Trona Railroad: Home of Southern Pacific Tunnel Motors

[@1100jts]

Great video! I live in Kansas and we have a short line railroad called the KYLE that still uses Southern Pacific Tunnel Motors. They have seven SD45T-2's, and five of them are still wearing their Southern Pacific paint schemes (with small patches that mostly go unnoticed). The line also runs into Colorado.

[@soaceba]

Keepin the SP alive!

[@brentmiller3951]

My father started working for Southern Pacific in the early 70" s doing teletype and other clerk duties .He also would close 3 trestles on the coos bay line .It was on the Oregon coast .Since the train did crew change at the depot in coos bay or would have to slow to a crawl coming over the bridges that gave me plenty of opportunities to ask if I could ride on the train while he ran ahead to open the trestles. My first ride was in 82 and my last was in 94 right before I graduated high school. I wish I would have taken more pictures. As most children I had no idea how privileged I was to get to do such things. One of my favorite rides was in the caboose with some maintenance guys that were dead heading .They were playing cards and even let me try .

[@shootisttx15]

Man, around 2:15, those locomotives were really rocking!

[@70humdinger94]

Looks like that 2002 unit got some bad springs in it to rock so much. Almost looks like it's going to topple over any second now. The other units look pretty steady.

[@robertgarrett2290]

Great video!! All there is to see are the SD’s, the clear blue sky

[@nedseagoon2826]

Tunnel Motors, The SD45T-2 And SD40T-2 The term tunnel motors was a nickname describing the SD45T-2 and later SD40T-2 built during a nearly ten-year period starting in the early 1970s. The idea began as a test by Electro-Motive and Southern Pacific to solve an overheating issue. Engineers from both companies tried several different ideas to reduce, and hopefully eliminate locomotives from overheating inside the long tunnels and snowsheds found along the Southern Pacific's main line in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and Nevada. Ultimately, they determined that by merely moving the air-intakes near the bottom of the carbody to draw in cooler air would solve th eissue and the idea proved successful. Later, Rio Grande used the same concept on a large order of SD40T-2s, which was also purchased by SP. Today, many of these units remain in service on various shortlines and regionals. These locos are not even fifty years old. In Sydney, we have C class doing similar mineral haulage with coal. I think they will last forever

[@stampycatfan01lol]

ned seagoon and that is why I really need to move to Australia.

[@Edyth_Hedd]

Great video! Nothing I like better than California desert railroading.

[@MBTrains1205]

Awesome video! Railfanning the Trona RR is one of my to dos whenever I get out to California!

[@seanycarr3226]

You might think that the Trona Railroad is California's answer to Union Pacific's Troy Grove sub to the silica sand mines in Troy Grove, Illinois.

[@JohnBachofer]

Very nice to see that these old timers found a new home.

[@diesellocomotivefan5400]

Really nice, get to see those Locomotives really work. Thanks...

[@AlexTrain5249]

THAT RS3L’S ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!

[@skimastersam]

That’s quite the ride for that conductor on that first shove move!

[@jackcapewell4373]

Crazy how they still using them so happy

[@jasonpeachrick2037]

Something that I would love to see replicated on model railroads is the rocking back and forth at 2:15.

[@judpowell1756]

one of the last if not the last of dozens of mineral railroads in the CA/NV area.....miss the big Baldwins they used to have

[@dadnyfur]

Talk about weathered locomotives! This is a great place to visit for any rail fan. You can't help but to notice the many burned out houses in Trona!

[@jacobruiz97]

Some of the last operational SD40Ts in existence

[@alfyxgames2271]

Beautiful video

[@awesomestudios2177]

I find it amazing how people can maintain these old trains. The UP may be easier but the SP that's a hole over story. Those ex SP units are very old.

[@esequias_c_oliveira]

Very good video, congratulations !

[@bobbysmith683]

Sweet...great video except for the wind...but still enjoyed it. 😯🎯❤👍

[@trainknut]

Oh god it's so beautiful! if only they painted them and gave them back their light packages, then this would be the perfect railroad.

