Union Pacific alters tunnels for double-stacked trains to reach Reno
Posted by Lou on Dec 28, 2009
Union Pacific Railroad has raised the roof on 15 of its tunnels over Donner Pass in the Sierra, allowing double-stacked trains to cross the pass and go through Reno for the first time on the way to Chicago.
When the effects of the recession ebb, more trains could be coming through Reno and Sparks. Up to now, double-stacked trains have been routed through the longer and more difficult Feather River Canyon north of Reno.
The development might allow former Reno Mayor Jeff Griffin to consider himself redeemed for pushing to build the downtown railroad trench, which was completed in 2005 at a cost of $282 million.
In the late 1990s, Griffin often said the day would come when the tunnel roofs would be raised for cars carrying double-stacked cargo containers from Pacific Rim countries unloaded at the Port of Oakland.
“It took a little longer than I thought,” said Griffin, who ran a international shipping business in Reno for years and recently saw his first double-stacked train on the route east of Fernley. “I just know that it was a business decision a multibillion company had to make.”
While Griffin predicted the number of trains a day would jump substantially, critics railed against city plans to build a railroad trench and eliminate crossings in downtown. Opponents feared cost overruns and dangers from floods or earthquakes.
Tom Lange, Union Pacific western spokesman, said 15 to 18 trains a day are routed through Reno, about the same as before the tunnels were finished in November. He said there is no way to know how many more trains will be coming.
“Our volume is based on the economy and customer needs,” he said. “There’s not really a way to project future transportation volume.”
He said dispatching is based on traffic across a 32,000-mile network in 23 states.
“So trying to pinpoint some peak level of train volume would be speculative at best,” he said.
Union Pacific spent about $2.6 billion in the past year to improve its rail system while business was slow because of the recession. Read the rest of this entry »
Union Pacific 1942
Posted by Lou on Jan 27, 2009
Southern Pacific RR brakeman Harry Martin smelling a tiger lily found beside tracks w. engineer Jimmy Belote waiting his turn, during regulation cooling-off stop between Sacramento and Reno.
