I read a while back that Union Pacific was going to do some undercutting and double tracking over Donner. Did they finish the project. I was told they were going to start running double stack trains over Donner instead of the Feather River Canyon.
We have a post on Locomotives about the Donner work, but it probably should have been here. The tunnel work between Colfax and Truckee is complete and the Union Pacific ran one of their Engineering specials out of Omaha last month to view the work and the progress at that time.
I copied pictures of the work for this post. We have read that the normal traffic will start over the Hill after Thanksgiving, but nothing official has been posted.
CZ
This is the special westbound in Rocklin after checking out the tunnel work. Note the small transmitter antenna on the engineers side of the cab. That transmits the video from the locomotive back to the passenger cars.
This is the new cross over installed with the signals in place and look to be in the position now for use. The first view is west bound.
Looking eastbound at CP RV129
Communications Box CP RV129
This is the special train in Colfax. You cam spot the new signals masts at the east end of town still turned sideways when the picture was taken in September. The one of the left is just above the cab of the diesel and the one of the right is near the old signal.
He said the tunnel work was complete, but he didn’t mean all the Donner tunnels had been enlarged. For now, at least, they’re leaving tunnels 22-32 untouched, so full-height stack trains will all run on track 1 between Colfax and Bowman, which is why they added new power x-overs.
I should have stated the tunnel work that had been scheduled is completed and the Engineering special out of Omaha has viewed the work. The signals seem to be lined up for operation and I would hope to catch one of the first double stacks or a test train of double stacks when they run it.
The newer replacement cross overs were installed with switch motors that can be operated by the dispatcher. This will allow the #1 track to be used by double stacks between Bowman and Colfax both east and west bound. The # 1 track is the original line modified over the years, but it is a higher percentage of grade when compared to the # 2 track installed much later with many tunnels.
The tunnels on track # 2 between Bowman 129.2 mileage point to Colfax 142.1 mileage point were not modified since the amount of double stack trains will allow the Union Pacific to run that thirteen miles on the #1 track without a great delay for any trains involved.
CZ
Track 2 doesn’t exceed 1.5% between Bowman and Colfax, and Track 1 does reach 2% or a bit more. We assume that’s no concern, since all upgrade trains already have the power they need for the 2.35% compensated above Colfax. (I know you know that, but maybe he doesn’t.)
It’s been claimed that the grade on Track 1 Newcastle to Bowman would be more of a problem for an eastward train, but I’m guessing not.
From what I know, the #1 track eastbound out of tunnel at Newcastle might be a problem since the uphill grade out of the tunnel is an incline that would be a problem along with some very sharp curves and S type curves on that track, but they will be using the # 2 track as normal trains do now to Bowman, then switch to # 1 at Bowman for the run to Colfax. I will check tunnel #21 at the CalTrain siding off of Nevada street to see if they had to do any work on that tunnel. There is one tunnel, # 20 on the west side of the bridge over Interstate 80 on the #2 track into Auburn also.
CZ
This is a picture of tunnel 18 at Newcastle and the train is westbound down the incline on Track #1. You can spot the dome car high above the 1983 on this business train. The rest of the train is above the top of the tunnel cutting off the vision. Sorry about the quality of the picture, I was on the curve at Newcastle.
Yes, the incline on track 1 just east of Tunnel 18 is steep-- the straight is 2.8% for a thousand feet, and for all I know could be more of the same around the bend. But of course it’s preceded by 1.5% thru Newcastle, and once they’re back on the original CP alignment the grade presumably drops to 2.2% or less (uncompensated). So momentum is a help; I’m guessing a train that stalls on Track 1 east of Newcastle would have stalled above Colfax anyway. (Tho maybe getting stopped at Newcastle would make a difference.)
By the way: Tunnel 19 was daylighted circa 1975.
Thanks. I did not know that tunnel #19 was opened up. Tunnel # 20 looks like it has houses above it or at least close to position over the tunnel. I wonder if they can hear or feel a train when it is in the tunnel.
CZ