[@tjtrainzCSX]

The Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad (ATN) between Birmingham & Gadsden, AL uses Ex. SP SD40T-2s as well

[@AgrarfilmeNorddeutschland]

Great, thanks for posting!

[@MarylandAreaRailfan]

Very cool railroad! Love the location!

[@gauge5546]

Pretty sure the CMQ in Maine has a couple old SF and UP's running.

[@caad3333]

I saw a train with 7 engines and counted 108 4 bay hoppers. wow... JJ

[@TheCrashmastah]

not bad catches ive never seen an SD40T but i should go there if i have the money to fly so i can railfan

[@tommybritton9273]

How have I missed this

[@tomriggle3217]

That thing rocks so much the engineer will fall asleep

[@MartyJM01]

Is this all still working or long gone? Great video by the way 🙂

[@nedseagoon2826]

Searles Valley Minerals Aerial view of a huge mineral processing plant near Death Valley in Trona, California. flic.kr/p/qLiWoF Brines from various depths (ranging from 20 to 500 ft.) below the lake bed of Searles Lake (seen in the upper right) are highly concentrated with naturally occurring minerals. These brines, which are 10 times saltier than sea water, are pumped to 3 processing plants in this valley and are used to produce borax, boric acid, soda ash, and several other commercial products. The Trona Railway Corporation, a short-line railroad owed by Searles Valley Minerals, transports the products 30 miles to connect up with the Union Pacific Railroad system. The products produced here are used in the manufacture of detergents, glass, paper, and other products. Minerals have been extracted in this valley since 1873.

[@alejandrobarraganlopez3231]

Great video !!!!!!

[@soaceba]

The SP lives on!

[@davebolyard6808]

Hi I like SP I could watch them over and over I am guessing there are more SP videos to watch I wish I knew where they are thanks Dave

[@SonicMonumentStudios52]

I 💕 Tunnel Motors!!

[@railbus5]

They used to run Baldwins up until the early '90's if this is the same Trona RR as I have a tape of.

[@cadespencer6320]

It is the same

[@Nicola636128]

Cool video.

[@spacecalander]

They probably got them pretty cheap. Do not know if they can continue to use non tier 4 locos in california. Love the tunnel motors. Sac museum has one now.

[@TFN5459]

They can, short lines are exempted from the rules I believe. The main problem with the 40T's and 45T's is not their engines but their steps. The steps on the long hood are vertical due to the flat read end (as opposed to standard EMD angled ends) which are deemed unsafe and thus they can't be used for switching operations.

[@alphaking1994]

Of course they can. I saw a BNSF train which looked liked to me a GP60 and another unknown unit was leading a local train by my house and I still see UP SD70Ms in California all the time. Class I RRs can use the non-tier 4 compliant units.

[@alphaking1994]

I believe you're wrong on that.

[@erict5234]

Tier 4 is not an issue, until the locomotive has to be rebuilt...

[@kenkramer6529]

Nice!

[@artmchugh5644]

Kind of the middle of nowhere, how far are they from fuel ?????😊😊😊😊

[@scax859]

That horn on the first SD40-2 was a K3LA, right? I don't think i've ever seen an SD40 with a K3. Very nice video!

[@appalachianrails]

All of the SD40s UP still owns have K3s.

[@scax859]

Oh wow.. I also have never seen an SD40-2 pass through here either lol they're extremely uncommon in my area

[@JP-dj2ro]

Those cars at the end is it ballast hoppers?

[@jeffreyknoop5363]

NYS&W....we still have at least 2 or 3

[@SnowSniper678]

I wonder where their kodachrome is TRC 2003

[@bob123601]

the kyle railroad in kansas and colorado also uses them

[@AlexEAE]

Hi. I've watched this video 5 to 6 times cause I like the engines and the scenery which is so different to germany. If you want to have a look to german railroading. Look here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZCygYaMgNuXj5Y At 2:00 is a scene with heavy smoke during braking for a red signal. Have a nice sunday!

