I went through both the Spiral Tunnels in the Canadian Rockies both ways in December 1961 and 1962 while travelling from Vancouver to Calgary and return. The tunnels were completed in 1909, well over 100 years ago, and are still in operation today.
This is an amazing compilation video. It's incredible that the engineers could design the loops without the help of computers or calculators. And I'm sure the construction was mostly hard manual labour. Yet both loops are still in operation more than a century later. Of course they undergo regular maintenance and extension. The trains are fantastic and the meetings were very lucky. My favourite is the last one because it's a UP train in a breathtaking winter wonderland. Awesome footage from both places Dan, thanks a lot for your efforts.
Thanks a lot Z! What you said there is exactly what I find so fascinating about mountain railroading in general. All manual labor with no computers or anything other than the mind to route everything they did 100+ years ago everywhere now. I am very happy to now have captured one in heavy winter snow at Williams Loop. Hopefully will not be the last!
You put together an entertaining video of trains at the Tehachapi Loop and the Williams Loop, Dan! I enjoyed watching the trains as they curved around the loops and over themselves. Your drone footage showed the beauty and expanse of both loops. Thank you for putting this ivdeo together and for your narration.
The surveyors that laid the routes out did from horseback and a lot on feet in the late 1800's. Tehachapi also has a lot on tunnels that were also part of the survey and definitely on feet for that. When Walong Siding was extended the hillside next to tunnel 10 was removed by earthmoving equipment and then Walong was extended further along to meet Marcel Siding which allows the sometimes very long trains to meet there. Very nice video with a excellent camera on a very good drone, along with ground shots at Cantera Loop. Many thanks Railfan Dan. 😃🤠💯
Speechless! My next layout will be a US layout with these two loops combined after finishing my Swiss model railway layout with several spirals. Thanks a lot for new inspiration!
I run this route along with the Mountain route to Sparks from Roseville. We have measured the loop at about 4800 to 4900 feet to be able to cross over ourselves. The Tunnel is numbered 34 1/2. Our monster manifests are about 10000 ft up to a maximum 13,500 ft and rarely more then that, it is literally quite easy to have our trains pass over ourselves before our cut ins
I couldn't remember about a tunnel number for the loop so thank you! Very neat you run the route, makes me wonder if I've ever chased and filmed you before. I've foamed the whole canyon quite a bit over the years. Wow over 2.5 miles at 13,500 feet!
@@TheRailfanDan Maybe! I watch your videos trying to see if you got me. Let me know if you ever want any tips or help with locations or operations at all I'd love to come with you or be chased by you some time
@@zsoren42 Well shoot thanks a lot I appreciate that! I haven't done much on Donner but the next time I'm down that way I plan to spend some good time through there and when I do I'll have to hit you up.
I’ve been through Williams Loop two times. First was on the California Zephyr eastbound in December 1956. Second was again when the CZ train 5 (westbound) was diverted over the Feather River route instead of this SP over Donner. That was in 1984. Took over 20 rolls of film on that route with most of the pics from the vestibule with the door open.
Just a shame, not enough of a complete aerial view of Williams Loop compared to Tehachapi Loop... thank you very nice video. Greetings from La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland.
Love this compilation. Kinda one of my train bucket list things to see both these loops. The original Zephyr used to take this route. Not dissin' the Donner Pass route but I think the Feather River route would've been the more impressive choice, with the Williams Loop, Keddie Wye and the canyon -- oh ya!!! I don't always leave a comment, Dan, but I assure you, I watch ALL your videos. Thank you so much for appealing to my foamer tendancies!
I 100% agree. Passengers would have a much better time through the canyon I think. I know I would! Well thanks for commenting I appreciate your support Michael! Yes feed the inner foamer!
I visited the Williams Loop back in 2019 after driving 2,800+ miles to get there........only to get completely screwed by a MofW shutdown of the line. Not a single train in daylight hours! Just my luck.
very nice presentation instead of getting caught up in the east west for BNSF @ north south for UP, where are the trains for each company heading to and coming from, Las Vegas Bakersfield Thanks very much
Great video, but I prefer to hear the train sounds with occasional voice-over, rather than have the train sounds hidden behind the music. I suppose it's difficult to lose the sound of the drone, though!
Beautiful, but... please, also add a comment on the number of engines in the consist. I love the trains however never pursued detail about them. If I see four engines in the fore and another two later plus one at the aft end, then I see SEVEN engines. Is there but one crew in the lead engine? Any way of telling which are providing power (DPU?) and which are assisting in dynamic braking. I just used a search engine for some recommendations about "trains for dummies".
I have had some friends who have rode around the loop on the Starlight in some of those emergency situations and they got some great video from the train. It was neat to see.
