Scratch One Big Boy
Apr. 14th, 2026 04:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kayla_allenWe were expecting the Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive to come charging through Fernley this morning, but it was not to be. Due to the heavy snow over Donner Summit, Union Pacific sent the Big Boy east the way it had come: over the former Western Pacific Feather River Route via Portola and Beckwourth Pass (almost 2,000 feet lower than Donner), with all "whistle stops" cancelled.
Good thing that Lisa went over to Gerlach to see the train rolling into town there. It's a pity we won't get to see them as speed this time around, but it's understandable. I had sort of wondered if there were a bunch of disappointed photographers up around Donner who had been planning to record the Big Boy in the snow, which would certainly have been an impressive sight.
Good thing that Lisa went over to Gerlach to see the train rolling into town there. It's a pity we won't get to see them as speed this time around, but it's understandable. I had sort of wondered if there were a bunch of disappointed photographers up around Donner who had been planning to record the Big Boy in the snow, which would certainly have been an impressive sight.
