Rotary Day!
Six years ago today...truly a day never to be forgotten. My first time on the former Southern Pacifc route over legendary Donner Pass is a day that I'll personally forever remember as 'Rotary Day.' I doubt I'll ever top this railfan experience!
After hiking on snowshoes in the high Sierras I found myself on this overlook with a few good friends and a whole bunch of other intrepid photographers. We camped out in the glorious sunshine, drank beer, and told stories while waiting for four hours. And then there it was. Marching slowly east clawing at the bank along track two of UP's Roseville sub were the legendary rotaries doing what they were designed to do.
This is train WTKTKF-25 seen here crawling up the 1.8% grade at about MP 184.6 at Troy where until about 1975 Tunnel 40 cut through the hill, and Main 2 which the Rotary is on was the center siding. Newly rebuilt SPMW207 (blt. 10-26 Alco-Brooks, rblt Relco 2013) throws snow hundreds of feet off the right of way powered by its ex F7B power car, while a pair of big SD70ACEs coupled nose to nose provide the horsepower and bringing up the read kn the west end of the set is unrebuilt rotary 209 (blt. Sep. 1929 Alco-Brooks).
Donner Pass, California
Saturday February 25, 2017
Rotary Day!
Six years ago today...truly a day never to be forgotten. My first time on the former Southern Pacifc route over legendary Donner Pass is a day that I'll personally forever remember as 'Rotary Day.' I doubt I'll ever top this railfan experience!
After hiking on snowshoes in the high Sierras I found myself on this overlook with a few good friends and a whole bunch of other intrepid photographers. We camped out in the glorious sunshine, drank beer, and told stories while waiting for four hours. And then there it was. Marching slowly east clawing at the bank along track two of UP's Roseville sub were the legendary rotaries doing what they were designed to do.
This is train WTKTKF-25 seen here crawling up the 1.8% grade at about MP 184.6 at Troy where until about 1975 Tunnel 40 cut through the hill, and Main 2 which the Rotary is on was the center siding. Newly rebuilt SPMW207 (blt. 10-26 Alco-Brooks, rblt Relco 2013) throws snow hundreds of feet off the right of way powered by its ex F7B power car, while a pair of big SD70ACEs coupled nose to nose provide the horsepower and bringing up the read kn the west end of the set is unrebuilt rotary 209 (blt. Sep. 1929 Alco-Brooks).
Donner Pass, California
Saturday February 25, 2017