17-06-21a PHOTOS: Over the Top

This was my third trip on Amtrak's California Zephyr crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains, however it took a road trip to the summit of the Donner Pass back in 2016 to make me appreciate just what an amazing feat of engineering this route is.  Built in the 1860's, this route basically ascends from sea level to a maximum elevation of approximately 7100 feet.  To this day it still ranks on the short list of highest railroad main lines in the world.

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.

16-05-12 PHOTOS: Donner Summit

Last two times I have traveled through Reno, NV I used Amtrak's California Zephyr. This time I was going via I-80's, which provided a slightly different perspective on the whole journey including the opportunity to stop off at the pass itself for a little sightseeing. Later I was able to spend a few minutes at the west end of the Sparks, NV yard catching some UP action. I should also mention that before leaving the safe confines of sea level, I made a quick stop off in Sacramento to check out their light rail system.

You can review the entire set of photos here.

My swing by the Royal Oaks RT Station was actually motivated by the desire to get lunch from an authentic street-side taco stand on Arden Way. While they stood in line I crossed the street to snag a headway's worth of RT photos. First to arrive was a westbound two unit Blue Line train of CAF SRV-1's #208 and #238.

Next to arrive was an eastbound Blue Line train led by Siemens U2A #134. The U2A vehicles resemble the later SD100 LRVs, but are mechanically the same as the earlier U2's.

Driving up I-80 certainly provides a different perspective of the Southern Pacific's overland route.

The Donner Pass is where the Southern Pacific's "Overland Route" crosses the Sierra-Nevada mountains at an elevation of 7135 feet. Here we see the western portal of Tunnel #6 on the original Donner Pass alignment that was abandoned by Union Pacific in 1996 after their SP merger in favor of the Track 2 alignment through the mile long Tunnel 41 located to the south. Note the remaining snowpack from the somewhat average winter snows. The previous winter of 2014-15 actually left the Sierra-Nevada mountains with zero snowpack. 

This alignment was actually part of the original Central Pacific transcontinental line starting from San Francisco and eventually meeting the Union Pacific in Promontory, UT. Unlike the generally flat UP route across the plains, this impressive feet of mountain railroad had to be cut and blasted by the hands of Chinese immigrants. 

Because this is California the walls of a highway abutment had been covered in street art.

Beware falling rocks!