How about two?
On December 17, 2009, I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. I was lucky enough to catch a meet at Emigrant Gap in the last light of the day. The luck I had becomes even more evident when you realize what number is on the unit in DPU service at the lower left of the photo.
I hope you all enjoy the photo,
Oh, yes - very nice ! Thanks for sharing.
I see the 1st 2 commenters liked it, too. What’s notable is who they are - both fellas who take similar spectacular photos - so you’re in good company. [tup] I liked the one comment about the space for your signature.
Too bad the ballast regulator/ snow dozer is overshadowed by the other big yellow equipment - it’s less commonly seen than they are ! Do you know exactly what those modifications are, to convert it from a regulator to a snow dozer ?
Thanks again for sharing.
I looked at that about 5 minutes ago and thought to myself “Whoah, that’s a nice photo”
I hate most photos I see, so I hope you take that as high praise. 
Very impressive…and gone are the days when UP had 20,000 hp on the point…one locomotive at the head is becoming common again…
And a Tonka Toy, too! Very nice!
Outstanding color and composition. Catching the two trains near sunset in the mountains also reinforces the mood of working hard late in the day under tough conditions.
Excellent.
So, let me ask you…do you feel lucky?
Ed
You do know that the eastbound with the one unit was just a pusher? If I read it correctly.
Very Impressive shot by the way.
The 7777 was a DPU for sure but this shot below of the 7410 is a single unit on a reefer train westbound with no DPU’s.
…Great photographs. But what has changed if it used to require more than single power units…Is it just lower tonnage with the type of freight being carried…?
More than likely simply better equipment optimization and fuel management.
The reefer railcars are generally empty going west.
Thank you all for your kind words on the photo!
As for the power set up, the trains in this photo have at least 2 units up front, and at least one DPU either at the end or in the middle of the train.I have yet to see or hear about a stack train with a single lead unit over Donner. If there are photos of a stack on Donner with only a single lead unit, I would encourage you to look in the cab and be sure there is someone running the train, because most likely it is a rear facing DPU.
Thanks again,
“What’s better than a stack train on Donner?”
ANSWER: Amtrak no. 5, with an open platform obs. bringing up the markers, meeting the ZDLSKP (the weekly produce hotshot for Rotterdam, NY). But, alas, capturing such a photograph would be difficult in the extreme!