Photo wise the third time was not going to be a charm as the re-signaling project that was underway in 2014 had now been largely completed, wiping out most of the Southern Pacific vintage searchlight signals. However, due to my previous photo surveys, I could take a little time off to enjoy the scenery and clean up any of the stuff I missed on prior journeys. For example I had always wound up eating lunch when the train was passing through the large Roseville yard area.
Anyway, you can find the full set of photos right here. Enjoy!
Approaching Elvas Jct a westbound manifest train was being headed up by new ET44AH #2668 and veteran SD70M #5123.
Here is a string of empty center beam cars passing under the re-used 3-track signal bride at Elvas Jct while a few bits of MoW equipment hang out on the third main track..
The End of Train was crossing the truss bridge over the American River.
The Sacrimento Light Rail Blue Line was built along the Southern Pacific right of way northwest of the city. Here a train of CAF SRV-1 cars head inbound towards the city.
Older Siemens SD-100 cars hanging out next to the shoppe complex.
Approaching the Roseville shoppes our train passes a deadline of stored UP GE power including AC4400 #6220. Note the radiator grilles are all covered over with sheet metal.
Parked out behind the former Southern Pacific shoppes at Roseville were SD70ACe #8387, ET44AH #2730 and GP60 #1090.
On shoppe track #7 was UP SD70M #3900.
On an adjacent storage track was a lineup of "icebreaker" GP38-2 locomotives including UP #574. These are equipped with pop-up metal framed to knock ice out of tunnels and special high visibility windows.
Next to those was still active UP AC4400 #5405.
Last time we had to take track #2 through the yard resulting in a costly backup move to serve the single station platform. However I got some nice closeups of the former Southern Pacific rotary plows and ice equipment. This time track #1 was free and this was the best shot I could manage.
At the far western end of the yard, sitting on a forlorn storage track was a line of stored UP C40-8W's including #9269 and #9246.
A railfan park west of the yard featured preserved Southern Pacific rotary plow #7221. Despite California's usual drought conditions, the Sierra Nevada mountains can still get cannibalism inducing amounts of snow. When the snow gets too deep for the usual snow fighting equipment, UP has to break out the rotaries. On average they are used once every 10 years with the latest use coming in the winter of 2016-2017!
Despite the change of article title, this is technically still part of Amtrak's Capitol Corridor. A single round trip makes stops at Roseville, Rockin and Auburn. This is the Rocklin station.
After a scenery and lunch break, I resumed my post at the back of the train to once again capture the trip through the Donner Pass. We were held for a few minutes for the westbound Train 5 to clear a stretch of single track. Power included an uncommon Amtrak P40DC #817.
Looks like someone had a whoopie just short of SWITCH 9 interlocking.
While new signals had been installed the old Southern Pacific signal bridges had been left standing, or in some cases, reused.
Here we can compare the 1860's Track #1 and the 1920's Track #2. The original alignment had to hew much closer to the edge of the slope to minimize earthmoving.
Evidence of the unusually wet winter of 2016-17 could be seen along the line :-)
Between SHED 10 and EAST WEST NORDEN, 1990's vintage Southern Pacific signals have been left in place.
Along with one last example of searchlight signals at WEST NORDEN interlocking itself.
Between WEST NORDEN and SHED 47, the old #1 track has been taken out of service with all traffic routed through the 3 mile long Tunnel 41. Most of the 1860's route had to be covered in a snow shed due to the weather conditions.
Left tunnel portal is dated 1868, the other, 1924.
Passing Truckee, CA the line operated under double track ABS rules until just a few years ago. Because of reasons, right hand running is in effect allowing for signal gantries that placed two signal heads back to back in the middle to allow placement to the right of the tracks they governed.
A rail train was dropping rail on the newly bi-directional track #2. UP SD70M #3799 was providing power up front.
Old hand crossovers at the former FLORISTON temporary block station.
The line follows the Truckee River down to Reno. In the first photo you can see a water flume that is part of a small hydro-electric project.
Another one of the old ABS signal bridges adjacent to a rural crossing.
Farmer's field marred by a grass fire that jumped up and set the whole hillside alight!
Power for my train was provided by P42DC #172 and #124, seen here taking a breather at the Reno station.
Well that's it for this leg of my 9th annual summer Amtrak trip . Join me next time as we strike out across the Nevada desert.
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