Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-12-27
RAILROAD CHANGES.

along the central route. The principal
error in the report is the statement
that Wadsworth will be off the main
line. The officials do not know Of such
contemplated change at this time.
When the Southern Pacific railroad
was built. those who manipulated the
project figured more for mileage. re-
CARELESS Of grade, then for rapid transit
and the shortest possible ~transcon-
tinental line.
The Central Pacific has been and Is
now considered the shortest across
country route, with It's connections, be-
tween New York and San Francisco.
Coils P. Huntington saw the necessity
of having the Central Pacific as a
part Of the Southern Pacific Company,
and realized when his company absorb
ed 1t that large expenditures would
have to be made to put the road in a
position which would make it a future
competitor for rapid transit freight.
The old Central Pacific, from Sac
ramento to Ogden, comprised TAB
miles, a line full of hard curves, severe
grades. and with a poor roadbed and
light steel. The past two years has
witnessed an era in ~railroading in which
the ultimate object in every direction
has been the effort to accommodate in
creased business-to add In every pos
sible way to the earning capacity of
the road. Freight cars that once, with
a capacity Of 40. 0 0pounds, were on
sidered large enough, have now been
displaced by steel framed lars Of lOo,-
900 pounds capacity. The small eight
wheel Rogers locomotives that four
years ago we're hauling fifteen or six
teen cars through this place are no
l1nger seen, but instead ten-wheel en-
gines and compound moguls capable
Of hauling forty-five loads over the ex-
listing grades in this section.
To permit Of these changes the
Maintenance Of Way Department had
to eliminate many distractions. Hard
grades had to be reduced, severe re-
verse curves to be taken out, a new
road-bed made, and new ties and much
heavier steel substituted. These
changes required time. and during the
past year construction work Of the kind
mentioned has been going on between
Carlin and Browns.
The selection of lines of railway is
mainly governed by the same princi-
pies that hold good for other roads,
but the cost Of rails renders it Of great
err importance to shorten the length of
of the route than to make slight saw
ings IL entertainments and cuttings.
The work done so far is Insignificant
to what is to be accomplished in the
next fifteen months.
The first gigantic undertaking will
be commenced at Browns station.
about eighteen miles west of Lovelock,
with the opening of the new year. The
line has been run and a corps Of civil
engineers are now on the ground to
start the initiatory work in breaking
ground for a tunnel through Browns
Hill. A cut was first thought to be
the best plan, but in that event an
enormous fill would be required on the
west side of the hill and as the ground
is In the nature of a cemented gravel
It was found that q tunnel could be put
through at a cost Of about SIS a foot
and a much preferable line built.
Contractors. among them Fitzpatrick
Bros. & Collins and Manager Watts
of the Utah Construction Company,
have been in this neighborhood for
some time past preparatory to putting
in BIDS for the work.
The first contract will call for four
months, work and five at the longest,