Well the rotaries did go out today, the UP 8444 and 8585 were the units used with them. They called it the SPMW209 IIRC. I remember UP bringing out a rotary in the mid 1980's and SP might have not used their rotaries then. That will take some digging to find out. Amtrak has temporarily terminated the California Zephyr (AMT #5) in Reno with the train being turned to go east as #6. The passengers on yesterdays #5 were put up at a hotel until they can run a bus over the pass, or the train. The planned FRC detour didn't take place unfortunately. As far as I know, they aren't selling tickets east to Reno from California at this time. Amtrak's message is Reno is the end of the train until further notice. Also UP loaded up some dead head crews into a private jet and flew them to Reno from Sacramento then put them in vans to continue the dead head to Portola to run the west bounds. I'll post more as I find out the details. Plans change, and like any good railroad rumor, don't believe it till it happens. Greg
I hope someone was on the mountain to take pictures. I can't say as I know much about it, certainly I know nothing about historical FRC winter ops, but every Donner video produced in the last 20+ years talks about the Jordan spreaders at Truckee and the Plows in Roseville held in reserve but never used. There was a big article in either Trains or Railroads Illustrated last year about UP finding 2 beat up old Spreaders on the system and rebuilding them from the ground up to match the SP units (apparently the Cadillac of spreaders) including giving them SP MOW numbers. The plan was to have the trains now be double ended. Which makes it all the more interesting that even with double the equipment, this winter required the rotarys.
Late breaking news. The trailing rotary has derailed on the mountain at MP181 at about 10 am Pacific time. Here is a link to some pictures of the rotaries leaving this morning. ShastaRails || Photos by Update Also two trains are heading east up the FRC, that normally go over Donner. Greg
Also SP had a pair of Rotaries stationed in Truckee. One was donated to the WP musuem in Portola and the other donated to the museum in Truckee. Greg
This is as good a place as any to ask how do they route from Roseville to Feather river. Do they go west to Sacramento then up former WP? or do they go north out of Roseville on the Valley line and cut over? I saw 2 grain trains in Roseville this morning getting power swapped around (one of them had 2 SP Dash9s on it) one of which had left when I came back through around 1.
They head north to Marysville and then cut onto the old WP line at Binney Jct.. They won't be doing much of that for a while, a slide closed the FRC this evening around Quincy CA. UP DATE: Trains are now being called again so the slide must have been small. Greg
A snail would be relatively easy to set up for a rotary, take one of the GP40-2's set up for use with a slug, disconnect the traction motors and add a Twinkie to push with. A Twinkie is a GE of any sort that UP has right now. Greg
From what I understand asking around, the unpowered plows are for spare parts. SPMW209 was built in 1928 I believe. There is a 3rd B unit down there that I didn't see. That unit is held in reserve. Funny thing about the slide in FRC, those Slides were one of the reasons UP was interested in Donner. The Sierras aren't going to make your life easy no matter which way you go. I live right next to the HP facility that is right along the Valley sub just as it leaves Roseville Yard and there were a lot of trains coming through yesterday. I've only heard one this morning so far.
There were about 8 trains sitting in Sparks this afternoon waiting for the word. Last night at work the word was 2 am this morning. Didn't happen so maybe tonight or tomorrow. Word is empty Sparks west then let the east bound trains run. The slide in the FRC was small and at Belden. The HWY 70 has had several slides also. Anyone seen any video on you tube yet? Greg
Espee on Donner pass in 1993. I don't know if this was the last time or not. Looks like two tunnel motors and two SD40s.
UP has started running the trains staged in Sparks east to Winnemucca then will run them west to Portola to go down the FRC. A cut and paste of the latest: Current Donner UP Snow Ops Monday afternoon update: As of late this afternoon, the second Rotary, SPMW 211 with a pair of GE C44AC's, is heading westbound and is now stopped behind two Spreaders, a double-ended set and a single set (SPMW 4034). For reasons unknown, UP brass decided to send two(?) Spreaders ahead of the Rotary this afternoon West out of Truckee. Per past proven practices, really only one Spreader is needed to spread snow off of one main to the other main in which the Rotary then blows totally clear off the ROW. Sometime a couple hours ago, the second short Spreader (SPMW4034) derailed around MP 204 (by the detector West of West Truckee) knocking at least one of the Snow Geep's trucks off the rails fouling BOTH mains. So the SPMW 211 Rotary is now stopped/stuck behind this Spreader derailment close to Truckee. More importantly, this Spreader derailment West of Truckee means NO UP FREIGHTS will operate over Donner tonight. That rumor has got to stop. I get that there are 8 or more freights pointed West holding at Sparks but it just ain't gonna happen today or tomorrow or even for a few days. UP had Avalanche experts flown in from out of state and it is reported that they have found several more dangerous slide zones that will continue to be a threat for days if not weeks to come. Melting snow from predicted sunny day temperatures later this week will only become more of a problem as thick, multi-layered snow packed regions (think wedding cake with icy layers mixed in through the section of the snowpack) will probably cause more avalanches in the week ahead. Sounds like a risk to me to even attempt to run trains or Amtrak CZ #5 and 6. As of 11a this morning, the first Rotary, SPMW 209 with a pair of EMD SD70ACe's, DID NOT turn and continued West from Alta to Roseville. It was not turned at the wye in Colfax and will be turned/serviced at Roseville for a potential EB run up over the Hill tomorrow (Tuesday).
What a mess. In the show on TV called Tougher in Alaska, the host headed out on the rails one time with a crew that was blasting avalance zones with explosives, from a howitzer cannon. It is the same effect of a controlled burn forest fire. Granted this is a few trains per day versus 40-50, but avalanches pose the same danger. Once the avalanche danger is gone, the rotaries could come in and blow both mains clear.
The guys in this video finally shut up and let the rotary to the talking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TPrJm--QbI&feature=player_embedded#at=12
Trains are running on the #1 main again. Pushing Snow In The Sierra - Video - KCRA Sacramento Some nice aerial views from this news video. Greg
That's some nice footage. I wonder if any of the video outfits have been up there, grabbing what they can and will come out with a DVD? Boxcab E50
