Eastbound Union Pacific ES44AH no. 8185 with stacks, rounds through Hirschdale on a beautiful February day.

4.5 hours late Zephyr 5 passes through Truckee as it about to climbs up Donner pass

Rolling through Hirschdale, eastbound Union Pacific AC4400CW no. 6617 rounds a curve an starts the drop down the Truckee River Canyon to Reno.

We were out mainly looking for UP freights, but they are few and far between these days on Donner, so we settled on Amtrak 5 because at least it is reasonably predictable. This was taken at Andove... (more)

An Eastbound manifest train is seen at Boca, just east of Truckee, California. Boca is a recreation area along the Truckee River.

An Eastbound manifest train is seen passing the Southern Pacific depot in downtown Truckee, CA on a clear summer morning. The depot now serves as an Amtrak stop for the California Zephyr.

Westbound stacks with Union Pacific ES44AC no. 7475 leading, passes by MOW equipment at the site of the old town of Boca. Founded as a lumber town to supply the building of the Central Pacific Rai... (more)

Time to tie down the snow fighting equipment and get out the water train. After having another dry year in the west and less than 50% of normal snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, we are now ... (more)

AMTK 17 and 2 sister locos head the California Zephyr, east of Truckee in 1998. What is the carriage immediately behind the locos?

After leaving Truckee Amtrak no. 5, the westbound California Zephyr, climbs the last of the western slope up to Norden on the Donner Pass Route.

A 6 plus hours late Amtrak no. 5, the westbound California Zephyr, allows for an afternoon shot along the Truckee River as it heads to the station stop in Truckee.

Climbing up from Truckee, westbound Union Pacific SD70AH no.9073 lifts stacks up the grade to Norden.

Sliding eastbound down to Reno Nevada, Union Pacific AC4400CW no.6871 leads stacks down from Donner pass along the Truckee River.

Eastbound Union Pacific SD44AH no.9093 leads a Grainer down from Donner Pass, in the background, along the Truckee River to Reno Nevada.

Westbound Union Pacific no. AC44CW and 5 mates, lifts a mixed manifest through the old town site of Boca with the old bridge across Truckee River still standing.