The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-05-19
MARVELLOUS CURVES.
Trains to Climb Four Thousand Feet
i'll Thirty-eight Miles.

Trains to Climb Four Thousand Feet
III Thirty-eisht Miles.
The new Alamogordo and Sacramento
Mountain railway, which has just been
completed from the new town of Alamo
gordo, n. NJ, to the timber belt on the
summit of the Sacramento mountains, Il
distance of twenty one miles, is probably
one OF the most remarkable miles, is prob
ably one of the most remarkable rail-
roads that have ever been constructed.
From Alamogordo, which is situated
where the vast plain of the Tularosa val
ley meets the foot of the Sacramento
mountains, its course Is nearly tangent
to the mouth of tile LA LUX canyon, but
from this point to the terminus over g.
per cent, OF its mileage is curvature and
the difference i'll elevation 300 feet.
Alamogordo being 1900 and the terminus
SOOO feet above sea level.
Half way W. the mountain the coun>
try takes such Il sudden drop off that it
is impossible to follow the course of the
stream or canyon, and the elevation is at
tanned by zigzag courses over Il rough,
rocky country where 3O-degree curves are
the rule and the tangent rare excep-
ton.
An engineer who has been accustomed
to the curvature in mountain climbing
can appreciate what this piece of road,
fourteen and Il half miles in length, with
w per cent. curvature, where 3O-degree
curves and 81 per cent grade are al
lowable, really means. The difference
between it and ordinary mountaineering
ing will he understood by the non profess
sional when it is explained that the wind
ingS usually seen OH mountain climbs are
more thai twice as close. For instance:
At one point OH the road three tracks
parallel each other within distance not
exceeding 1UUO feet The railroad world
will be interested to learn Of the prac~
ticability of such road.
Some difficulty is experienced in trying
to find suitable locomotives. Three have
already been tried, one of which is to-
tai failure, another. ''non-proven case"
but the third has done all the construc-
ton and never been off the rails. Ac-
cOrdingly, it has already been demon
strated that an engine can be made that
will operate such road. Ordinary pas
senger coaches and box cars, if we'll up
on their bearings, pass over the road
without difficulty.
Two features are essential in the con-
struction of road of this kind, viz: A
rail-bender and tie plates. The road is
designed for hauling. logs from the tim
Der belt on top of the mountain to the
large sawmill erected at Alamogordo. 1t
must not, however, be considered in the
light of lumber tram road, but is first
class is every respect; sfXty-pOund steel
is used; the roadbed is perfect, and the
curves as true as if turned out of
lathe. In fact, it has as fine q track as
any railroad in the country.
While designed almost entirely for lum-
Der or freight business, the superb seen
cry, magnificent climate and the grand
and beautiful mountains, with temper
allure equally as cool as Palmer lake or
the Hayden Divide, are going to make of
this mountain country and. Alamogordo
a resort and home for pleasure and health
seekers that will eventually afford re-
source to the road far greater than that
of it's timber long before the same is ex-
hausted:-Denver Republican,.