Storm closes UP’s Donner Pass and Feather River routes

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by craigjbradley

I was up in Truckee during the storm. UP keeps 2 of the old SP rotaries parked in the Truckee yard. They were gone on Sunday.
- Craig

Craig,

Those two rotaries were vacated from the roster and moved to Truckee California during the summer of 1997, probably for the first Truckee Railroad days. There numbers were, SPMW 205 and 208. During 2004 one was given to the Portola railroad museum, the other was given to the California State Railroad Museum which already owns a former SP rotary plow.

SP9033

[Anonymous]

Here is a link to a good web site on rotaries.
http://www.n6ecv.net/Rotarys.html

The converted B units (without drive motors) are called snails.

The plows on the web page are the same ones that were parked in Truckee for years. However, there are no snails in Truckee. The question now is where did they go and if they are running, where did the snails come form?

Maybe the rotaries were taken down to Reno or Roseville to be preped for the new storm?

- Craig

[dldance]

A few years ago, I got a guided tour of one of UP's homebuilt rotaries by the operating engineer. They basically started with a F7 or F9 and kept the motor/generator. This powers a traction motor that turns the blade shaft. The cab had one set of controls for the snowplow operator and another set of controls that are MU'ed to the pushing diesels that are providing forward thrust. Thus there are two engineers in the snowplow cab. They used battleship style rotory windows to allow a clear view to the front. At the time I toured the snowplow, they were getting ready for the spring clearing of the Yellowstone Branch. The operator told me that with 4 to 6 feet of snow on the ground, the rotary would keep about 20 tons of snow airborne in the arc between the end of the chute and where the snow hit the ground. It's an awesome sight.

dd

[Anonymous]

Got our first dump of snow here in the lowermainland today, about 5-7cm worth...

Doesn't look like the RRs have been affected at all yet, but the driving conditions sure were scary!

Lots of water and slush on the roads today, it's gonna be an icy mess tomorrow. [:O]

[Anonymous]

One more note: UP does not keep any "Snails" in Truckee. If the rotaries are running, what are they using for electrical power?

- Craig

[Anonymous]

I was up in Truckee during the storm. UP keeps 2 of the old SP rotaries parked in the Truckee yard. They were gone on Sunday.

I saw 2 old SP locos with ice breakers on top (didn't get close enought to ID them, but they were small units). Also, saw the "light locos" with 2 "crew cars" parked in the Truckee yard.

Wonder were the rotaries went?
Were they in action?

- Craig

[Anonymous]

thanks for the info, and I do own "the Battle for Donner Pass", it is really an amazing video, and shows how much snow they really do get up there. I just didn't know if they still did us the rotaries, so that is cool that they do. The way the weather is going this year, they are probably going to have to pull them out! Thanks,
Brad

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH

I remember reading in an article in TRAINS some years back that SP would avoid calling out the rotaries as much as possible since they are more expensive to operate and they make too narrow a cut in the snow to reduce drifting problems; e.g., when the wind is blowing, the cut fills quickly and the rotaries have to get called out more often.

There are many more that are much more knowledgeable than I on this subject. I'm only a casual observer, but as I understand it for more than 40 years, its been flangers first, Jordan spreaders next, then the cats are added to the picture and finally the rotary set is sent in, which is used in conjunction with a spreader set.

SP9033

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I remember reading in an article in TRAINS some years back that SP would avoid calling out the rotaries as much as possible since they are more expensive to operate and they make too narrow a cut in the snow to reduce drifting problems; e.g., when the wind is blowing, the cut fills quickly and the rotaries have to get called out more often.

[Anonymous]

Brad wrote:

"I guess they didn't need the rotaries yet though. Are the rotaries even still active up there? And yes we are about to get whacked in the Bay Area and then the Sierras soon. It is clear right now, but that won't last long."

As I understand it there are 5 rotary plows at Roseville, 4 former SP plows and one UP plow. 3 of the former SP plows are operational, the other is stored. UP's homebuilt silver plow is I guess operational, but its stored next to the unused SP plow.

Two of the rotary plows have been fired up and tested and readied if needed. Mike Pechner, meteorologist for the UP's Donner snow removal operation, stated that the rotaries are held until the snow reaches 180 inches.

There is a wonderful video tape titled "The Battle for Donner Pass" by Video Rails, don't know if Pentrex offers it now or not. It documents and explains the snow removal operation on Donner.

Here are a couple of links to photos of a flanger at work Jan. 3 at Tunnel 35.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=89880

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=89894

Because of the weather I spent most of the weekend at home listening to the scanner. Very interesting exchanges, DS 74 who controls that portion of line was very busy. No. 6 was setup to go dead at just west of Verdi, NV short of Reno/Sparks but after a few minutes were authorized to violate the hours of service regulations by management in Oakland.

At Bridge St in Verdi, NV they encountered a stuck car on the tracts. I called 911 and reported the stuck car on Bridge Street, as well as helped tow the car to safety, the information getting to DS74 just in time to warn No. 5. They apporached the road crossing slowly, after about a five minute wait they were back on their way east to a crew change.

There were also two eastbound freights go dead on this side of the "Hill," one at Mogul in front of Amtrak, the other just behind Amtrak at West Verdi. Also, earlier that night at about 19:30 a westman hit a car at Virginia St in Reno. No Injuries, but the train was held for about 1 1/4 hours.

It was a most interesting night as a fan, and one I think anyone working for the railroad would not like to repeat anytime soon. Although Friday night we might get more of the same.

SP9033

[Anonymous]

thanks for the Pictures. I guess they didn't need the rotaries yet though. Are the rotaries even still active up there? And yes we are about to get whacked in the Bay Area and then the Sierras soon. It is clear right now, but that won't last long.
Brad

[mloik]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SP9033

In this article on News Wire (Storm closes UP#8217;s Donner Pass and Feather River routes) it mentions the first two movements westbound out of Sparks, NV, here are two links to photos of the light engine move and No. 5 by Lawton, NV at MP 235.5.


http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=89590

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=89591

SP9033

And there's another storm on the way...

[Anonymous]

In this article on News Wire (Storm closes UP’s Donner Pass and Feather River routes) it mentions the first two movements westbound out of Sparks, NV, here are two links to photos of the light engine move and No. 6 by Lawton, NV at MP 235.5.


http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=89590

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=89591

SP9033