https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3qWhbYg10A
Can’t believe it didn’t tip over!
This is incredible to watch especially if you have an appreciation for what it took to accomplish this kind of a move over that terrain. I remember the fire in the tunnel at Island Mountain, the line is still closed because of it.
There was a lot of locomotives and rolling stock left in the Eureka area, can’t believe they spent that much money to get that one out.
Rick
Edit----- Apparently the tunnel was rebuilt and opened but the rail line is still closed today.
From Train orders dot com
“On September 6th, 1978, shortly after a northbound NWP freight train cleared the 4312 ft. Island Mtn. Tunnel, deep in the Ell River Canyon, a fire broke out in the wooden portion of the bore, ultimately destroying the middle portion encompassing some 1700 ft. Full details here in Mad Dog Chronicles #126. : http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,929824 Parent S.P. had a power shortage and decided to try to haul engines and cars out of the north-end of the railroad. I believe, barges where first contemplated but then it was decided to truck the engines out. If MDO can correct the record for any factual errors, please reply. The engines and cars were marshaled at Alderpoint, north of Island Mtn. The Island Mtn. road, a bridge and other local dirt roads were repaired and widened to accommodate the move. Bigge Crane and Rigging was hired to move the equipment. The engines were stripped of their trucks, plows and tanks and then loaded onto low-boy trailers and hauled on County Roads around the burned out Tunnel. The first images shows M-K repairing the tunnel from the southend. The second shows the preparation of the locomotive before movement. The final shot shows one of the engines navigating a bridge north of the tunnel. The tunnel was eventually rebuilt by Morris Knudsen Contractors for $11 million and reopened in December. 1980. Photos and text by Mike Pechner, Copyrighted 2012.”
Here is a link to a hike through this area (along the rail line) looks like 2014, interesting to see the leavings.