SP AC44's lead & mid-train & rear helpers battle 3.5% grade in the snow on Tennessee Pass...

Southern Pacific GE AC4400's battle the 3.5% grade toward the tunnel at the summit of Tennessee Pass in a spring snow storm. We watch the three SP GE AC4400's in the lead. You can hear the wheels signing, as the computer allows the wheels to have a controled slip as its trying to grip the snow covered rails in the 8th notch. Mid-way back, we see a four GE's from SP and UP shoving hard. Two EMD's and a GE are pushing hard on the rear end. Once the train gets to Leadville. The power will be taken off, and will return to Minturn to get ready for another puss up to the summit. Tennessee Pass is at the elevation of 10,275 feet (3,132m) in the Colorado Rockies. The line was original built as a narrow gauge railroad by the DRG&W in 1881. The line was noted as being the highest mainline railroad mountain pass in the United States. Grades to the west of the summit where as much as 3.5%, and east of the summit only 1.4%. The last train that ran over this line was in 1997. Video was taken in April 21, 1997. Thanks for watching. Jackmp294.5™...

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Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• train
• trains
• railroad
• railway
• locomotive
• emd
• ge
• generalelectric
• ac44
• ac4400
• sd45
• sd45-2
• sd45-t2
• tunnel
• tunnelmotor
• pushers
• helpers
• mid-train
• tennessee
• tennesseepass
• colorado
• rockies
• drgw
• drg&w
• up
• unionpacific
• sp
• southernpacific
• signal
• engines
• jack
• jackmp294
• jackmp294.5
• SNOW
• d&rgw
• midtrainhelpers
• SSW

[8bars]

Jack, not sure if this has been asked, but around 3:05, the train is seen going uphill.

Is that grade really that steep !! ??? Looks like a 20 degree angle he is going up!!

That is unbelievable !! Try walking that on foot !

[1jackdk]

@8bars Oh yah! Its that steep. One of the steepest, and highest mainline grades in the US. You can see that the trees and poles are staight up and down. Th camera was perfectly level. Thanks for watching...

[ArtStone]

How much does the thinner atmosphere at 10,000 feet affect the performance of locomotive engines? Does it require special fuel blends?

[1jackdk]

@ArtStone I'm sure it does effect it. I drive an 18 wheeler, and I had to take a 44000lb load of chemicals over Loveland Pass in CO. At 12000 feet, the truck didn't run for two cents. No power, engine belched black smoke, and sounded like there was marbles in the crankcase. So I know its got to makes a difference. Maybe that is the reason for using up to10 locomotives to the summit. Thanks for watching...

[TheMadNorsky]

Excellent video. Have they removed the tracks to Tennessee Pass, or is it just an abandoned line????? Also, do you know how the grades on this pass compare to Mullan Pass west of Helena, Montana???

[1jackdk]

@TheMadNorsky The tracks are not removed, and there is even talk of putting it back in service. Compaired to Mullens! Tennessee Pass, (highest railroad pass in the USA)elevation 10275 ft, grade 3.5% going east, 1.4% going west. Mullens, elevation 5566 ft, 2.2% going east, 1.4% going west. So there is a good bit of difference in the two. Thanks for watching...

[Bladesinger5]

Nice set of helpers at end of trains! Excellent video!

[duxberry1958]

it look,s very cold ???

[ussoldierrail]

@ussoldierrail I dont think any class RR could ever match SP and there tunnel RRing, grades, locomotive use, long trains, financial wows, distance or just pure RR employee union workers making the RR work so great. These people were the best of the best it is too bad it could not have been SP UP. Seeing AC4400 on a SP is great but three what a treat. Sure other RRs have grades ect but there can only be one SP... GOD BLESS

[ussoldierrail]

@ussoldierrail I have herd so many storys about the SPSF failed merger and the SP UP merger that i cannot make any sense of it. And now CN is relay making a bid to take out the USA competition? But at least CN hires americans. Many were mad as hell about CN getting EJE and IC WC ect but as long as americans have jobs that is all i care about

[ussoldierrail]

@ussoldierrail I know they merged with UP in 1995 and had bought new equipment ect EMDSD70's and AC4400s. The BN SF merger happned at the same time and the BN is first so i will guess that the BN was the "big" Dog out of that merger? Strange how the SFn BN merged and the UP got SP when the SP wanted to be SPSF? Mabey Up had more money and political influence? Someone has a book out that says SP employees were drunks and had a lot of work related issues. I never rerad it but just saw the add

[ussoldierrail]

@1jackdk Hey brother how's it going! Question for ya. Should have ask'd another vid but this will do. Ok, The SP SF merger that did not go through. Ok I know that the UP had some to do with it? Also SP had that tank car in 1991 go into a river and it hurt them financialy and then the major accidetn where the complete train of hopper cars went into a entire neighborhood and took it out and the conductor was killed. What is the truth behind the SP failure?

[UnionPacificBNSF]

It is classified as a branch line UP and Rock and Rail serve online customers and there are surplus cars stored on the line. Royal Gorge operates tourist trains over a portion of the line. Yes UP has talked of making it a through route again.

[RRYankfan]

I wish this was around here. love sounds of trains pulling hard.