[@SLORailfanning]

Where is the spot at 22:30 ?

[@appalachianrails]

Well.....the number of Trona videos have gone to none to quite a bit recently....lol.

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

When I found out Trona had Tunnel motors I had to come see it

[@GTRailFanProductions]

So in your description, the operations they do that you explain in the description, is every weekday correct?

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

GT Rail Fan Productions everyday except sunday

[@GTRailFanProductions]

California Rail Productions™ cool. Also I noticed some of the SP Tunnelmotors haven't been used a lot lately. Is there any left with SP Markings still on it or are they all faded? Did they get rid of them? And also isn't their a local in Phillsburg KS?

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

GT Rail Fan Productions all SP markings are gone, and i have never been to Kansas so i cant answer that

[@GTRailFanProductions]

California Rail Productions™ darn it. I see they got some BN SD40-2s also. Are those common. I want to see fallen flag power, I don't want to see the G&W Corporate Paint Scheme. If I visit, I'll be visiting from PA so I want to make sure it's worth while.

[@SLORailfanning]

@@GTRailFanProductions 2005 and 2004 still have faded speed lettering on them. 2005 has red "SP" letters on the front

[@scoobycarr5558]

When did Trona become a railroad? I thought Southern Pacific operated this line until the late 1980s.

[@michaelball760]

I work for Trona railway, the railroad started in 1913 and was never owned by anyone else except the plant in town.

[@aviationworld3858]

What is all the "ticking " or "spitting " sounds we hear form the locomotive? Is that the compressed air being dried?

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

I believe so

[@hawaii1987]

Spitter for the air. Sometimes you can see mist when it's wet outside or when it's cold.

[@aviationworld3858]

Why does it spit ?

[@hawaii1987]

Mike Hamel Condensation builds up in the air lines naturally. Condensation causes rust in the steel lines which will weaken them over time. In colder environments the condensation can freeze and cause the brakes to not work. Truckers will use rubbing alcohol to make the water evaporate in their air lines.

[@aviationworld3858]

Oh ok. Thanks for the info. I always wondered why sitting trains make those noises.

[@MrFilmfan100]

What are "tunnel motors"?

[@thekman760]

Were is that RR located

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

Trona, CA in the Mojave Desert

[@kdtrproductions4983]

SD40-2Ts

[@brandontran5910]

In the 21:12 what highway or state route is that?

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

Highway 395

[@Ds3211995]

How often does trona run its trains?

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

once a day

[@SnowSniper678]

UP should of sent their tunnel motors to Trona when they retired them not "scrap" them

[@jeffdemition2308]

it has a blood nose paint scheme but no southern pacific in sight i mean it makes sense cause the only blood nose paint scheme locos are from sp

[@Hunter_Dawso]

Doesn't Trona Railroad have an SD40R in Kodachrome colors?

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

yes they do

[@Hunter_Dawso]

California Rail Productions™ Did you end up seeing it at all?

[@mikehawk2003]

is the unit at 12:08 a sd35? #2002

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

The Platypus Citizens Channel no, Trona has only SD40 and SD45-2T's

[@Hunter_Dawso]

California Rail Productions™ aren't they technically SD40R's?

[@CaliforniaRailProductions]

The former Union Pacific ones are, but not the Southern Pacific

[@Hunter_Dawso]

California Rail Productions™ I just looked at a roster on rrpicturearchives.net and at the least, TRC 2002 is still designated as an SD40R.

[@SnowSniper678]

They have 2 sd40's except the kodachrome sd40 is hidden away as a switcher

[@mahdiarsa3164]

32:33

[@alexanderson3602]

Trains

[@ericposey3782]

Them Southern rock cars are out of place, all the way in California.

[@trainlover1017]

Check mine please

[@Chasingrail]

Nice!