Just wondering if anybody knows of any sights that has photos taken by Dick Dorn who has photographed the hard work of snow fighting on Donner Pass for years? I just got the movie The Battle for Donner Pass, and have become toatally fasinacted by how amazing it is to auctally clear the snow and keep it cleared especially during extreme winters. I fell in love with the rotaries in the movie. I highly recommend the movie to anybody who has an intrest in this aspect of railroading. After I watched the movie I searched on the internet for photos and sites on snow fighting on Donner Pass, and Dick Dorn’s name keeped popping up talking about how he has photographed Donner Pass for years but I could not find any photos?? Anybody have any links to try would be much appreciated. I don’t think I will see any rotaries in my neck of the woods since the tallest mountian by me is a former garbage dump turned ski hill[xx(]
I would highly recommend you find and read the article “The Bear vs. Donner”, an article by Dick Dorn (and Ted Benson I think). It was an article in one of the railfan magazines back in the 90s (CTC Board?) about Jim “the Bear” Mahone and his gang of snow fighters. Interesting stuff.
Hey thanks a bunch guys, I’m going to have to stop by the library and see if they have that in the back issues[:D] Ever since seeing The Battle for Donner Pass I have being trying to read up and learn as much as I can. I’m trying to talk the wife into a trip out there over the winter I would love to spend some time in Truckee during the winter, my wife on the other hand is another story[tdn] We are from Wisconsin in the winter you go somewhere warm and no snow not somwhere cold and more snow then we have at home[banghead] I hear its one of the most senic routes that Amtrak travels though. Amazing thing that they showed in the video was there is/was a turntable and fueling facilities inside one of the tunnels up on the pass, wheather its still in use or not I’m not sure? One thing that I have learned is that Southern Pacific and now Union Pacific was and is very resourceful when battling the snow storms up on Donner.
I’m not tryin to rain on your parade, but before you pack up and head out expecting to see rotaries in action you should understand that the rotaries are the last line of defence and rarely get used. I think the last time they saw action was in the early 90s.
Yeah I figured I wont see the rotaries but just to see the mountians laden with snow would be worth the trip[:)] Yeah we get snow here most of the time measured in inches not feet. To see the rotaries in action would just be the cake topper[angel][bow] I have never seen Mountians in real life other then flying over them so I think its time for me to see the America West from the ground.
Well don’t get me wrong, Ilove the Sierras and don’t want to discourage you from you trip. I just don’t want you to expect to see the roteries on your trip. Donner is beautifull no matter what season. I hope you have a great trip !!![8D]