SP 8880 roars up the heavy grade at the west end of Magra, CA, in the heart of the climb up Donner Pass's western slope. The sides of the rails show the tremendous amount of sand that's been used here to get adhesion. The combination of the steep incline and multiple curves put tremendous stress on the locomotives.
The EMD SD (special duty) series are a strong and reliable kind of locomotive which still serve America's rails today. They have proved themselves reliable by clocking in several million miles of freight service over several decades.
