The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-20

one Of the most important pieces
OF railway construction work ever un-
dertaken in this country has just
oeen finished by the Great Northara
railway which double tracked four
teen miles of its main line from Java
to Summit, Mont. at the very cres, Of
continental divide. in the heart
OF the Rocky mountains. This work
which cost $780, 900 was begun Oc-
tober l, 1903. During the two years
1t took to do this work there were
as many as 1900 men on the job at
one time and never were less than
500 engaged.
Not only has a double track been
built. but the old line practically was
rebuilt in order to reduce curva;ures
n improve the grades. a striking
Natures is shown by the fact that in
taking out the curves in the old line
n new track has crossed the for.
mer route fifty-eight times III the
fourteen miles Of construction.
n contract called for 0 1000
yards of grading and 100000 yards
OF ballasttng Two large cement tun-
nels were made between Fielding and
Highgate. besides these numerous ce-
ment culverts were built which are
large enough for the smaller sized
lOSOIllCllNc Cd n2S SIS
through.
h old grade was raised from one
to six feet. making an even grade
OF LIZ from Java to Summit. Four
heavy curves were eliminated within
a distance of n mile. near Fielding.
west OF the town of Skyland there is
a cliff Of rocks extending 500 feet
back from the tracks. of such for
nation that had it been blasted il
would have resulted in a slide that
would tie up traffic several weeks. In
order to overcome any danger from
this huge. threatening tower Of rocks
a mammoth cement retaining wal
vas built.
The Great Northern's yards at ia
va, Fielding and Summit were chang
ed completely as the result Of this
new construction york and at High
gate and Skyland the side tracks
were extended 500 feet. New depots
were built at Java. Fielding and Sum.
nit and water tanks OF the mos,
modern type were built at Sunni,
stand thirty feet from the ground
n are located fifty feet from the
tracks. the water being piped under
ground to stand pipes near The tracks
There are two of these tanks in each
Of the towns named.
Two miles of Java 1t was found
necessary to cut 1000 feet through
solid rock fifty feet high. This was
an expensive piece Of work. Besides
the river channel. which follow the
road bed, had to be changed In sew
eral places t protect the grading.
In this construction work the tri-
angular tie. a patent Of James ]. Hill,
chairman of the Great Northern rail.
way, was used. Ninety pound rails
with Goldte tie plates and Walhaup-
ter joints. we're laid, one-inch bolts
and six-inch spikes being used. This
material, experts declare. makes the
track the strongest west Of the Mis-.
souri, river. 6. D. Eddy of St. Paul
the work. Division Roadmaster ]
Garrity and his assistant. F. A. Lar.
son. superintended the track laying
with Division Superintendent w. r
Smith Overseeing the undertaking.
This double tracking is Of grea,
importance to traffic over the Grea,
Divide of the Rocky mountains. I,
saves four hours in the time of east
bound trains. while the improved
grading enables passenger trains to
make better time over what was pre-
viously the most dangerous and slow.
est piece Of track on the division.
1t is not the intention Of the Grea,
Northern railway to stop with the
completion of this work. The com.
pany's engineers already have plans
to continue the double track from
Java on west as far as Columbia Falls
a distance Of forty-fve miles. The
new system Of ballasting will he con
tinued as far west as Stryker. Be.
sides the double tracking the Great
Northern has had a small army OF
men at work reballasting the main
line from Summit to Cut Bank, max.
ing practically a dustless roadbed
Thrice nmiles Of new steel was laid
along this stretch over the new bal.
last.