Nostalgia & History > Doublestacks on Tennessee Pass

On the Western Board today, TO member "jc76" asked about Domestic stacks running over Tennessee Pass. I thought I'd post the shots that I have of doublestacks from that route and even though the trains probably have all Marine containers, it's an excuse to post some pictures from a much missed line!
Whatever the train was that had the Doublestacks on Tennessee Pass, it always seemed to run in the afternoon and I only ever saw the stacks heading Westbound.

1)Rio Grande SD40T-2 5344 leads a pair of SD50's, another Rio Grande SD40T-2 and a Southern Pacific SD45R Westbound at Princeton siding in June of 1991.

2)Also in June of 1991, a quartet of SD40T-2's head into Minturn in heavy dynamic brakes preparing to stop for the crew change ahead.

3)A pair of GP40's with the small Rio Grande lettering (3064 and 3051) lead a trio of SD40T-2's (5368, 5341, 5397) on train #141, the BNSZT on 4/21/90 West of Princeton.

---------------------Two More Pictures From the Reject Pile Posted Below----------------------------------

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The Rejects!

4)On a cloudy September 13th, 1990, Rio Grande GP40-2's 3123, 3111, 3121 and SD45 5336 lead the PBOAT Westbound at Pando.

5)In October of 1991, Rio Grande GP40-2 3115 heads out the West end of Belden Canyon. I tried hiking in to get a view of all the Fall colors that were present and then horribly underexposed the shot:{
For some reason, my slide scanner kept wanting to cut the bottom of the engine off even though it shows it on the slide?
I didn't spend much time to figure it out since the slide was so dark and with my limited Photoshop abilities, this is the best that I could do. Hopefully good enough for "jc76" to check out the containers.

Sure would be nice if we could head over this afternoon and shoot a Doublestack train on this line!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/16 14:18 by SP8595.

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Awesome series. Flat out amazing. 

Don't apologize for a doggone one of them.  Great and show us more.  Man I wish that line would be activated.

Great look back at a much photographed, beloved and missed line. Here is what number three looked like five years later (top)  and twenty years earlier although cropped a bit (bottom). Amazing how close to the same spot we were standing and shot in 3 and my 1!
​JB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/16 16:44 by 3rdswitch.

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Thanks for sharing some super shots gentlemen.  Love those fall colors, the aspens are truly spectacular!  JB, I definitely like the 20 yrs earlier shot.  The Grande was truly GRANDE!

Kent in CArmel Valley

          I could not find any rejects in the group.

DRGW 3123 got around.

Beautiful...never saw any Stacks on Soldier Summit in my many trips there in late 70s-2000s...Steve in 90 degree Grossmont CA.

Just spectacular. I love them all. Something about Rio Grande power on stacks just looks odd. I can't help but picture Gevo's and SD70ACe's pulling stacks through here too.

T

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

Thanks guys, this set is FANTASTIC.

NH2006 Wrote:
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> Thanks guys, this set is FANTASTIC.

I will second that, great group of photos gentlemen. Thanks for sharing,

~Ryan

Fantastic stuff. Nice lookiing trains and scenery, and yes, wish we could still go there.
Brian Stevens

Apparently those new SP GE's were much loved on the Pass due to their good pulling and dynamic braking abilities.

Outstanding Amazing what else can I say

Posted from Android

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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>           I could not find any rejects in
> the group.

exactly.  post em all i say..........

66

Awesome stuff....

Posted from iPhone

Nice shots, John!

Randy Lundgren

Is the 3115 the unit that rolled over on the Moffat later in 1991?

John your shot at Pando is off the hook!  The Fall colors are amazing and I know how tough it is to hike uphill at 10,500 ft above sea level! That is how they trained one of the best the 10th Mountain Calvery Division who where bad ass WW2!  This is one of the best shots I have ever seen on TO!
Thanks for sharing!
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/16 18:44 by spsniper.