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UP Snowfighters on Donner Earn A Grade For the Week
Author: Dick Dorn
Date: 01-22-2010 - 19:51
Union Pacific has done a superb job of keeping Donner open this week during the sometimes intense snow storms that have dumped nearly 7 feet of snow at Norden. The team of operating and maintenance managers working out of the Truckee snow office were highly organized for the entire week. When I arrived at Truckee last Sunday night managers had a plan of action ready to go for the week. Working along side the managers were six train crews assigned to spreader and flanger service. In addition, are MW crews assigned to Truckee who operate the spreaders along with train crews.
This entire group showed considerable professionalism thoughout the week. I witnessed this first hand up through Wednesday and my son Kevin has been up there late Tuesday through today. The spreaders worked every morning Tues. to Friday with a significant window for snow removal. Atk # 5 was always the first train through after the window opened each morning and it was not delayed a single time. Flangers worked every day and through the night. #5 had a flanger escort each morning as well as #6 each afternoon. The UP power desk saw to it that trains had extra power incase they had locomotive failures. No freight encountered problems traversing the mountain this week.
I-80 saw significant closures most of the day Wednesday and closures on Thursday and Friday as well due to heavy snow, blowing snow and accidents. For all you naysayers who don't believe the UP can do it, you should get you butt up there and and watch it first hand, that is unless, "you can't handle it". There is a dedicated and professional group of people who are very experienced and work long hard hours to keep the trains running over Donner during the worst of storms.
The two rebuilt spreaders arrived in Truckee on Monday night and they are being tested this week in minor cleanup duties to work out the bugs before they are ready for full fledged service when the chips are down. They are in full SP colors and are numbered SPMW 4031 and 4032. They are awesome machines. Basically, a brand new spreader from the frame up.
Dick Dorn
This entire group showed considerable professionalism thoughout the week. I witnessed this first hand up through Wednesday and my son Kevin has been up there late Tuesday through today. The spreaders worked every morning Tues. to Friday with a significant window for snow removal. Atk # 5 was always the first train through after the window opened each morning and it was not delayed a single time. Flangers worked every day and through the night. #5 had a flanger escort each morning as well as #6 each afternoon. The UP power desk saw to it that trains had extra power incase they had locomotive failures. No freight encountered problems traversing the mountain this week.
I-80 saw significant closures most of the day Wednesday and closures on Thursday and Friday as well due to heavy snow, blowing snow and accidents. For all you naysayers who don't believe the UP can do it, you should get you butt up there and and watch it first hand, that is unless, "you can't handle it". There is a dedicated and professional group of people who are very experienced and work long hard hours to keep the trains running over Donner during the worst of storms.
The two rebuilt spreaders arrived in Truckee on Monday night and they are being tested this week in minor cleanup duties to work out the bugs before they are ready for full fledged service when the chips are down. They are in full SP colors and are numbered SPMW 4031 and 4032. They are awesome machines. Basically, a brand new spreader from the frame up.
Dick Dorn
UP Snowfighters on Donner Earn A Grade For the Week