Does any train go over Donner Pass or what is that one pass called goi
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PerRock
Engineer
The Cali Zephyr goes over it I believe.
peter
peter
G
Guest
Guest
Yes the California Zephyr does cross Donner Pass and go by Donner Lake - in the Sierra Nevada, some of the most beautiful scenery to be seen from any Amtrak train.
PerRock
Engineer
http://www.google.co...f&aqi=&aql=&oq=
peter
Edit: I personally have never taken the CZ, so I don't have pics. I'm sure there are tons of other resources for getting pics of AMTK on Donner if you desired.
peter
Edit: I personally have never taken the CZ, so I don't have pics. I'm sure there are tons of other resources for getting pics of AMTK on Donner if you desired.
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that link also had some nice pics of the 40th anniversary loco. pulling the Cap. Lmtd. Cool paint scheme. Thanks 
Even though I'm partial to the northwest, I have to admit that the scenery from the CZ over the Donner Pass in winter is nothing short of spectacular. Both 5 and 6 traverse it during daylight - in fact I remember taking it eastbound and we had to pull over on a siding to let the westbound through. When you go, think of the ill fated pioneers who perished there, the incredible effort that it must have been to lay the tracks, and the folks in the train that got stuck there (late 40's???). All in all a trip worth taking.
K
Kimberly
Guest
I've lived in and around Reno NV which borders CA and Yes many trains go over Donner pass, Amtrak, Union Pacific, Santa Fe etc. One of the main railroads leading into CA.
George Harris
Engineer
Go to this location: www.uprr.com/aboutup/maps/attachments/elevations.pdf
It gives you a map of the Union Pacific system showing the high elevation points across their system. The CZ route spends more time and miles at high elevations than any other route. The information in the boxes showing location and elevation is mostly, but not entirely obvious.
First line: High Elev. - Railroad subdivision name - that is their name for this particular section of track as given in the employee timetable
Second line: elevation in feet above sea level (obviously)
Third Line: station name. Not necessarily a town, but name of the point as shown in the railroad employee timetable, which is usually town name, but may not be a very large one.
Fourth Line: Milepost location. Not necessarily the milage from starting point of the route of the train.
Points along the CZ route, beginning at Denver and going west:
First one, at Winter Park, Colorado, at the Moffat Tunnel itself, elevation 9,239 feet, 52.85 miles west of Denver. Highest point for any train on the Amtrak system. The pre-UP company was the Denver and Rio Grande Western.
Second one, at Summit Utah, one more reasons that D&RGW used to advertize their route as being "Through the Rockies, not around them" Milage here is from Denver by way of Pueblo, which was the original D&RGW route. It is about 180 miles longer than the current route.
Third one, at Hogan's Tunnel, Nevada: the pre-UP company here was Western Pacific. zero is at some point in the Bay Area, with miles through Stockton and the Feather River Canyon.
Fourth one, at Elko, NV: the pre UP company here is Southern Pacific, based on the milepost number shown. Zero is at Oakland CA. This point is in reality only something like 85 miles from the previous piont. SP was shorter, as its route out of the Bay Area was more direct. Don't know why this point is even shown. A note: Between Alazon, a point about 45 miles east of Elko, and Wells, a point near Winnemucca, the WP and SP operated as a paired track, making the two railroads function as if a double track railroad.
Fifth point, at Norden, California: This one is the railroad summit at Donner Pass. elevation 6,887 feet, milepost 192.50, from Oakland CA via Sacramento, the original transcontinental. The descent from Norden to Roseville is the largest change of elevation in one bite on any railroad in the US.
Right now there is something like 15 feet of snow on the ground in the vicinity of Donner Pass.
Now, if you come back east on the Sunset Limited, you will go through the lowest point on any railroad in the US as you go by thet Salton Sea, -205 feet at Forrum California, between Los Angeles and Yuma AZ.
It gives you a map of the Union Pacific system showing the high elevation points across their system. The CZ route spends more time and miles at high elevations than any other route. The information in the boxes showing location and elevation is mostly, but not entirely obvious.
First line: High Elev. - Railroad subdivision name - that is their name for this particular section of track as given in the employee timetable
Second line: elevation in feet above sea level (obviously)
Third Line: station name. Not necessarily a town, but name of the point as shown in the railroad employee timetable, which is usually town name, but may not be a very large one.
Fourth Line: Milepost location. Not necessarily the milage from starting point of the route of the train.
Points along the CZ route, beginning at Denver and going west:
First one, at Winter Park, Colorado, at the Moffat Tunnel itself, elevation 9,239 feet, 52.85 miles west of Denver. Highest point for any train on the Amtrak system. The pre-UP company was the Denver and Rio Grande Western.
Second one, at Summit Utah, one more reasons that D&RGW used to advertize their route as being "Through the Rockies, not around them" Milage here is from Denver by way of Pueblo, which was the original D&RGW route. It is about 180 miles longer than the current route.
Third one, at Hogan's Tunnel, Nevada: the pre-UP company here was Western Pacific. zero is at some point in the Bay Area, with miles through Stockton and the Feather River Canyon.
Fourth one, at Elko, NV: the pre UP company here is Southern Pacific, based on the milepost number shown. Zero is at Oakland CA. This point is in reality only something like 85 miles from the previous piont. SP was shorter, as its route out of the Bay Area was more direct. Don't know why this point is even shown. A note: Between Alazon, a point about 45 miles east of Elko, and Wells, a point near Winnemucca, the WP and SP operated as a paired track, making the two railroads function as if a double track railroad.
Fifth point, at Norden, California: This one is the railroad summit at Donner Pass. elevation 6,887 feet, milepost 192.50, from Oakland CA via Sacramento, the original transcontinental. The descent from Norden to Roseville is the largest change of elevation in one bite on any railroad in the US.
Right now there is something like 15 feet of snow on the ground in the vicinity of Donner Pass.
Now, if you come back east on the Sunset Limited, you will go through the lowest point on any railroad in the US as you go by thet Salton Sea, -205 feet at Forrum California, between Los Angeles and Yuma AZ.
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It is a significant piece of railroad lore that a train called the "City of San Francisco" was stranded for a day or 2 or 3 in Donner pass in the early 50's.
Trainmans daughter
OBS Chief
Excellent video. I enjoyed it also.
Since it is a black and white video, I thought I would point out that that train had largely a yellow color scheme. Not completely consistent though, since three lines had a hand in operating it. That would be the Chicago and North Western from Chicago to Omaha(later the Milwaukee), the Union Pacific from Omaha to Ogden and the Southern Pacific from Ogden to Oakland--San Francisco.
Since it is a black and white video, I thought I would point out that that train had largely a yellow color scheme. Not completely consistent though, since three lines had a hand in operating it. That would be the Chicago and North Western from Chicago to Omaha(later the Milwaukee), the Union Pacific from Omaha to Ogden and the Southern Pacific from Ogden to Oakland--San Francisco.
Are there any underwater tunnels that are deeper?
I wouldn't think so. 100 or so feet under sea level would be my guess. 205 feet below sea level is pretty deep.
PerRock
Engineer
The Channel Tunnel hits 250ft below sea level. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Tunnelthe Seikan Tunnel hits 790ft below sea level. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seikan_Tunnel
peter
peter
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