Video

Climbing the Lower Loop at Gilluly

On a warm August day 1992, a pair of Rio Grande SD40T–2s, spliced by a GP40, lifted an eastbound mixed up Solider Summit. As the head-end approaches the camera, the hooger drops the throttle one notch going into the curve. Because of the light load at the rear of the train, only one of the two SDs on the back was in Run 8, the other in isolation.

Over the Top

This montage opens with a quartet of GP60s passing eastbound through Beaumont, California. A local farmer can be heard plowing the field beyond. Next, westbound tonnage enters San Timoteo Canyon past a waiting eastbound. The next three scenes are from Beaumont. The first is of an eastbound mixed. After westbound light help passes, another quartet of GP60s gets underway with an eastbound double stack.

The Race

An eastbound Santa Fe with lots of four-axle power climbs from Cajon up into Sullivan's Curve only to find itself aside a Southern Pacific westbound on the Palmdale cutoff. The apparent winner is just a little surprising. Neither train had helpers.

3985 Passing Verdemont Eastbound

With one of the three E9s offline, the Challenger was forced into adding its tractive effort to the job of lifting the special eastbound up Cajon Pass.

The Romance of Run 8

Scene One: a westbound Southern Pacific climbs out of the Sacramento River Vally north of Redding. Scene Two: an eastbound Rio Grande crests Solider Summit in the rain while a Utah Railway coal drag waits to descend. Scene Three: a Santa Fe eastbound climbs Cajon Pass at Silverwood. Scene Four: an eastbound Southern Pacific climbs the Tehachapi Mountains just below the famous loop. Scene Five: an eastbound Burlington Northern coal train ascends Crawford Hill in Nebraska. Scene Six: A Union Pacific westbound on Cajon Pass at Martinez Spur. Scene Seven: an SP powered Rio Grande westbound meets a UP powered coal train at Colton, Utah. Scene Eight: a Santa Fe eastbound piggyback ascending Tehahchapi at Bealville.

Dynamic Decents

This montage is dedicated to the talent and skill required to bring a heavy freight down a mountain grade successfully. Scene One: a hot Santa Fe westbound descends Cajon Pass at Swarthout Canyon Road behind one SD and three GPs. Scene Two: SD40s of both C&O and L&N heritage restrain a Utah Railway westbound dropping down off Solider Summit. Scene Three: a quartet of BN SD40—2s descend Marias Pass as viewed from Goat Lick, Montana. Scene Four: a Union Pacific westbound winds down Meadow Valley Wash in Nevada. Scene Five: a pair of Southern Pacific westbounds descend San Timoteo Canyon at the upper crossing above El Casco. Scene Six: a westbound Santa Fe comes down the Arizona Divide at West Parrin.