>>>> Am most interested in updates on rail activity over Donner Pass...

Can't say about all activity over Donner, but we just came back home over Donner on the Zepher (friday 1/4/08), departing Reno a bit before 1PM. We encountered heavy blowing snow (not really a white out - visability @500-1000ft) above Truckee to about Gold Run - No snow at all until past Verdi (heavy rain though) - less than 6-8 inches snow until past Truckee. It had stopped snowing by Goldrun, and accumulations thinned from there.

From what we heard on the scanner, we followed a plow (probably a flanger) from truckee, stopping several times at red signals, waiting for the block ahead to clear - finally passed a flanger as it turned around at Gold Run (or near there anyway). We saw no freight trains at all, but we did see the very late eastbound Zepher on its climb up the hill (somewhere around Gold Run). I have no idea why it was so late - no reason I could see on the mountain or heard on the scanner - anyway.

For all the ballyhoo about snow in the media, it seems there really wasn't that much snow on the ground - no deep snow banks or anything like that, where the plows had been, as has been common in the past.

But the wind! From Gold Run on down to Roseville, as the train passed a grade crossing an alarm strobe was flashing on each control hut. The engineer reported each over the radio as we passed it. Then it dawned on us that there were also no street lights, most buildings were dark, candles were seen in some houses near the tracks - power outages were everywhere - all the way to Roseville, then same thing again west of Sacramento. The stations at Colfax and at Davis were both dark - very dark. Scary and very confusing apparently - as the conductors and car attendants were escorting passengers around at both stations - probably delayed us about fifteen minutes each.

We would have arrived at Reno on time, but a BNSF freight hit a big rock on the main at the west end of Hafed Siding, which is almost in sight of Reno (Sparks). There was no slide, just a few falling rocks (about a foot to a foot and half). Someone said on the scanner that "The rocks somehow did not trip the slide detector". One rock somehow punctured a fuel tank on the one of the two engines, leaking diesel all over the r.o.w. The first few cars may have been damaged also.

All cars seemed to be on the track, but I could have easily missed one with the wheels just off. I did see several severely splinterd ties (perhaps completely chopped in half) about three cars back. Apparently most of the train's rear cars were pulled back into Sparks, clearing the west CP of Hafed, before we could pass.

We were held for quite a while at the next CP up the line (Patrick Siding), but were finally allowed to pass around the disabled freight through the Hafed siding. We heard on the scanner, the Amtrak engineer being instructed to try to not apply any brakes or tractive force while passing the sight, so as to prevent igniting any diesel fumes. Considering the cold temperatures (low 40s), which were well below the flash point of diesel, this wasn't very likely, but they were cautious anyway.

We were held again at CP West Reno, lacking a track warrent. Amtrak's calls over the
radio went unanswered for about a half hour. Finally, the DS answered (very testily about a "transfer" going on) and then gave us a track warrent to just beyond Verdi (about halfway thru the TWC area, with a severe speed restriction near Verdi. Why the restriction is unknown. The was no snow in the area and no evidence of any track work in the area either and no flags or track forman to call, and no instruction to look out for anything in particular.

In just a few minutes we were again at the end of TWC authority and had to stop. This time we were promptly answered and told that the westward main (track 1), MP 231 to East Truckee, was "Blocked until 2pm". When we finally got the track warrent into Truckee, we didn't need the scanner. As the train radio was piped in over the train PA for all to hear! It was then announced the we "Just heard it from the horses mouth - U.P. says we finally get to go, but again with speed restrictions!"

All in all the trip was pleasant and restful (we had two roomettes across from each other for the family), though it did get a bit adventurous as Amtrak wasn't sure until we were nearing Reno that U.P. would even try to keep the pass open.

Conditions may or may not be worse now. But in view of what I saw on the mountain, that doubt was caused by hype. If UP couldn't keep it open with as little snow as there was when we passed thru, they should need another line of work. But considering the high winds, the real risk was trees falling across the r.o.w., but I saw no evidence of that happening anywhere near the r.o.w., though one abandoned railroad pole was obviously freshly broken and leaning against a nearby tree..

OPB