Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-10-15
THE cENTnAL FacIgIo nArLROAD.


The chief difficulties appreheBdsd Il
the construction Of the great railroad I,
the Pacific, high mountain crossings ant
winter snow O5sTucd0us, prove. upoI
practical tests, 60 be not at all formida
bic. The two mountain ranges have {,
be crossed at elevations Of over 1900 feet
or nearly three times the hight Of any
railroad lines hitherto built on this con
tinent. Experience shows that it is en-
tirely practicable, and that the deeI
SHOWS are not likely to prove very seriOu!
obstacles. The Central Pacific Failrosl
Of California, the western end of the
great national route, commencing a.
Sacramento ttide-water) IN 1868, co
countered, at the outset Of its career, the
mountain difficulty in its worst form
the dreaded Sierras had to be overcome
| within the first hundred miles. In No
yembeT last, heWever, it bad carried it.
track nearly to the summit, and had de.
monstrated the feasibility of the whole
mountain passage with less average en-.
| eineering resistance than the Alleghauies
are crossed, thus disposing Of one Of the
| twin fears During au unusually severe
| winter just closed, il has successfully
I operated the road as far as built, and
! could have done so over the mountains
with equal ease. II has had large work
| ing parties on the Summit pass, so as to
conyince its officers that the other fear OF
| impossible snOw-drifts is equally need.
/ less. Only three days have the trains
/ failed to make the regular trips, which
/ is far less interruption than has attended
many OF the Atlantic lines.
The whole mountain ascent and de-
| scent is now IN the hands of the con trac-
tors, snd nearly graded, developing a
| feasible and favorable line, the most dif-
6cult portion Of which is now running.
From Sacramento to Cisco Station, the
present tefminus. Is "a miles, in which
59ll Of the total 70i2 feet of ascent il
made. This portion embraces the
heaviest and costliest portion of the
work. The ascent is continuous; once
gained, it is never lost, the average rate
being 75 feet 10 the mile; the maximum,
ll6 feet to the mile, Of which there are
but 81 miles. The bulk OF the heavy
grade Is at lO5 feet to the mile, with nU-
merous level intervals interspersed.
Thirty per cent. Cnly Of the distance is
occupied by curves, none Of which have
q radius Of less than 573 feet, OF ten de-
grees. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad
has II miles, in two stretches, of ll6
feet grade, with curves OF 100 feet radius
and the Virginia Central for many wears
worked with the unsided locomotive
grades of 295 feet to the mile, and ruling
curves whose radii were 800 feet. BY
crossing from one spur and rilce 10 an
other, piercing by number OF short tUu-
nels aud deep cuts where necessary, the
line has been made available for passen-
ger trains 70 run at p miles an hour, sud
freight trains at half THAI speed The
time consumed in making the trip, in
cludiug stoppages, is six hours, with or
dinsFy engines and trains.
From Cisco to the summit most Of the
heavy rock cutting is now done. The
crest Of the ridge is pierced 10y tunnel
Of 1858 feet, the longest on the road, Of
which about 500 feet remain uncut, sud
at which men are working highland day
the week round, eXcayating at the rate
Of seven feet per day. East Of the sum
NIT the descent is much easier, the great
interior basin being elevated 1000 feet
above the sea level. 10 fourteen miles
there is a fall of a hundred feet, after
which there is a gentle slope, nowhere
exceeding forty five feet 10 the mile,
eastward toward Salt lake There are,
including the summit tunnel, fourteen
tunnels ia all 1000 feet on the portion
now grazing, twO-thirds OF which have
been cut out. The greater portion of tie
line is SO sheltered by excavations that
it will be necessary to erect sheds over il.
for two miles only, in order to shoot the
snow slides clear Of the track. Provision
is made in the larger tunnels and heavy
cuttings FOR double track, which, from
present indications, will be necessary at |
10 distant day to accommodate the grow
ing traffic. Ten thousand men, mostly
Chinese l&6oreTs, are employed on the
work, the keavy parts Of which are in
forward state, and it is confidently be- /
lieved that 10 July next the locomotive /
will be traversi1g the plains Of Nevada. |
The following table ewiii show the rate /
Of progress and the elevation above the /
ssa level; -..-.-