Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 heads east over the former Southern Pacific Donner Pass, challenging the steep grades of the original Transcontinental Railroad.
We begin our journey in Newcastle, California.
The first train of the day was CDTX 2123 West, from Auburn, California. One Capitol Corridor train runs between San Jose, and Auburn California daily.
After an hour wait; the crowd has nearly tripled as Big Boy No. 4014 approaches up Track Two. Locals and railfans alike line the tracks on both sides to watch 4014 roar up grade. Our second view from Newcastle shows how dense the crowd gets as you near the grade crossing and their packed parking lots, shortly before the clip ends.
In Auburn, 4014 struck a fallen tree on Main Two. This accident prompted a three hour delay, and the cancelation of the planned whistle-stops in Colfax, and Truckee California, as well as their planned display in Sparks, Nevada. After a lengthy three and a half hour wait, we finally were given the news that 4014 was on the move again at high speed, attempting to make up for their lost time.
This lead to our scene of Union Pacific 4014 blasting through the original 1909 tunnel portal, Tunnel 27, with Union Pacific 1983, the Western Pacific Heritage locomotive at full throttle.
In the second clip at Applegate, you can see a photoline that spans across the mainline, for the unique shot that this tunnel provides. Tunnel 27 is unique with its "third" tunnel portal. This was a result of the overused number of explosives during a track lowering project in the 1960s. With the original portal of Tunnel 27 never posing a threat to the railroad, it was kept and still stands today!
After leaving Applegate, we work our way east past Colfax, to the not so secret town.. Secret Town, California!
Secret Town provides many opportunities to look down upon trains passing underneath I-80 and Magra Road, before snaking into the hills up to Gold Run. As Big Boy passes under I-80, we see that traffic has come to a standstill on the busy highway, for a glimpse at the largest operating steam locomotive in the world.
Moving along to our next locations at Baxter and Towle, California; we get an unexpected surprise of the ICBOA (Intermodal - Council Bluffs, IA. to Oakland, CA.).
Note: The lady standing in the shot of the ICBOA, which was on track one, seems careless of the approaching train. Though she is not on the current track the train is approaching on.. Big Boy would pass on the same track she stood on only minutes later. This is a prime example of what 𝐍𝐎𝐓 to do when a train is approaching, regardless of which track.
At Towle, we see lighter crowds, as Union Pacific 4014 passes beneath I-80 yet again.
Moving slightly eastward back to Baxter, we first hear 4014 blaring its whistle, before they come into view as they round the curve. With Ed more pissed then ever, we get our eardrums blasted out as 4014 charges up grade with 𝑡𝑜𝑜 many people closer then 25 feet to the track.
At Yuba Gap, we get our last look at 4014 passing beneath I-80.
Moving slightly east to Yuba Pass, we capture 4014 exiting Tunnel 35, at MP. 175.86, and enter Tunnel 36 at MP. 176.0. Plumes of black smoke fill the air as 4014 approaches, and as Big Boy exits Tunnel 35. We are able to see the smoke deflectors drop shortly after exiting the tunnel, and rise up as they enter the next.
After climbing our way all the way up Donner Pass, we reach the summit at Norden!
With little time to set up, and many people crowding the tracks.. we get a glimpse of Big Boy as 4014 approaches, and rounds the curve through Norden as they head down-grade towards Truckee. In the second clip at Norden, listen to the echo 4014's whistle gives as they approach the Big Hole.
With the whistle-stop being canceled in Truckee, we skip our next location.. and head further east to CPRV 208, at East Truckee. Tri-Lights still protect this control point, providing a unique opportunity to capture 4014 crossing over from track one, to track two. With upwards of a thousand people in Downtown Truckee, the crowds shown here are significantly lighter then what we could've encountered if we had stuck to our original plan. Notice how the signals only turn on after 4014 splits the opposing end of the control point..
In the second clip at East Truckee, we can see a thin line of people stretching from the control point, up to what was originally a crossing.
Reaching our last stop, at Verdi, Nevada we get a wide shot as 4014 crosses the Truckee River over the more notable, and lengthy bridge of the two. Listening to the scanner, we hear Ed discussing plans of deboarding the train, as well as the 97 axles from the 229.8 detector.
The sun hides between the clouds and the mountain peaks, as sunset begins and as Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 races for Sparks..
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Featuring: @southerncrescentstudios , @silversagerails , @Trains_of_the_bay , @ScootsTrains , and many more whom we met along the way!