Show obstacle-- 8 Distance was not as important as grade so the railway-officialconsidered building a line southwest from Lucln s to Salt Lake City by way of the west shores of the lake This would afford a level road and only the southwest arm of the lake would need to be crossed The scheme was given serious consideration before the Lucln-Ogdroute across the lake was selected Plains for a cut-o- ff had been made by Oliver P Huntington before his death However the actual en construction of the new road was under the direction of Edward H Harriman president of the Southern Pacific company at that time After having made complete lake soundings and surveys of the proposed new route work was begun in March 1902 20 Approach to either side of the lake vas relatively simple the real task began when the first piles were driven t August 1902 2 consists chiefly of a rock and gravel fill through the shallow lake waters Only 111 miles of permanent trestle and a 600 foot bridge at Bear River Bay carry trains over lake water Much of the fill had to be built The cut-o- ff from temporary trestles constructed on piles driven into the 18 David H Mann "Bridging Great Magazine June 1944 13 19 Salt 20 Southern Pacific Railroad Lake Tribune May 19 Salt Lake" Railroad 1901 "Historical Outline" 76 |