Last SP Donner Pass Signals Retired

This definitely falls into the category of a news story that fell through the cracks, but after a bit of uncertainty I can confirm that all of the remaining Southern Pacific vintage signals on the Union Pacific Donner Pass route (Roseville Sub) between SHED 10 and and WEST NORDEN have been retired and replaced by extra height aluminum signal bridges of the same type already seen between SWITCH 9 and SHED 10 and east of EAST NORDEN. This  change took place sometime in the 2020-2022 time frame with the searchlights at WEST NORDEN being the last converted.

Donner Pass Phase 1 replacement gantry at MP 173 in 2017

Although this development was not entirely surprising, the surviving SP signal locations, with the exception of WEST NORDEN, used Safetran CL-20 modules in a target configuration and had PTC antennas mounted on the steel lattice signal bridges. Although not part of a PTC project, it is likely that UP desired to replace the relay based signal logic and simplify maintainer access. In total 5 automatic locations and WEST NORDEN interlocking were affected.

WEST NORDEN was the former location where the old 1860's main track #1 split from the later main track #2 with the interlocking being completely covered in a snow shed. After the completion of the first phase of Donner Pass re-signaling in 2017 it was the only remaining set of searchlights on the entire Donner Pass route (US&S H-2's)

If there can be any consolation it is that the steel lattice signal bridges themselves have remained in place due to the inaccessibility by road cranes. In face, some of the phase 1 locations left the searchlight heads turned in place.  

Unlike phase 1, phase 2 replaced the old SP locations on a 1 for 1 basis with most locations remaining the same except for the Milepost 181 automatics which have been removed in their entirety, creating a single 3.2 mile block where a 2.0 mike and a 1.2 mile block had existed before. In addition the the Vader type signals were moved off the westbound SHED 10 lattice gantry and replaced with masts at the mouth of the snow shed 450 feet to the west.

I finally got confirmation of this sad development due to media posted of the 2023 Donner Pass rotary plough training run so if you search out media of that event you can likely catch sight of some of the converted signal locations..