Photograph: Steve
Berlin
Made 10/18/97 , just east of Lucin, UT.
The major purpose of our Fall outing was to drive more
than 90 miles of roadbed from the original
Transcontinental Railroad, visiting historic sites along
the way. The sign at the western terminus of the
driveable section, made mostly obsolete for railroad use
in the early part of the century says:
HISTORIC CENTRAL
PACIFIC
RAILROAD GRADE 1869-1942
THE ORIGINAL GRADE OF THE
CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD (THE PROMONTORY BRANCH)
MAY BE FOLLOWED FROM HERE TO THE EAST, AROUND THE
GREAT SALT LAKE TO GOLDEN SPIKE NATIONAL HISTORIC
SITE, AND TO THE WEST ABOUT A MILE TO WHERE IT
JOINS THE LUCIN CUTOFF AND THE REST OF THE
ORIGINAL LINE TO CALIFORNIA. THE COMPLETION OF
THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD AT PROMONTORY
SUMMIT MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT IN THE
HISTORY OF THE WESTWARD EXPANSION OF OUR COUNTRY.
IT LINKED EAST AND WEST, OPENED UP VAST AREAS TO
SETTLEMENT, AND PROVIDED EASY ACCESS TO NEW
MARKETS.
THE TASK OF CONSTRUCTING THE RAILROAD WAS
ENORMOUS REQUIRING SEVERAL YEARS AND UNTOLD
HARDSHIPS. THIS 90 MILES WAS THE LAST STRETCH OF
ALMOST 800 MILES OF CONSTRUCTION FROM SAN
FRANCISCO. IT HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFICULT GRADES
WHICH REQUIRED EXTRA ENGINES TO PULL HEAVILY
LOADED TRAINS. THE LUCIN CUTOFF, CURRENTLY IN
USE, WAS COMPLETED IN 1904. IT CROSSES THE LAKE
BY TRESTLE AND BUILT UP GRADE, SHORTENING THE
ORIGINAL ROUTE BY 40 MILES AND ELIMINATING THE
DIFFICULT GRADES.
FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE CUTOFF, TRAFFIC
DWINDLED ON THE PROMONTORY BRANCH, CONSISTING
PRIMARILY OF LOCAL RESIDENTS AND LIVESTOCK. IN
1942, THE RAILS WERE REMOVED SO THE STEEL COULD
BE USED IN THE WAR EFFORT.
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