The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-09-27
NEW EMPIRE AWAITS
OPENING OF TRAFFIC
ON WESTERN PACIFIC
Traffic Possibilities of Territory Far Beyond Limits of Exist
ing FacIites-Low Grades, Permanent Construc-
ton and Freedom From Snow


(By George c. Lawrence. in Railroad
Age GaZette)
Before September, 1909, there will be
In operation between San Francisco and
Salt Lake City new Pacific railroad,
the most remarkable in point Of con-
struction which has ever been built in
the west. The mere building of line
through section OF the country that
in many parts has received no addition
TO its transportation agencies since the
first Pacific road was opened. forty
years ago, would be noteworthy In
the case of the Western PACING. now
ever, a more significant feature is found
in the fact that the new line is road
of thoroughly good. standard construc-
ton, built with a view 10 the greatest
permanency and ultimate economy, re-
shifting in increased earnings, that en-
gineering skill can insure. 1T SHOWS
that the pioneer period OF railroading is
AZ an end i'm the west, and that the
transportation business in this part OF
the country has reached the same set
tied and definite basis on which II rests
in the ca stern states.
is already in operation and the COM
pleted line will be open TO traffic early
IN 1909 The need of a new line be-
tween San Francisco and the great coal
and iron territories of Utah and Colora-
do has long been felt. The whole Pacific
coast region, and particularly the fruit
and grain-growing sections of Califor-
mia. has been growing at a tremendous
rate. and the volume of both its out
nd fran afrler fire. Oh
limited only by the carrying capacity
of its transportation lines, while its
traffic possibilities have been far be-
yond the limits of these existing facili-
ties.
Three Essentials in Construction.
No doubt some of the delay in solv
ing this particular transportation prob
lem came from the belief commonly
held that it was impossible to build
road through the western mountains on
the standard of grades and general con-
struction adopted by the old and pros
porous eastern roads. Yet what was
thought impossible a few years ago is
being accomplished today.
The Western Pacific engineers had be-
fore them three essentials: low grades,
permanent construction and freedom
from snow The road most closely con-
forming to these requirements would be
most successful in accomplishing its
final purpose. The maximum grade in
no case exceeds per cent. Westbound.
the maximum is only 0.S per cent, while
for so per cent of its length the heaviest
grade is only o. per cent. AS result
Of this grade, the Western Pacific VIII
he able to haul as heavy a train over
the summit of it's line with one locomo-
tive as the best of other existing lines
handles with two. effecting a very i'm
portant saving not only in the cost Of
operation, but in maintenance and cost
of equipment as well.
The Importance of so building road
that IL need be built but once has been
strikingly taught by the later expert
ences of the older Pacific lines. 1t has
been necessary in recent years TO spend
great sums on them in reducing grades,
strengthening bridges. eliminating
curves and in other respects reaching a
condition of increased efficiency and in
creased earnings. This. of course, is no
reflection on the creators of the earlier
Pacific roads. When these lines were
pushed across the continent the build
ing of any kind of road through the I'M
settled western country was a remark
able feat Financial success was prob
lematical If the roads had not been
built cheaply and hastily they could not
have been built at all. But now the sit
uation is very different. The builders
of the road have felt no doubt that
there was going to be enough traffic for
it, the wisdom of the most improved
and most permanent form of construc-
ton has been demonstrated, and the
best location, both from an engineering
and from traffic viewpoint. has been
indicated by years of investigation of
routes and resources. The builders OF
the Western Pacific have been fortunate
in that they were able to profit by the
accumulated experience of forty years
of Pacific railroad operation
Has No Snowsheds.
The Western Pacific will have no
snowsheds Throughout the whole line
the cost of keeping the tracks clear
from snow, the cost of operating snow
plows and the loss from traffic delays
will be reduced TO an extent that will
remove these items from comparison
with other Pacific roads.
Another advantage in eliminating
snowsheds which will be keenly appre-
ciated by passengers who have suffered
the monotony of riding through mile
after mile of these structures, is the
unobscured view from the car windows
In the nature of the case. snowsheds
usually are placed on those portions OF
the line where the view IL unobscured
would be most attractive. The absence
of them on q road that traverses some
of the most beautiful and unusual seem
ic regions of the continent viii doubt
less recommend it to travellers,
II is possible to obtain detailed figures
on the traffic yielded by the regions
which the Western Pacific reaches. Ir
California the road touches or crosses
the counties of Lassen, Plumas, Sierra
Nevada, Butte, Placer, Yuba, Suffer
Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Clara
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano
These counties include the portions OF
the Sierra, the valley and the bay re-
gions directly tributary to the road II
addition, it's connections in the south
will open to it the San Joaquin valley
embracing the counties of Fresno
Kings, MADEIRA, MERGED, Stanislaus, Tu
lare and Kern. the trade of which
passes naturally through Stockton.
In the year 1906 the products of these
counties shipped o1t of the state in
Guided 4,7S1. 900 boxes of fresh fruit
11s.519.000 pounds OF other orchard and
garden products. 100000 gallons o.
wine and brandy, 1862, 900 pounds o.
wool, and Loco. 900 bushels of grain, be
sides dairy and poultry products il
large amounts.
These figures do not represent the en-
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