The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-27
AN ENGINEERING feat
DEDICATION OF HARRIMAN's GREAT
OGDEN-LUCIEN CUTOFF.
New Line Is - Miles on Land and 30
Miles on Trestle and Fill-Ins
Across Great Salt Lake.
WILL SAVE 100000 A YEAR
AND RESULT IN PARTIAL DIsUSE OF
147 MILES OF OLD TRACK.
Many Prominent Railway officials i'm
the Party That Inspected the
New Line Yesterday.
WILL SAVE 100000 A YEAR
AND RESULT IN PARTIAL DISUSE OF
147 MILES OF OLD TRACK.

One hundred and two miles of track, COM
posing what is known as the Ogden-Lucien
cutoff across Great Salt lake, was for
mally declared completed yesterday and
made part of the Hartman system. The
dedication Of this track, which has cost the
Southern Pacific many millions. but which,
IL is estimated, will result in a saving of
more than $4,000 yearly in operating ex-
penses, as well reducing the running
time between Ogden and the Pacific coast
by two hours, was the occasion of the as
sembling of fifty of the most prominent
railroad officials in the country. The party
making the trip of inspection over the
tracks leading across the waters of the
Great Salt lake was headed by E. H. Har-
riman, president of the Southern Pacific.
With him were the heads of practically
all the lines forming the great transcont
mental system known as the Hartman
lines. The party included II. g. Burt, pres
ident OF the Union Pacific Fourth Vice
President j. Kruttschnitt, of the Southern
Pacific; President A. j. Earring, of the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul. President
David Wilcox, OF the Delaware & Hudson;
Vice President j. n. Faithorn, of the Chi
cago Alton; Second Vice President j. T.
Harahan and General Manager j. F. Wal
lace, Of the Illinois Central General Iraf-
fic Manager Stubs, of the Hartman lines;
General Manager w. A. Gardner and Third
Vice President III. r. Mccullough, of the
Chicago & Northwestern; Chief Engineers
Hood OF the Southern Pacific, Berry of the
Union Pacific, and Carter of the Chicago
& Northwestern; General Manager Ray
mond Dupuy, of the st. Joseph & Grand
Island; General Manager G. w. Holdredge,
of the Burlington; Vice President H. E.
Huntington he
dent A. L. Mohler. of the Oregon Rail-
way and Navigation Company; Assistant
Traffic Manager B. Campbell. Of the Har-
riman lines; Vice President and General
Manager w. II. Bancroft, of the Oregon
Short Line. and representatives of the
passenger and freight departments of near
ly all the lines interested.
The last spike marking the completion
of the cutoff was driven several days ago
at point on the fill nearly opposite the
place where, thirty-four years ago was
driven the golden spike that closed the
gap between the lines Of tn, Union and
Central Pacific railroads on Promontory
who witnessed that ceremony accompa-
MEL the railroad officials yesterday in the
formal trip of inspection over the new
track which ultimately is to throw out of
use 147 miles of the most difficult and ex-
pensive railroad in the transcontinental
| system. The special train carrying the rail-
road 70 ,S officials and guests left Ogden about
~ o'clock on its trip over the cutoff. Sew
eral hours were spent in looking over the
| new tracks.
Last night President Hartman and other
officials continued west from Lucien, New
to make official inspection of the i'm
provements that have been made in the
road between that point and Reno. New.
| Several million dollars has been spent on
] the system across Nevada. involving a
practical rebuilding of hundreds of miles
| of road.
The Ogden-Lucien cutoff is 1O2 miles in
| length. Y miles on land and 30 miles on
trestle work and films over the water of
the Great Salt lake. 1t presents a prac-
| tically level track, except for a short dis
lance on the west end near Lucien, New,
| where slight grade is encountered The
| use of the cutoff will throw out of trans
continental traffic the old line from Ogden
| to Lucien. New, around the north end of
| Great Salt lake This stretch of track,
| LAT miles in length, is one of the most diff
| cult and expensive of the Hartman sys-
| Promontory hill, is 104 feet to the mile and
help-engines are necessary. The elimina-
ton of this trackage from the overland
| traffic Will thus mean saving OF more
| than $500 day in the sctual operating
| expenses, and 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 engineer
/ ing feat The plans were completed after
| Mr.. Huntington's death, and the surveys
| were approved by E. H. Hartman when
he obtained 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
completely cleared and the floor and lons
| railing of the trestle completed to-day, blu,
| work the films at either end of the
| 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