Steam & Excursion > Tips for catching 4014 on Donner Pass?

I plan on Chasing 4014 as it climbs Donner on Sunday, but I don't know any good spots or how to get to them, as I've never been up there before. Any help or tips on where to go would be greatly appreciated.

First thing to do is look at a map so you know
which track is which. When 4449 first went over
Donner, people were waiting for it along track 1
thru Applegate just because that was the first track
they saw when they got off I-80. But it was out
of sight, on Track 2 -- the usual for eastward trains.

The scheduled stop at Colfax will be wall-to-wall people, same as last year.

OpenRailwayMap https://www.openrailwaymap.org/ is a great planning tool. The "X" marks show grade crossings. I recommend picking a grade crossing where the track crosses a small paved road, something not too too far from I-80. East of Colfax the forest gets less dry and more impressive as the altitude increases. 
 

Be assured, this entire operation is all over social media. If the last trip over the hill was any indication, anywhere ANY road is near the tracks, the public will be swarming like locusts!
They will do any and all manner of unsafe things.

Understand that there are few grade crossings over Donner. In many areas, the tracks swing away from I-80 and even local roads.
With the exception of Newcastle, The tracks between Rocklin and Colfax are separated by a fair distance. There's a high likelihood the train will stick to Track 2 on that stretch.
Beyond Colfax, the tracks are together, but access can be tricky if you dont know the area.

Get good maps and study them.

S_W

Posted from Android

Stevo_Weimario Wrote:
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> Get good maps and study them.
>
> S_W
>
> Posted from Android

Sadly, I don't think the general population has any idea anymore how to use maps or even reference books.

Also, the GPS tracking map will show which track the engine is scheduled to take and the dot will follow accordingly...all subject the change.

Jeff

So, the weather forecast up here is getting dicey for the weekend.  Surprisingly looking at a couple feet of snow at the summit Sat night/Sun.

https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=CAZ072&warncounty=CAC061&firewxzone=CAZ272&local_place1=2%20Miles%20SSE%20Truckee%20CA&product1=Winter+Storm+Watch&lat=39.3052&lon=-120.171

CL1807 Wrote:
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> I plan on Chasing 4014 as it climbs Donner on
> Sunday, but I don't know any good spots or how to
> get to them, as I've never been up there before.
> Any help or tips on where to go would be greatly
> appreciated.

Bring a Scanner if you have one and monitor the radio (160.320 Rocklin to Sparks). Anything can happen like last trip to Donner when it hit a tree at Auburn and delayed the trip by 4? hours. You;ll be in the dark if there are delays w/o a Scanner.  

If the weather forecast holds and it snows then bring your rain gear and highball the train at Alta UNLESS you have 4 WD and good snow tires and are used to driving in snow. Late Spring storms on Donner can be a pain to drive in since drivers aren't used to the snow that late in the Season and accidents will frequently shut down I-80. 

Like other have said there will be many 100's of people lining the ROW. If it is confirmed that the Steamer is going up Track #2 then make sure you are set up on Track #2 and not Track #1. The tracks split at Rocklin, join together at Newcastle Split again and then join at Bowman where they split again and join together at CPRV 140 Colfax.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/26 20:15 by donner_dude1.

To piggyback on Donner_Dudes comments - 
Unless you're really prepared to mess with snow and/or less than optimal conditions, prepare to hang it up at Alta. A potentially spectacular shot could be had at the bluffs off of Casa Loma Road, east of Alta. Just allow yourself plenty of time to get out there and scout out the area. If you shoot there (and insist on going farther) you'll probably not catch it again until Yuba Gap (elev 5800'), then Soda Springs (elev 6700').

On the trip back down, you'll be dealing with all the weekend warriors from the Bay Area all doing their darndest to kill one another getting home. 

S_W

DWDebs/2472 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The scheduled stop at Colfax will be wall-to-wall
> people, same as last year.
>
> OpenRailwayMap https://www.openrailwaymap.org/ is
> a great planning tool. The "X" marks show grade
> crossings. I recommend picking a grade crossing
> where the track crosses a small paved road,
> something not too too far from I-80. East of
> Colfax the forest gets less dry and more
> impressive as the altitude increases. 
>  
 I am having trouble getting anywhere on this site.  Am  I missing something?

RR

Carry chains

>  I am having trouble getting anywhere on this
> site.  Am  I missing something?
>
> RR

The site opens for me and is functional. Try turning off your VPN if you have one. 

donner_dude1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >  I am having trouble getting anywhere on this
> > site.  Am  I missing something?
> >
> > RR
>
> The site opens for me and is functional. Try
> turning off your VPN if you have one. 

I finally figured it out.  So many ways to get where you want to go, and I missed the right one!!  Thank you though.  You got me to try one more time, my third try actually.

RR

Be aware that UP announced that due to 
snow over summit 4014 will return through FRC 
on Sunday. No Donner passage this year apparently.
george Andrassy