Delta chief., 1883-03-14
An Expert Report on The DeASer and
Rio Grnnse.

Rio Grnnde.
report on the condition of the Denver & Rio
Grandc railroad by 7. f. sickles, Consulting En-
gineer of the Union Pacific road is published by
the officers OF the former company, at whose re-
quest Mr.. Sickles undertook its inspection With
n special train Of locomotive and one car, ten
days OF exceptionally favorable weather were
spent in theinspection of Jos miles OF track ex-
tending from l1eadville and Denver on the north
and east, to oucharas. silverton Grand function
and Espanola on the south and west. In order to
gre an idea of the physical Obstacles overcome
In the building Of the line. Mr. sickles divides
the work OF grading into three classes, namely:
Prairie grading" which includes excavations or
embankmcnts Of earth where the cutting I'LL
ing gcncuilly did not exceed three feet In depth.
and similar TO the grading the prairies OF
southern Illinois. Average grading" which, in
the quantity OF materials moved, corresponds
with the average gmding OF r.ilruad lines run
ming east aud west through the State of Ohio and
Is assumed TO cost from three to five times as
,ttieh as prairie grading. Canon grading" which
applies TO the grading through canons and TO the
lines leading 10 table lands TO avoid canons cor
responding In character. but much heavier. than
the grnding ON the lines Of railroads crossing the
Allegheny mountains.
ON the line between. Espanola and Alamosa. ico
miles. % miles are talric grading. - average
grnding and .is canon grading. From Anioniia
sii,erton aia mile.. = prairie. ia nverage
and - miles canon grading. The line crusses the
Pines Chuma summit at cumbrcs station AT an
elevation " io,ois Zee, above tide, and passes
through the Navajo and San Juan canons and
canon Of thn AlAnnosa. The canon grading IS al
ino-t wholly in rock excavation. Large portion
Ia deep cuttings. For several miles the line fol,
lows the fhcc OF prccipltogs cliffs. the cScavn-
tion the upper side being nj points from 20 to
81 feet In depth. The grading a portion OF the
line between nuringo AID silrcrspn IS heavier
aud must have been morc expensive rer mile
than ON any portion of the Penn-ylvani OF Hal.
iinorc a Ohio railroads. PROM Pueblo 10 Lead.
vile, rs milc,. the valley of the Arkansas river
.. followed. Forty miles arr prairie grading. 81
mile. avcfngs gazing. and q miles canon Erad.
ina. TIE Royal gorge of the Arkansas Is this
line. the gndIns af which consists nf rock cnca-
vatinns aud cmba for the entire distance.
som. uf the excavations from twcni, oihirty
Rect In depth, and forthe whole twenty four miles
of canon the Trnding must have been vcry cx-
pensive. The lines north and wet srom Lead
VILE. sixty.ihrcc miles, eross the Rockies" n;
elevations Of II 80 and lo.ioo feet. respectively.
aud Involved much costly work. From salidA to
Grani Junction. 30 mscs. the line now being
tended Into Utah crpssc. the Rockies at $50
feet elevation and passes down to ounnison city.
Thence IL extend. down TO the Cunnison river
valley ,e It's confluence with Grand river.
heVcnty,Stgnt miles el this line prairie grad
ing. fpriy-ninc Of average rruding ami eighty
three canon grading. Some portions OF the canon
grading. especially in the vicinity OF the Gunui-
son and Cimnrron. required heavier work than
have seen any other railroad ia this country.
In portion of the Black canon the rad hcd is
formed by the excavation Of a half tunnel In the
perpendicular face of rocky olifi, which rises
hundreds Of feet above the tfnck. At other points
ot,cn rock excavations have been made. the cut.
ting. on the upper sidc being from my to seven
ty.er feet IN solid rock. aud more cSpcnsiyc than
the canon portions OF the line between Dunngo
and silycrion above referred ta Two hundred
and ten miles OF roai on other divisions chiefly
prairie grading. The cost OF the work, Mr. sicklcs
say. ffom the nature of the country and the labor
situation. fnusi have teen very heavy. The
bridges ti.s and nails arr gcneraiiy Of Foni char
acicr. only i5o mile of main track are laid with
iron the balance ss miles. with steel nails. The
maximum grade ON amy portion OF the road cS.
amincd Is si2 fee, per mile. except at ;hc crossing
uf the vctn pass where ihcrc Is q short grade Of
~ feet per milc, The 2i2 foo, grade ocr,ins nj
the crossing Of two submits ON the line 10 Utah
and at ihe crossing of three SUBMITS on other
inc& Il Is noticeable that in running on planes
with maximum grades the tr,in Increased Is
speed while passing around curves; the grades
having been reduced, so thni LEES power is ne
,.nircd to bnui trains over them Than IS nequirci
On langcnts. summarily stated the Dcnye2 and
Rio Grnndc railway. In It's construction, equip
mont and general appointments. compares favor
ably with now milroeds throughout the West.