The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-27
HISTORY OF CUTOFF.
Something of the Difficulties Which
the Engineers Surm counted.

The Ogden-Lucin cutoff, which was
completed yesterday, is 102 miles in
length, 70 miles on land and 80 miles on
trestle work and films over the waters
of Great Salt lake. It presents a prac-
tically level track except for a short
distance on the west end near Lucin,
Nevada, where a slight grade is en-
countered. The use of the cutoff will
throw out of transcontinental traffic the
old line from Ogden to Lucin, Nevada,
around the north end of Great Salt lake.
This stretch of track, lat miles in
length, is one of the most difficult and
expensive of the Hartman system. It's
maximum grade, over the leng Pro
montory hill, is 104 feet to the mile and
helper engines are necessary. The
elimination of this trackage from over
land traffic means not only a saving of
more than $1,000 a day in the actual
operating expenses but also a. saving of
two hours in running time.
The original scheme for the cutoff
was a pet plan of the late Coils p.
Huntington and under his directions
Chief Engineer Hood prepared the plans
for the great engineering feat. The
plans were perfected after Mr.. Hunting
proved by E. H. Hartman when he OBJ
tanned control of the line. Actual work
on the cutoff was commenced in March,
1902, and thus the immense task has
been completed in about twenty months.
The last pile was driven during the last
week of October; the track was COM
pletely connected and the flooring and
railing of the long trestle completed,
but work on the films at either end OF
the trestle will continue for some time
and it probably will be several months
before the cutoff is Incorporated in the
overland system for all traffic.
The great work has cost the Southern
Pacific company over $4,2O0,O0O. The
cutoff runs from Ogden west for Is
miles over level country before reaching
the lake shore, then crosses the east
i Hos
to Promontory point, then 10 miles
across the west arm of the lake, thence
across the Great Salt lake desert to
Lucin, Nevada Across the east arm OF
film supporting the trestle. Near the
middle of this will be a gap of 600 feet
of open trestle work, left for the waters
of the Bear river, which flows into this
arm of the lake. Across Promontory
point runs five miles of solid rOadbed
and here difficult work was encounter
ed, a. cut of 5000 feet in length through
the sand and rock of the abrupt bluff
being necessary. On this point, one OF
the most picturesqfs around the inland
sea, a station VIII be maintained, and
surveys have been made for mann
moth summer resort. Across the west
arm of the lake is a stretch of IL miles
of trestle work with a fll-in approach
| at each end of four miles.
| In accomplishing the work of span
ming the lake one great difficulty was
encountered across the east ARM in the
sinks" or settling Of the films and
| trestle work This was caused by the
salt from the flow of Bear river haying
collected for centuries over the bottom
! of the lake and formed an insecure
| foundation for a depth of nearly q
| hundred feet 1t took thousands of tons
/ of rock and piles without number to
reach the bottom of the lake proper.
but this was finally accomplished, and
the gradual spreading out and packing
of the fill has resulted in firm road
| he'd