Re: Double headed steam on Donner Pass
Author: Drew Jacksich
Date: 12-01-2008 - 13:03
Well, at this point the Diesels were doing a lot of work. There were very clean SP SD40's in the consist---for the climb out of Truckee to Andover, both of the SD's were in dynamic in order to give the two steam engines a chance to work. There was a company video crew (which company I don't know) filming the climb up Cold Stream Canyon and working the two engines very hard was for their benefit. There were 30 or 40 railfans at Andover, just East of the tunnel and there was no effort on the part of the SP to discourage us. Times have changed.
Everything around was still green and moist and, even with #3985 burning coal, I don't recall hearing of any lineside fires.