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Feather River Cab Ride
Union Pacific 1996 Join us for a ride in the cab of a Union Pacific C40-8W from Stockton inter modal freight terminal for a run Eastbound. Our train is 37 loads and 46 empties 3349 ton 5619 ft (1712m) in length. At first we ride through flat country, passing Southern Pacific on our left, Stockton tower, (since demolished), over three diamond crossings (BNSF, old SP and SP northern main line).
Soon we begin the climb into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We climb 4600ft (1402m) in 120 miles, crossing numerous westbound trains with big power on the front, as we wend our way through the beautiful and spectacular Feather River Canyon with cascading waters, dams bridges and lakes until darkness ends the day's videotaping.
Next day we begin with some lineside views including C40-8W and SD40-2, 5 massive locos in multiple on a train of automobiles, shots of freights in the canyon and near Portola and Blairsden.
We move ahead to Portola where there is a hectic schedule of arriving and departing freights due to a planned closure of the canyon line for engineering work. After viewing the action lineside, we board 6309 on an American President Line double stack. 55 loads, 3162 tons 3658 ft for the run down the canyon, giving us a good view of the section missed yesterday. On the way we pass an Australian owned Gold mine, travel through Spring Garden tunnel, and negotiate the spiral Williams loop with lineside views of a train crossing over itself then running parallel with itself!
Majestic and unusual bridges add to the scene, especially the famous two in wye formation at Keddie, covered on board and lineside.
Taken on SVHS and edited on Broadcast Standard equipment Picture Quality B
This video was taken by Colin Eggleston, as a guest of Union Pacific. This makes it rather unique, because U.P. generally do not allow cab rides. Of necessity, the camera was hand held, but Colin has quite a steady hand. A bonus is that it was taken on the PAL video system so there are no transfer losses from NTSC.