The La Jara chronicle., 1910-08-26
THE WETSERN PACIFIC

| Gay, OF passenger service, dltcu-
tion is particularly directed to the
route of the new Western Pacific
Railway, the Pacific Coast exten-
sion of the Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad from Salt Lake City on
to San Francisco.
/ The new line is 92l miles long
and has been in course of con
struction since September, 1905.
The work was carried on actively
from both Salt Lake and San
Francisco ends. and the rails were
connected in November, 1909,
since which time freight trains
have been operated continuously
over the new line in order to pre-
pare the roadbed for passenger
train service.
With the completion of the lin"
and the Inauguration of passenger
service by the western Pacific on
Monday, August 22nd, Salt
Lake City and San Francisco be
come the termini of new and
most important trans-continental
line, this being the third to enter
the Golden Gate City. By rea-
son of this new and direct exten
sion of the Rio Grande, Denver,
all Colorado and Utah become
nearer and more intimately con
nected than ever before in all so
cial and trade relations with the
Pacific Coast, and the important
systems of the Burlington. Rock
Island and Missouri Pacific are
/ furnished a direct and independ-
ent outlet through the trans-mon-
tanic country to the Pacific Coast
The new line is one Of the
most notable examples of engineer
ing in the world, and is especial
ly distinctive in its uniformly low
grades and elimination of curva-
ture. East or weSt-bound the
maximum grade is l per cent or
% feet to the mile, and in west
bound movement for so per cent
OF the entire length from Salt
Lake City to San Francisco the
heaviest gradient to be overcome
is only 4-lOths of l per cent or
about 30 feet to the mile. The
maximum curve used is 10 de-
grees, and in only few cases do
the curves exceed degrees.
Another remarkable feature a
bout this new line is the fact that
it crosses the Sierras at an eleva-
ton of 57l2 feet, which is 2535
feet, or approximately half mile
lower than the Sierra crossing of
any other railroad. An eXtraor-
binary feature, which will be ap
preciated by travellers and rail
way men alike, is the fact that
because of the low altitude and
the consequent absence of snow
there is no necessity for the use
of snow sheds, and not one exists
on the entire line.
There are forty steel bridges
on the line, aggregating in length
1851 feet. There are forty-three
tunnels, with a total length of
5,494 feet. On the western slope
of the Sierras, in order to main
tain a light and uniform grade,
the line rising Al feet, loops it
self within one mile, which forms
one of the wonderful engineering
features of the new road.
The line from start to finish
has been constructed regardless
of cost. Its roadbed is perfectly
ballasted, and its rails weigh 50
poAhds to the yard. Its modern
stations are exceptionally attrac
tive and commodious. Its pas
senger coaches are all-steel and
electric lighted through out
The sleeping cars are the latest
and best Of Pullman make.
From scenic standpoint the
Western Pacific is said to rival
its sponsor, the well known Rio
Grande, 1.-The Scenic Line of the
World" A considerable portion
OF the line is through the Sierra
Nevada Mountains, and in one
place the railroad follows the
+. ather River through a pictur
esque canon for distance OF
moro than 90 miles.