California snow...affecting rail travel?

@Steam Guy posted:

With California receiving record snowfall, with more on the way, are the railroads in that area open and trains moving?

Yes.

I 70  the old Western Pacific route through the Feather River canyon is closed to auto traffic.

I 80   the old Southern Pacific route over Donner Pass is closed to auto traffic.

I 5   north to Oregon has been closed several times to auto traffic.

With these areas closed to auto traffic has this also affected rail traffic.

Apparently not as much as the highway systems, as both UP and BNSF freights have been running with no major issues. You might check out the live webcam at Truckee, CA (Downtown Truckee live webcam), and see what has been running, including the flangers and Jordan Spreaders.

If so, I assume the rail traffic is being rerouted south to Tehachapi and Cajon passes.

Nope.

Steve

There is a long history of superb snow fighting on Donner Pass by the former Southern Pacific and the present day Union Pacific.  They have the equipment and the legacy knowledge of how to use it to fight deep snow.  They are the best in the country.

Thanks for responding.  With this record snow I had thought that there were serious delays and closures. 

Are any rotary snowplows in operation?

Steve

@Steam Guy posted:

Thanks for responding.  With this record snow I had thought that there were serious delays and closures.

Well, there are on the highway systems, but the railroad, i.e. UP, has the necessary equipment and knowhow to keep both Donner Pass and the Feather River Canyon lines open.

Are any rotary snowplows in operation?

Not enough snow yet to require sending out the rotary snow plows. They are VERY expensive to operate, and as long as the Jordan Spreaders and Flangers can continue to keep Donner Pass open, there is no need for the rotary plows, yet.

Steve

There is a small technicality in that there are two routes near each other... I-80 goes over Donner Summit and the old Central Pacific line was built over Donner Pass. Donner Summit was developed in the late 1950's just for the Interstate route. It is very steep and there is no room for switchbacks. No railroad has ever traveled that route and it is quite likely impossible for a transcontinental railroad to travel there. The Central Pacific route over Donner Pass was an engineering triumph on many levels. One fascinating aspect is the snow sheds that were originally made of wood and have been rebuilt with concrete. So, many areas are protected from snowdrifts and avalanches. Southern Pacific ordered the Cab Forward engines for these sheds. Also keep in mind that the record breaking snow you may have heard about is only a record for the month of December. There has been heavier snow, usually not this early. A problem for the highway department is that they do not hire snow clearing crews early in the season because of budget restraints. So bad reports about I-80 do not reflect what is happening on the railroad.

From what I have seen even the U.P. has had their hands full with the snow

sadly, with the demise of track #1, a lot of shed went with it.

So the route over Donner Pass is not double tracked its entire length?

And does anyone know the traffic density over Donner Pass nowadays?

Steve

@Steam Guy posted:

So the route over Donner Pass is not double tracked its entire length?

Not any more, ever since Mr. Moyer (sp) came to the SP from the IC, and began doing the same thing he did to the IC, i.e. remove a lot of double track with CTC and "long sidings". The downfall of that theory was; on Donner Pass the snow fighting forces were no longer to take advantage of the double tracks by plowing the snow from one track to the other, and then down over the hillsides. Plus, a number of snow sheds/tunnels were bypassed with the remaining single track.

And does anyone know the traffic density over Donner Pass nowadays?

Pretty variable, last I heard, plus there is Amtrak service.

Steve

CA 70 through the Feather River Canyon is closed due to a rock slide, not snow. If the railroad gets blocked, it will also be because of rock slides, not snow.  The Feather River Canyon is much lower than the SP route and does not get the snow like the SP does.  The rotaries usually come out when there is no place left to put the snow. A lot of snow removal on the SP line is now done by contractors with front loaders.  The reason 80 is closed is that snow removal takes place after a storm goes through. After the snow is removed from the highway it is reopened to cars. There is just too much traffic on 80 to try and due a large snow removal project with cars present. Like the railroad, the problem with clearing the highway is finding some place all the snow.