The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-11-01
NEW CENTRAL PACIFIC.
Summary Of the Construction Work Along the
Line.

Line.
A writer in the Salt Lake Tribune
gives an interesting description of the
construction work now being done on
tho Salt Lake division.
From Lucin to Reno line changes
are In course of construction which
will mean everything to the operating
department. At present it is impos-
sible to give the official figures, as
they will not be known until the tun-
nels are finished and all the work plan
ned is carried out. At present, however,
the line changes without the tunnels
and those contracts yet to be let rep
resent over 1926 miles of new track be-
tween Ogden and Reno, which will
save eighty-three miles in distance,
eliminate thousands of degrees of cur
vature and remove many bad grades,
thus reducing the time as well as cost
of operating trains. Great fills and
cuts are features, and in completing
this work steam shovels are seen fire.
quently. At four points neal Wells,
Toano, CARNEY and Halleck portions
of the present line will be retained,
as no improvement can be secured, and
helpers will have to be maintained at
two of these points for short distances;
but in all other cases the helpers will
needed no longer, which will greatly
increase the available motive power
as well as reduce the cost Of transpor-
tation.
In Moleen canyo there are three
fills, on curves which are well built.
Along the Humboldt river can be
seen long stretches of new track. The
line through there will be almost en-
tirely new, and what an improvement
it will be over the present track,
which, as is well known, runs up hill
and down dale and twists around
points of mountains and in and out
ia following the course of the river.
The new line is as straight as it can
possibly be made. The river is cross
cd Irrespective of expense and obstruc-
tons in the shape of hills, gullies and
mountains. are passed through with
that Indifference which is only known
to the modern engineer who is working
for the modern railroad magnate. The
reduction in grades and curves is most
marked, while the improvement to the
line can be seen at a single glance of
even an inexperienced eye.
Through the mountains in this re-
bored, a total of IL, 205 feet for the
fcu5, but they will alone save many
n lie" and curves. For instance, nc
Vivian tunnel is near Calm, and 1,9C5
feet in length. The train on the pres
emf track passed by the east portal
at right angles and after twisting and
the west portal. The horseshoe is two
miles long, but the tunnel is only 1905
feet long, so it can be readily under
stood what a saving it will be.
All along the road the work is going
on. The whole makes the most impor-
tant series of line changes yet under-
taken by a Western road, and summed
up represents a line across the Great
Salt lake, -four tunnels through the
Pequop hills, high fills, deep, long cuts,
steel bridges set on solid masonry
abutments, concrete or steel culverts
and a perfect track.
When the taiked-of tunnel through
the snow-clad-Sierras is cut through
the line from Ogden to Colfax will be
second to none in the whole region
west of the river. On the whole 1t
means that the Central overland route
is to be made into one of the most in
teresting Of all lines and it will not be
many days until the traveller can save
six or seven hours between Ogden and
a Francisco.