Fighting the sierra grade up to "Dog Soldier Pass" : An ongoing struggle.

[Frenchie]

Rocks are definitely a part of the slide problem, and (would if I could or ever get to) model some of those sheds in concrete too.

FWIW, it's also interesting because a (now deceased) former D&RGW "Road Foreman" wrote a book about his experiences (from which I draw more than a little bit of this information), and he called the front plow on the locomotives (at least on the diesels) "rock plows," and not snowplows.

In fact, EMD sold locomotives with two versions of front plows in that era, and those on the D&RGW were the smaller of the two. Those on the SP were often the larger of the two...because of Donner Pass.

Yes correct, I noticed the different plow sizes.
Very visible on photos.

 

[Frenchie]

I might have asked you before, but I can't remember: Have you ever been to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum? And seen the La Mesa club's rendition of Tehachapi?

If not, you really do want to put that on your own "Bucket List."

In the meantime, there are a lot of videos on Youtube.

Yes I paid a visit in july 2010 during one of my trips through the american west. At the time they were working on the loop.