Crazy Judah. Standing at the summit of Mount Judah along the crest of the Sierra Nevada's, one is left to wonder how a railroad could ever be built through these mountains. It all started with Theodore Judah and a crazy idea. Just months before the start of the Civil War, Judah surveyed a route through the Sierras. The route would follow several rivers and require many incredible pieces of railroad infrastructure. Many thought a railroad through this region was impossible. Luckily, Judah was able to convince four wealthy businessman from Sacramento to invest in his vision. The route would eventually be built by the Central Pacific as part of the Transcontinental Railroad. Today, trains are still running through the heart of Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this shot, Union Pacific 5506 leads a 58-car Z train over Donner Pass on a crisp fall day in Northern California. This vantage point is from the top of Mount Judah looking east towards Truckee.
