Imperial Valley press., 1913-01-03

In its splendid annual, just out, the
San Diego Union says
Considerable more work than many
people of San Diego realize has been
done on the construction Of the san
Diego and Arizona railroad, which
means 50 much to this locality by CIV.
inG q direct railroad connection with
the east and entire southwest.
Altogether so miles of track has
already been constructed. At the San
Diego end there is 40 miles of track
extending from this city to point in
J Mexico known as Vale Redondo. Be-
yond this point 10 miles Of roadbed
j has been graded and made. ready for
the laying of ties and rails. This ex-
tends from the far end of Vale Re-
dOndo to the Dupee property neaf Te
cate valley.
/ The other 10 miles of track has been
laid at the east end Of the road, having
perial valley. This stretch Of com
pleted road runs west from Seelcy,
passing through Dixieland At Seeley
it connects with branch line of the
Southern Pacific railroad.
The distance from san Diego to
lSeeley over the surveyed line is i39
,f y, Il
graded there is only 10 miles more of
grading work to be done.
Practically all of the rights of way
have been secured on the main line.
Terminal property and rights of way
IN The city also have been secured.
The terminal facilities are the best
to be had in San Diego and cannot
be duplicated. 1t includes wharf
franchise at the foot of Thirteenth
street west Of the Benson Lumber
Company's yards, where the railroad
plans the construction Of wharves and
docking facilities which will be supe-
rlor to anything in this section and
furnish the best of accommodations
for the transportation Of commerce to
and from the southwestern states and
Mexico.
The San Diego and Arizona railroad
is being built on the very best pos.
slble lines. The grades are extremely
low and the curvature is very slight.
The maximum grade over the entire
line will be Ia per cent. meaning a
rise of but IA feet to every 100 feet
OF track. Taking into consideration
the two features of low grade and
light curvature, it will be the best and
most easily operated Of any railroad
over the mountains.
These features mean better service
Tor passengers, as trains can be operat
ed at hign speed, and it will mean
great deal to the operating company
on account of the low cost of opera
tion. not only in handling the passen-
ger traffic. but in the maintenance Of
its freight service. The latter point
especially appeals to the railroad men.
Over the low grades and slight curves
one engine can pull great many more
cars than on a road where the grades
are sleeper and the curves more
acute.
The construction is of the heavies.
and most permanent nature. In the
level country 75-pound steel rails are
being used, and in the mountains 90
pound rails are bing laid. The ties.
made Of split redwood, are of an un
usually large size. They are 7 bv
inches, which is larger than either
the American or English standard. The
American standard is by inches
and the English standard by or
= by inches. The best kind of rock
and gravel ballast is being used on
the rOauuc,. and nothing is being over
looked in the way Of securing perfect
drainage. The largest bridges are built
OF steel and concrete, while the small
ones are constructed Of creosoted tim
bers and are finished with rock and
gravel ballast deck. The tunnel en-
frances are faced with block granite
and strongly reinforced on the inte-
rOr.
Engineers and railroad men Of wide
experience have inspected the work al