Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-01
ACROSS GREAT SALT LAKE.
Work Of Building = Railroad Across lts
Surface. ~

Z Across the surface OF Great Salt Lake
Is being built railroad track. When
finished. It VIII be in many respects the
most unique piece OF roadbed in any
country. 1t is to be known as the
Ogden-Lucin cutoff and is to be part Of
the Southern Pacific system. se----zes-
From this it would seem that 1t still
remains for modern engineering to find
an insurmountable puzzle thrown upon
the earth's tumbled crust where rail-
roads cannot pass. With cog wheeled
engines crawling over Pixies Peak,
trains rumbling under the HoOsac
mountains, trolley cars whizZing under
rivers and harbOrs and spider web
tracks spinning over mountain gorges,
cascades and rapids. it is difficult to
ind wonders Of construction to amaze
the travelling public. Riding across the
surface of this most famous lake will.
however, be a novel sensation even to
the most experienced globe trotter.
Several original and highly interest
ing problems of railroad construction
have thus far developed. Unusual
methods are adopted in building the
cutoff across the great lake. and to see
Italian graders and track layers IN
boots reaching to their waists working
IKE beavers in the water is picture OF
railroad construction not often seen.
The permanent track is now laid for
a distance of about seventeen miles
from Ogden west. The shore being lib
miles from Ogden. it can be seen that
the line is already we'll out into the
water. The company intends to con-
struct a solid rOadbed in the lake as far
as shallow water is found, and the pill
ing will only be done where ii is impos-
sible to continue the filling process.
When the men nrst attempted to en-
fer what was formerly the bed Of the
lake, 1t was found that the salt crust
was a deep layer Of mud, and it was
impossible to proceed in the regular
way. To overcome this difficulty
heavy flooring was laid to the south of
the stakes set for the track centre, and
ON this was gradually built tempo
rary track for some thousand feet.
From this trains of rock We're I'M
loaded to the north, filling in founda-
ton for the permanent track. When
enough material was unloaded. the
TRACK WAS IIlobeu W IlS
location and the flooring used for fur
Their temporary track. In this way
the mud flats We're crossed. Then the
track was gradually raised, work that
is still going on.
Another difficulty was encountered in
the fact that the water is SO dense that
Everything floats. One of the labor
ers tried to prove that clowbars would
float. A solid foundation was the first
requisite, and here, too, the temporary
track comes into prominence. The
manner of building this track is
unique.
Sand in 100 pound sacks is brought
to the end of the permanent track and
loaded upon RATS. which are fioated
and poled to the front. The SACKS are
laid in the water south Of the track
centre stakes crOsswise and as many
layers deep as is necessary to raise the
top just above the water. On these
founda tons are laid II by IL inch caps
Then lengthwise are stretched by II
inch stringers. which are 30 feet long.
The ties and rails are then laid on this
temporary structure. and the train
loaded with rcck moves to the end and
unlOads on the north to fill in for per-
manent grade.
The whole line is being constructed
in the strongest and best possible
manner and when completed will be
equal to any piece OF track anywhere.
1t will be the main line of the Southern
Pacific trains between Ogden and San
Francisco. and as the company at
Ogden receives and delivers passengers
from and to all Omaha, Denver and
Salt Lake City lines it will prove to be
an interesting part-ef the overland
Journey, and large portion of the
travelling public will eventually pass
over the line. The scenery is superb,
and on account Of the lake as a natural
curiosity 1t will prove great attrac-
ton for the line.