Donner Pass SP exits Tunnel #8 Track #1

[HUTCHtopher]

Bless you @0:40

[WeRnotSchizophrenics]

I rode a train through this same line back in the 80s, all the way to Elko Nevada.

[joshbreyes]

awesome video! nothing beats the roar of SP T-2'!

[mylargebreasts]

You can feel the thump of those pistons. A LOT of force.A moderate amount of horsepower....enough torque to twist off a mountain!

[Adamlovesmedal]

y did they remove this line ? was it because union pacific bought sp or just because it was too hard on the locomotives . I love old videos like this one.

[jigbobby]

@Adamlovesmedal I believe SP did the removal prior to UP buying them out but I may well be wrong. Hopefully someone will confirm. I think at that time SP traffic was quiet enough that they felt they could get by with single track. A shame, as there was real history here. Thanks for commenting

[skeight976]

one of the best places to hike for snowboarding! good thing this train does not run anymore or is it a good thing?

[lector2005]

love it, thanks for posting brings back memories, good stuff. I'll search for the "re-do"

[RedwoodCrew]

"Don't bury me in any Forest Lawn, or Eternal Acres. Toss my ashes out into the desert around Ash Hill. Let the wind behind the Santa Fe's eastbound hotshots pull me off toward Amboy and Cadiz. Let me take 100 years to know this desert." --- RIP Richard Steinheimer 8-23-29 to 5-04-11 ~ A Giant Among Railfans & Photographers

[jigbobby]

@RedwoodCrew Perfect !! Thanks for posting

[vettefan87]

You said there were 2 units in the rear as pushers? They also function as dynamic braking when going down the west side of the pass. Otherwise, Oh shit!

[jigbobby]

@vettefan87 If you take a look at the redo I did of this video, titled "SP exits tunnel 8 Donner Pass higher quality" I included the helpers disconnecting and going back down to Truckee. thanks for watching and commenting. Good point.

[tarmac2001]

Beautifull!!!

[Mlwtca]

When I used to work for Union pacific,SP and D&RGW locomotives had a 50/50 chance of getting to where you were going still running. During the final years these locomotives were in bad shape.When they were climbing steep hills you would just see all this white smoke pouring out from everywhere. They always put on a good show though. When they ran the pulled like no tomorrow.

[DASCO2136]

While its awsome that this is shot on a track that doesnt exist anymore-----heres something else thats makes this scene awsomer------------all four engines at the front of the train are SD45T-2s.............impossibl­e to find today given that most have either been rebuilt into SD40T-3s, retired or scrapped

[jigbobby]

@DASCO2136 Thanks for adding and commenting

[teddybeareleventeen]

Great video!! =) 0:38 Bless You!

[randommagnum]

So you filmed this from atop tunnel #7?

[jigbobby]

@randommagnum Yes. I set a tripod up on top of tunnel 7 and waited. Took a long time to grind up from Truckee. Thanks for watching

[MrGarrett223]

This brings back so many memories. I remember when those tracks were still there. I rode Amtrak through them. Its sad to see the SP gone... ]=

[Kilofon1]

Sound sound sound :)

[meccaturbo]

The original CPRR right-of-way. Track pulled out in 93.

[jefboyardee]

0:40 Bless you.

[teddybeareleventeen]

@jefboyardee LOL I just said the same! =D

[jschmid]

awesome! 5

[elveezultra]

hmm i see some analogy to my dick ;)

[Patrick78912]

Admiring tunnel........-AAAAAAAACHOO!-

[UP8317]

Classic footage! Thanks for posting.

[SOUTHHEIGHTS9]

bless you

[thunderstormX92]

I would like to have one of this smoky monsters in my yard 'cause it's awesome to see ,hear and smell one of this piece of awesome crap . I heard SP were maltreating them, so the excess of black and blue in composition smoke shows the excess of fuel or turbocharger can't provide enough air to burn fuel properly. If EMD built a larger radiator they wouldn't had any of overheating issues. BTW EMD 645 sounds awesome until it reaches notch , below 7 it sounds like heaven on earth. Have a nice day !

[enwitmol]

train engineers stay drunk off of vodka all the time thats for sure.

[burakelitez]

But the train is going too slowly. Four GM locomotives can't deal with this train.

[jigbobby]

Burakelitez,

thanks for commenting. There were 2 helpers at the rear

[phillyfeds]

@burakelitez the reason the train is "going to slowly" is as the title says its on donner pass!!!!! i suggest you read up on the espee and its routes before posting a negative comment sp tunnel motors etc were famed for pulling massive loads over donner pass and other mountain routes just one thing to add while its in our hearts espee will never die

[burakelitez]

What type of engine do the locomotives have ? Their sonud is similar to GT26 engine going in notch 8 (full power).

[notalott]

GM 645, either 16 or 20 cylinders, depending on model (SD40 or SD45).

[haynes1776]

Great video for those who are train fanatics! Choo choo!!!!

