A short eastbound Union Pacific freight descends the big horseshoe curve at Prichard Creek near Durkee, Oregon, on the afternoon of January 22, 2013. Three GEs and a SD40-2 are on the point in the... (more)

A westbound Union Pacific freight train climbs through the big horseshoe curve at Prichard Creek near Durkee, Oregon, on the afternoon of January 22, 2013.

UP7490 pulls Hindman hill with a westbound intermodal in tow. The head-end of the train sits on a 1% grade while about half-way back in the photo grades drop off on a mountainous 2.2%.

UP7083 charges around the Pritchard Creek Horseshoe on a pleasant January afternoon. It is about 35 degrees and the snow is knee deep...

A westbound manifest assaults the 2.2% grade of Hindman Hill. The railroad uses this shallow box canyon to gain elevation for its climb out of the Snake River watershed near Huntington......

UP2001 still looking good after over a decade in service, as it leads a colorful intermodal train around the Horseshoe at Pritchard Creek, OR.

UP5941 is the leader of a Soda Ash train bound for loading on Ocean Ships on the Columbia River. UP5307 is the first of 5 mid-train DPU's and a 6th DPU shoves hard on the rear. DPU's ended most ... (more)

UP5941 is the leader of a Soda Ash train bound for loading on Ocean Ships on the Columbia River. The trains power is distributed 2x5x1 to get over the steep grades of the PNW. The Pritchard Cree... (more)

Charging up the 2.2% at Pritchard Creek. This box canyon is an amphitheater of mountain railroad action! The power is 2x5x1....Awesome!

The east slope of Encina Hill, also known as Hindman Hill is the final 2.2% grade out of the Snake River Valley. The heavy grade begins when the rails leave the course of the Burnt River and begi... (more)

The 2.2% grade here at Pritchard Creek is very evident. This mountain is the first of three major summits between Nampa and Hinkle. The complete soda ash train can be seen with mid and rear trai... (more)

The climb to Encina follows the Oregon trail very closely. It is hard or even impossible to imagine crossing this rugged terrain in a covered wagon. This was the first iron horse of the morning a... (more)

The Pritchard Creek Horseshoe is a truly spectacular railroad location. The climb for Encina begins at Huntington travels thru the Burnt River Canyon to Durkee. Near Durkee the steep 2.2% grade ... (more)

UP 150th Special from Portland, OR to Green River, WY.

Encina Hill is a long twisting grade that lifts trains out of the Snake River Valley. The grade is a significant challenge for westbound tonnage with gradients reaching 2.2%.