lorencetoutant
Tunnel 29
Using a part of Union Pacific's "Jawbone" branch for some headroom before starting to push its train toward the former narrow gauge territory of the Owens Valley, Trona Railway road freight power stand in the daylighted part of the Searles Tunnel, waiting for its conductor to initiate the shove.
Six SDs were in charge of today's train, their 645 prime movers barely audible over the heavy wind, a common thing in this part of the desert.
A suspected arson fire was spotted in the early hours of February 22nd 1981 and burned for about nine days before SP crews could access the damaged bore. Around 700 feet of the tunnel's north end was to be daylighted in order to conserve the integrity of the once 4340-foot long tunnel. A key link for Kerr-McGee borax plant located in Trona, the tunnel was finally reopened for train service in July 1982 after costly repairs.
Union Pacific and Trona Railway still exchange cars at Searles.
Trona road job
2007 2005 2004 2002 2008 2009
Milepost 428.1 Union Pacific Lone Pine subdivision
Searles,CA
March 24th 2011
Tunnel 29
Using a part of Union Pacific's "Jawbone" branch for some headroom before starting to push its train toward the former narrow gauge territory of the Owens Valley, Trona Railway road freight power stand in the daylighted part of the Searles Tunnel, waiting for its conductor to initiate the shove.
Six SDs were in charge of today's train, their 645 prime movers barely audible over the heavy wind, a common thing in this part of the desert.
A suspected arson fire was spotted in the early hours of February 22nd 1981 and burned for about nine days before SP crews could access the damaged bore. Around 700 feet of the tunnel's north end was to be daylighted in order to conserve the integrity of the once 4340-foot long tunnel. A key link for Kerr-McGee borax plant located in Trona, the tunnel was finally reopened for train service in July 1982 after costly repairs.
Union Pacific and Trona Railway still exchange cars at Searles.
Trona road job
2007 2005 2004 2002 2008 2009
Milepost 428.1 Union Pacific Lone Pine subdivision
Searles,CA
March 24th 2011