Donner Part 2 / SP Pages / SP Northwest / SP Nevada / City of SF & Ogden

SOUTHERN PACIFIC
on Donner Pass

Part 1, June 22-23, 1975

An Overnight East of Donner Summit

Wx4 forces spent the the very chilly night of June 22-23, 1975 camped at milepost 197, just below the east portal of the 1923 summit tunnel. The reason: the Preamble Express with the 4449 would descend through there on the morning of the 23rd.

We arrived after sunset, but there was still enough light to crank off some shots without relying upon a tripod. The next morning there was plenty of activity, including a worktrain which had come up the hill to receive the reminants of a derailment inside of the snowshed seen on several of these photos.
OK, a show of hands: How many of you out there have photographed this spot on Donner Summit? It's kind of obligatory to shoot here, like at Tehachapi Loop, Sullivan's Curve and Keddie Wye, wouldn't you say? The photo below was a product of an earlier Wx4 pilgrimage in the Summer of 1868.



X8990E & Helpers



X8885E with the Oilcans



Light Engines West



Helpers West over the Eastbound Summit Tunnel



Extra West & Help: Look Ma, No Tripod!



Morningtime Smoke Envelops the Eastbound Help



East Man, Coming and Going



Work Extra 3711
If you've really been paying attention, you've already noticed that the work train's two Geeps, the 3711 and 3673, were trailing power on the previous pictures' train, which passed by a couple of hours prior. The photo at page top also shows the 3711, with Donner Lake in the background. EMD built SP's last twenty GP-9's with low noses.

The Main Point of the Exercise
Wx4 has lots of photos of the Freedom Train, with many more coming! The above photo also appears on the Preamble Express page.
back to topMMMMMon to Part 2