The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-07-30
A woNDERFuL RAILROAD.
A Grnde of Over 400 Feet to the Mile
Overcome without Cogs.

Much has been written about the construc-
ton of the mountain division of the Rio
Grande; travellers have marveled at the four
per cent. grades and the fifteen degrees
curvature of the remarkable narrow gauge
railroad, which penetrates the most rugged
canons and climbs the most lofty mountain
range of the Rockies. But nobody has ever
we'll described the wonderful little feeder Of
the Leadyille division which modestly
leaves the main line in Brown Canon, and
ascends the mountain gulches to the east
with tho steepest grades and the heaviest
curves in the world that are overcome with
the ordinary drive-wheel locomotive. Affair."
up in this range of mountain, seven miles
away, and nearly 5000 feet higher than the
bed of the canon, is the famous Calumet
mine, from which is extracted the hematite
iron ore that keeps in blast the furnaces of
the Bessemer works at Pueblo. Every
morning of the year ponderous locomotive
and small train of cars toll up this steep,
and every afternoon they make the perilous
descent to the valley loaded with iron, with
the steam brakes on the cars, the water
pressure on the locomotive drivers. and a
man standing at the brake wheel of each
car.
This is the most wonderful piece of rail-
reading in the universe. The maximum
grade is 400 feet TO q mile, or nearly eight
per cent, and the maximum curvature 25o.
The terminal of the branch Is half q mile
HIGHER thnn tha aon,p M, oa,,,a,,t T,,n<.;,,.
then the difficulty in ascending with empty
cars, and the danger in descending with load
ed ones. Still, strange though IL may seem,
locomotive cannot make the descent
unless at least five cars nre attached. The
latter are essential to provide the resisting
power for the steam brakes. Tho trip up
is snaiiish, the return is rapid, is spite of
the steam pressure which cuts the car wheels
into sparks that fly out in a constant stream
from the brakes, in spite of the reverse ac-
ton, in spite of the lavish use of the sand
pipe, and in spite of the water-brake on the
locomotive drive wheels
Some few years ago when the operation
ofthe line was commenced, runway acct
dents were of! almost daily occurrence.
The seven miles were within brief period
ptre,vn with Tho ,yrac,,o 80 :, :. a,,,s -
t;vos and ;ro,, oro Tha 49,. a;ss.,.. -
~. -.,-,-,,,
Tho line servo ,ho ,,rr,,osa a., ,sh;a,, !. ''As
constructed nav of,as Az, oa,.n., 80,
tho dao,o,,,,;,, ~, -, !, ~
foo, xvou,a ;,torforo viz, a. - -
,ho o,oor, hpal,o, IA 800, In. a. p.
in src,.,oef,, o,,aro,;o,, a. 81. ,a,,,s -
q crazv notion aud ,,o Alvin, d,,v, a. ,,,a,,,,
tain oione ,ho h,ints 80 s,ors,,, ..aa;..,sss.
.hro,,,,,, a. r,,,,, -, III -
tha ac,ta o,,rvos ,;,,o ~, 80 ,;.,..,.
The train bo,da would ,oon fov f. 90
.hen tho looo,,ot;va all -, ,n.,,1a -
dashed into fro,nonts 7, an ,hoaa o.a,
donts hovo-,or ,,o,,,a,, ,,,oa 49,, r,,,T.ss
onds and thousands 81 dollars yor,,, ~ ro,,
inc stoc,t ia said % have aaan aostro,,a,
hefoye n spccessfol svataro IF o,,orotio,, ,,o
oa,o,,,;ahoa on,v Vow fou 80 ~ ,,;,.,,o
o5i3c;ois of tho Rio Granda rool;yo ~, ~,