She’ll be Comin’ Around the Mountain
Historic Steam Locomotive Chugged Through Truckee
Thousands of train lovers, including many members of the Truckee Donner Rail Road Society, turned out to take in the beauty of the Union Pacific 844 Steam Engine on Friday, April 17. The 844 made its way across Donner Pass, which, according to local train devotee Nelson Van Gundy, was an incredible feat. It led to the opening of logging in the Sierra, and directly contributed to the tourist industry in our region today. The 844 was the last steam engine built for the Union Pacific Railroad, and was delivered in 1944. After a long career in passenger and freight service, the engine was saved from being scrapped and held for special service in 1960. Known by Union Pacific as the ‘Living Legend,’ the 844 recently underwent one of the most extensive steam locomotive overhauls completed in the U.S. since the 1950s. The remodel took five years, and the 844 now includes a GPS transmitter and its own Twitter page. The steam engine passed through Truckee on its way to Roseville as a part of its Western Heritage Tour, which encompassed four states in 32 days.
