, Nevada, yard.  I had some work to do up around Montello, then came back down through Pilot Valley.  As I neared the southern end of the valley I saw that baretable train descending Arnold Loop on the east side of Silver Zone Pass.  I took the dirt road up through the pass that crosses both levels of the loop near the southern edge, the head end of the baretable was already well across the crossing when I rolled up to it but I saw the BNSF train on the upper track, I just missed the power of both trains passing each other on the two levels of the loop.  After the baretable passed I pulled up between the two levels and drove out the dirt road between the two levels a short distance, then had a short wait until the BNSF train appeared on the lower level of the loop.  The train was short, four locomotives and 28 cars. 

First and second images, the BNSF train with Pilot Valley and Pilot Peak in the background, while the third image is the train approaching the I-80 undercrossing. 

To be continued. 

---

---

---

After the train passed I headed back down the jeep trail but paused to get a shot of the BNSF train with the head end visible above Interstate 80 and the last three cars just about to go through the underpass.  Once I got over the top of the pass I took a quick drive down to Shafter, UP has had a tie gang working on the old WP in the area, a week or two ago they had the grade crossing at Shafter torn out and I wanted to see if it had been replaced yet.  It has been.  On my way out I paused long enough to shoot a quick picture of the MOW machine transport train tied down in the old Nevada Northern interchange track in the Shafter yard with a thunderstorm brewing in the background. 

Thanks for looking!

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

---

---

Very nice views.

Bob

Amazing, thanks!

Those high dessert views are fantastic. I haven't been out to Silver Zone since driving cross country to move out to California, but it's on my list of places to revisit.

Cheers,
Sean

Oh man, you’re killing me- I should be out there!
SR

Great shots!

I like Pics 2 and 5!!