Western Railroad Discussion > Donner Pass weekend

This past weekend was spent fanning Donner Pass with three friends from the Bay Area. Getting together always is difficult on account of everyone's schedule and commitments, so this was a miracle-of-sorts and we made the best of it. On Friday, after meeting up at Baxter, we managed to shoot five freights and both Amtraks (#6 was late, #5 very late) which is not bad for an afternoon's work.

1)An eastbound "dirty dirt" train grinding through the Baxter grade crossing.

2)An eastbound stacker rolls downgrade past the Floriston crossovers.

3)A westbound stack train emerges from the Floriston narrows at milepost 220.

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Saturday morning we headed over to the big curve between East Truckee and Boca- the map in my Signor book identifies it as New England Mills. We caught three eastbound trains in perhaps two hours and change.

4)The first train of Saturday morning- most likely the Roper train. The building across the river is the SF Fly Fishing Club.

5)Grain empty entering the big curve.

6)A short stack train at New England Mills.

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After leaving New England Mills, we just missed a westbound stacker at milepost 220. No worries- we relocated to Soda Springs and got him there. After a short time at Shed 10, it was on to Troy for the rest of the afternoon. Amtrak #5 was very late again, but the sweet light made up for everything.

7)Our previously-missed stacker, finally captured at Soda Springs.

8)UP 7400, the Breast Cancer Awareness unit, leads its train of gran hoppers through Troy.

9)Amtrak 5 at long last.

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Great pictures. I live about a mile from the descending track in the Auburn area and visit lots of the accessible places at Donner. While my full intent is to get some trains in the picture, mostly I get pine trees and whatever scenery is around, oh maybe I'll get the CZ 5 or 6, if I've looked up the time...."crickets " so to speak even after a couple of hours.
So my question is ...How do you folks get 3,4 and even 5 trains just in one day? Just luck?

The last train of the Saturday arrived at Troy just ahead of the shadows and provided a fitting end to the day's festivities. Seven freights and two Amtraks- enough to keep you busy.
Sunday was spent just east of Truckee, and we bagged three westbounds and one east by late morning. All good things must end, and we split up and headed home. Thanks, Mike, Eric and Ron!

10)Saturday's last train at Troy.

11)Eastbound freight at East Truckee.

12)Westbound stack train along Truckee River at mp 210.25.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/17 07:55 by ATSF5964.

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Auburnrail Wrote:

> So my question is ...How do you folks get 3,4 and
> even 5 trains just in one day? Just luck?

Perseverance, skill and luck...just don't ask which one played the biggest part!

I saw you guys taking pictures at Baxter on Friday. I was in the white Ford truck that drove by you minutes before the 2703 east went past you. I nabbed a pic of it at American.

It's nice to see so many nice photos of trains I saw that weekend.


Thanks!

Great photos on my favorite railroad mountain pass!

They may not be F-units or SD45's on PFE reefer blocks, much lass cab-forwards on the same, but it is always nice to watch trains on "the Hill!" Thanks for sharing your photos and adventures with the rest of us...

ShastaDaylight

Really nice series, Mark!! Your "Dirty Dirt" train from Baxter is actually empty copper concentrate gons headed back to Wendover NV. The "Dirty Dirt" trains, from San Francisco, rarely stray from the Feather River Canyon.

Mark
Sparks, NV

ATSF5964 Wrote:
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> The last train of the Saturday arrived at Troy
> just ahead of the shadows and provided a fitting
> end to the day's festivities. Seven freights and
> two Amtraks- enough to keep you busy.
> Sunday was spent just east of Truckee, and we
> bagged three westbounds and one east by late
> morning. All good things must end, and we split up
> and headed home. Thanks, Mike, Eric and Ron!

We had a blast, didn't we. Good friends, good times.

Mike

Posted from iPhone

Mark, you know how to pick the photo spots! Great pics, great trip.
- Eric B.

A glorious series!

Cheers,
Harry

Very nice..!! Pic 2 is one of my favorites!!

Thanks - we were definitely confused and guessing about this train!

Ron

sp1827ml Wrote:
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> Really nice series, Mark!! Your "Dirty Dirt" train
> from Baxter is actually empty copper concentrate
> gons headed back to Wendover NV. The "Dirty Dirt"
> trains, from San Francisco, rarely stray from the
> Feather River Canyon.
>
> Mark
> Sparks, NV

SWEET bunch!
JB

Excellent group of pictures, Congrats on IOTD!

Rich

Mark,

Thanks for leading the gang on the trip - outstanding locations and hot and cold running trains!

Congratulations on the IOTD!

Ron

Fantastic series!

Awesome set of photos, hard to beat that kind of weekend.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone