The Sierra Nevada Mountains stand between California and the outside world. Within the 400 miles of these rugged, steep mountains, are two railroad routes. The southern route, Donner Pass, climbs to nearly 7,000' and is commonly known as the snowiest mainline route in the United States. The northern route is the old Western Pacific mainline. Following both the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Feather River, trains can navigate these mountains at a much lower elevation. In this shot, a heavy coal train glides down the gentle 1% grade along the Middle Fork of the Feather River at Sloat. A set of classic searchlight signals still guard the east end of Sloat, reminiscent of the areas rich history.