[floatpool]

The hobo's ridin' in the back somewhere are probably a little worse off than the engineer

[veedub198909]

oh man!

the poor train driver is happy to breathe FRESH air...

5*

[marodude752002]

Great video

[papoocanada]

how do they manage not to get asphyxiated???

[rockguitarist946]

the vents from the diesel engine are behind the cab, so if its going forward, then the fumes dont get in the cab. thats where the cab-foward steam engines came from, read up on it. its pretty cool!

[RedwoodCrew]

That, right there, is the coolest thing in the World. Just showed it to my kids. When my time comes, Family's going to spread my ashes somewhere just like that. Espee Forever, man... Espee Forever!

[TrainTrackTrav]

The potive power of today will never compare to the real power of yesterday. EMD, gettin' the job done right!

[Espeelover]

Gazoone Tight

[JoaoT805]

ahh the beautiful sound of the old EMD tunnel motors. man those were the days...

[Pummi1988]

Endlich, frische Luft :-)

Der Lokführer kann eim auch echt leidtun...

[jigbobby]

Ja! Endlich!

[hastie9]

Great stuff,the engineer must have been pleased to see the light at the end of that particular tunnel!

[MattGraumann]

Awesome! At 1:03 did you see the engineer pop his head out for air?!

[huettmr]

nice sneeze!

[TrainTrackTrav]

lol! Sorry, but that made me giggle. :-)

[L324RT12]

Hence the reason for the "tunnel motor".

[totallygonegearhead]

I have a question, a seemingly odd one, how is it that these older diesels had that sound (like 60's cars) of raw horsepower and now they seem 'choked' off like current cars (smog equip) ? I miss that sound, the new generation of locos just seem muted.

[jigbobby]

Just as you said. Cleaner burning, quieter and more boring.

[bnsfmanifests]

Part of the reason is that SP used a lot of tunnel motors and other locomotives that had a really high amount of torque being applied to the tracks. Some of those locomotives also had a problem with burning fuel. They don't even make tunnel motors any more. Fuel-effecient locos are quieter. CP Rail, on the other hand, HAS to have locos that have a lot of pulling power, so if you catch one of their trains, you'll most likely see some locos that sound just about as loud as the ones in the video.

[BudmanPackfan]

This is an inacurrate statement. CP's locos are manufactured to same emmision & noise standards as US units, as both CN & CP units run through the US all the time. The grades they encounter in Canada are no greater than what US roads have to climb.

"Tunnel motors" were similiar their non-tunnel cousins, the difference being reconfiguration of radiator intake to the bottom of the carbody to draw cooler air.

Units today have higher capacity radiators, so no need for the special tunnel units.

[bnsfmanifests]

The reason why today's units have higher capacity radiators is so the locos can be more fuel-efficient and less prone to overheating while dealing with some pretty rugged use and abuse. And if the grades encountered in Canada are not steeper than those here in the U.S., then CP Rail is pulling some VERY heavy trains up over places like Kicking Horse Pass.

[charlieb640]

Your posts are so funny and full of it. LOL. I love reading your little silly comments.

So, still think bad rail causes flat spots? Still think CP is going to buy UP? Still think UP management is horrible even though they are the most profitable railroad in the US in 2008?

C'mon. Spout out some of your BS wisdom!!!

[notalott]

@totallygonegearhead big ass mufflers.. no lie.. been mandatory since about 1980 on new locomotives...

[TheTruckeeTraveler]

@totallygonegearhead - Climbing to 8,500 FT..!

[shekkythebastard]

yeaaaaah buddy, the Days Before Ditch Lights! i remember car trips along the I-80 where the tracks run alongside the freeway...and seeing SP freights with either the gyrolights or the yellow strobes you can see on the top left hand side of the lead locomotive in this video. UP hardly runs any freights on those tracks now--or maybe i just haven't seen any on my last ten or fifteen trips on the 80.

[jigbobby]

As far as I know the tunnels on the route cannot take double-stacks, so most freight goes via Feather River Canyon. However the Port of Oakland is trying to get the tunnels heightened to increase their freight volume. Ironically, Track 1 would be much easier to open for double stacks, so maybe we will see trains passing the Chinese Wall again!!

[mrsooline]

Too bad there isn't smell-o-vision so we can catch a whiff of that exhaust thunderhead! Great video.

[FerrocarriDeLaRobla]

Great video! I love the sound of EMD turbocharged engines.

[ruxrux]

Wow! What a sight! This is the 1st time I've seen this place with an actual train - I've visited this spot several times, but after the tracks were not there any more. The cameraman was probably standing on top of the next tunnel/snowshed.

[jigbobby]

Yep, standing on top of tunnel #7. Trains only usually came on this track when the other was occupied - the curves and gradient were significantly worse. Thanks for the kind comments. Used to see (and hear) a westbound train in Truckee - grab the camera and hightail up the pass, park the car, run up to tunnel 7 and set up the camera- only to watch the train go through the track 2 tunnel. Finally one day this came along.

