The daily sentinel., 1910-08-16

With the announcement that the
Western Pacific will begin regular
passenger train service next week, the
Gould lines TO the Pacific are COM
pleted and Grand Junction becomes
an important point on the longest
east and west one-man system of
railroads in the country.
All Western Pacific traffic will
pass through Grand Junction, making
this city an important center of
greater magnitude than ever before.
History of New Line.
The new line is 921 miles long and
has been in course of construction
since September, 1905. The work
was carried on actively from both
Salt Lake and San Francisco ends
and the rails We're connected in No,
vember, 1909, since which time
freight trains have been operated
continuously over the new line in
order to prepare the roadbed for pas
senger train service.
With the completion of the line
and the Inauguration OF passenger
service by the Western Pacific on
Monday, Aug. -. 1910, Salt Lake
City and San Francisco become the
termini Of a new and most important
trans-continental line, this being the
third to enter the Golden Gate city
By reason of this new and direct eX-
| tension of the Rio Grande, Denver,
all Colorado and Utah becomes near
er and more intimately connected
than ever before in all social and
trade relations with the Pacific coast
and the important systems of the
Burlington Rock Island and Missouri
Pacific are furnished direct and
independent outlet through the trans
montane country to the Pacific coast.
The new line is one of the most
notable examples of engineering in
the world, and is especially distinct
i've in its uniformly low grades and
elimination of curvature. East or
west bound the maximum grade is /
per cent or 50 feet to the mile. and
| in westbound movement for so per
cent of its entire length from Salt
| Lake City to San Francisco the heav-
lest gradient to be overcome is only
4-10 of I per cent, or about 20 feet
TO the mile. The maximum curve
used is 10 degrees, and in only a
few cases do the curves exceed E de-
grees.
| Low Elevation Line.
Another remarkable feature about
this new line is the fact that it crosses
| the Sierras at an elevation of 81 !
feet. which is . 2,535 feet. or approx
imately half a mile, lower than the
| Sierra crossing of any other railroad
An extraordinary feature, which will
be appreciated by travellers and rail
way men alike. is the fact that be-
cause 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 en-
tire line.
There are forty steel bridges on
the line, aggregating in length 9,261
| feet. There are forty-three tunnels,
with a total length of 45,494 feet.
On the western slope of the Sierras,
in ord der to maintain a light and uni
form grade. thee rising IL feet.
loops itself within one mile, which
forms one of the wonderful engineer
ing 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 81 pounds to the yard.
Its modern stations are exceptionally
attractive and commodious. Its pas
senger coaches are all-steel and cleo
| trio lighted throughout The sleep
ing cars are the latest and best of
Pullman make.
From a scenic standpoint the West
ern Pacific is said to rival its spon-
sor, the well-known Rio Grande.
THE Scenic Line of the World" a
considerable portion Of the line is
| through the Sierra Nevada noun
tains, and in one place the railroad
follows the Feather river through a
picturesque canon for distance of
more than 90 miles.
Coincident with the Inauguration