[hoolg]

Simply awesome! Thanks so much for sharing this one!

[Espeelover]

just awesome!

[theGUYwho1]

wow, thats beautifull sound

love the vid, keep'em cum'n

[SSW8040]

In 2004 my brother and I drove through those tunnels and snowsheds and there were thick clouds of dust from when we last drove through them and past the Chinese Wall.

[54spiritedwill54]

4 Tunnel motors in melt down, absolute qaulity!!

Well done, fantastic work!

[SSW8040]

In 2005 My brother and I drove through those tunnels when we visited Donner with his Dodge Dakota and it was cool seeing the Chinese Wall from track level and when we came back through those tunnels and snow sheds we were amazed to see all of the dust we made still be there. I said I wounder what it must have been like for the crew of the Cab Forwards going through those tunnels with all of the smoke.

[elrodjones]

Bless you.

[josecarlosfarina]

GOSTEI.(I LIKE IT) MT BOM.(VERY GOOD) TAMBÉM TENHO ALGUNS VIDEOS (I HAVE GOT SOME MOVIES) DE TRENS (ABOUT TRAINS). PARA VÊ-LOS (FOR YOU SEE) NO YOUTUBE É SÓ DIGITAR (IS ONLY TYPE:) TREM e FARINA. OBRIGADO (THANK YOU).

[trainsruleandroll]

is the lead loco a gp40-2?

[RailFanDavid]

no.they are all SD40T-2s.tunnel motors.

[gringging]

Heaven help the train crew that got derailed in one of those tunnels and had to sort out the mess in that smoke...

[trainboy94]

do you have videos of the SP in 1996?????

[dashloc]

That's i call "hard working "!!

[StratCatGenius]

0:41 - Geseundheit! LOL

[Espeelover]

nice vid UPs stupid, they took out part of the #1 track thats parralel to the #2 track and made like 2 miles of single track?

[Espee9180]

Track One over Donner is no longer there. Union Pacific pulled up the 6.7 mile section of Track #1 over the summit running between Shed #41 and the covered crossovers in Shed #47. Since then all East and Westbound traffic has been run over the Track 2 crossing the summit about one mile South of Donner Pass through the 10,322-foot long Tunnel #41.

[callmeace01]

I thought SP actually pulled that section up..in 1993. 3 years before the merger with UP.

[lissasbob]

look at those bastards throwin all that BLACK smoke..... ah.... what a sight it must have been.

[metalmike669]

I miss those days of the ol SP and the #1 track there, now abandoned.....

[n1204kilo]

It must have been heck creeping through that tunnel with all that diesel smoke. I think I can see the fireman and engineer open their windows to get some fresh air once they clear the tunnel. Wonder if many got sick from the smoke.

[JDWP254]

Who or what is UP anyway??

[oaktoncatch10]

union pacific

[JDWP254]

if it was up to me and a lot of fans, SP would be alive and well! I love the SP

[gringo4x4do]

Been to this spot many times ! Don't miss the SP and their Filthy, drab paint scheme power. Tunnel duty leaves a locomotive grungy, but run 'em thru a wash rack once in awhile !

[jigbobby]

Part of the lure of SP back then was the fact that they abused their locomotives. No other company thrashed their way up a hill like SP.

[Rover775]

Gonzoontyke!

[waterskier072]

Ought to see it in the winter time...I wish SP was still around

[SF3751]

Very cool. I've been there after they took the tracks out. It's to bad.

[likestallwomen]

Very very nice! Man I miss the SP!

[dutchtrainmanserie22]

Awesome railfan video.

[SpecificationR]

wow complete with gyralights

[Rt4957]

Great video,,Love and Miss that sound.

Oh and ,,,Gazundhiedt.

[formidable38]

4 Tunnel motors in melt down, absolute qaulity!!

Well done, fantastic work!

[railzfan]

Fantastic video...I miss the SP and D&RGW so much...thank you so much for posting this video!!! :)

[logicguy]

Wow, fantastic video! Rare to find footage of the old #1 track in this location, and of course it's too late now :(

If you have any more from here please post! Thanks.

[HbVideos]

Is track 1 no longer in use ? Why ? I wish I could of got video from there.

[SF3751]

To steep a grade.

[SP9330]

I'd love a copy! I live in Roseville and head up the hill when ever i get a chance

[SP9330]

That is quite possibly the coolist thing i have ever seen

[jigbobby]

Thanks very much sp9330, and thanks to the other commenters. If you only knew how much time and grief from my incredibly bored wife I took waiting for this to happen. The whole video shows the helpers disconnecting and going back into the tunnel. Let me know if you would like a copy.

[gobanu]

Beautiful!!!!!

[JohnnyFreightTrain]

Good Video, its a different view, nice pullback, shame the engineer didnt give you a toot, look forward to seeing more, well done mate.