| Show RAILWAY MENS MEN'S D DREAM EAr REALIZED U U P Work In Weber Canyon Part of ilni- ilni riman riman Plans I How tho Council Bluffs to to Ogden dream of ot a o quarter century ago was realized with completion or of 25 miles of or second tracking on the Union Pacific ID hoC lines in 11 Utah Ulah Is described In the August issue of the Union Pacific magazine an advance copy OC o which was re- re received re received In Ogden Osden today from the editor Alfred Pittman In Oma- Oma Omaha Oma-lii Oma ha The article reads rends July 10 1926 will stand sund out among the red letter In Union Pacific history It marked the end of ot tho the last lap of ot second track construction work which with the exception of ot 2500 feet across the ther North Platte budge and anti teet tunnel I I I gives elves the Union Pacific over a thousand continuous miles milts of or don dou- bin bill track stretching from Coun Coun- Council cil eJI Bluffs Iowa to Sandy 12 miles south of or Salt Lake ThIs final bit of double tracking ex- ex extends tends from Echo In Echo Can Can- Canyon Canyon yon Utah west a distance of ot 58 miles to Gateway at west westend westend westend end of oC Weber canyon The event c Is particularly not not- notable not notable able because It brought to reali- reali I Tation a a hope that has been cher- cher cherIshed by Union Pacific engineers ull iiiI executives for tor more than 25 ars It was Mr Ir Harriman who definitely planned the tho dou- dou dou double bIt ble tracking of the tha entire stretch of oC road When he acquired con con- conI con control Irol of oC the Union Pacific in Iii 1898 he hI the roads road's double track mileage reaching from Council Counell Bluffs to Gilmore totaled only 1123 3 miles With his characteristic vision he Immediately set about plan plan- plan 1 ning a systematic and substantial Increase In second track construe construe- construction tion activities s looking toward the time when there thero would be a great double tracked railroad Chicago and the Pacific coast Ills untimely death In 1909 and later changes In mil railroad road groupings made it Impossible for his entire scheme s heme to be bo realized but his as- as associates as associates and successors who shared red hI his vision continued the double tracking program pro on the Union Pacific as rapidly as condi condl- conditions conditions would allo allow until Its lis com com- The big program did not get fully r llY under way until about nos 1906 when miles of ot second track rl put Into service Ice although 1900 about 40 miles were I completed and a IL small amount was 11 lint 11 Ir Ic li 1901 and 1903 From r C 1917 rapid progress wa was wai hi hl year vear bung being Ins 1907 1901 inT n r ri l i mil m mu nf of new rn 6 Into service San M tn f a n fly nv the tho 1 Ina emit nr ef r f 1 VV T jO fl TH Ing total of or inlIne t f 1 11 d 1 was In use lse 1 and Ogden During th the Ihn 1920 1918 rift 1920 1918 Inclusive the he war ar period per rier lod iod construction work wa wax was abandoned Some Romo work w wr wn-dono wn done dono In 1921 1923 The 25 2 S 5 mlles of ot single track remaining r at the end of ot 1925 was all nil that stood In the way of ot th th- th comple lion lion or of tho program and this vs was ian an added Incentive for tor finishing the work The total distance of or 1042 miles between Council Bluffs Ia 10 and ana Sandy Utah Ulah added to the nilles hilles of ot double track over o the Chicago Northwestern between Chicago and Council Bluffs pro pro- provides pro provides vides vl-ies 1528 miles of or double track tr the lon longest est double track road In Inthe the world to be bo ed by the same lame trains In Its lis Inception the tho project was upon as a wise ilso Ise pro provision pm vision Islon for tor the distant future but the Iho urgent need for It came caine he- he be he before fore rore It coul could be completed This urgen urgency grew out of the tho rapid do- do dev de development v of ot shipping vegetable from of ot fruits and vegetables from the Pacific coast With the perfecting of oC the refrigerator car service Ice the movement of oC perish perish- perishables perishables perishables ables Increased enormously and during rush seasons the tha congestion congestion congestion tion of ot trains due duo to the single track presented an aggra problem AHEAD D OF It was to relieve this Lion tion congestion that an extraordinary effort as nas ns put forth to complete the double track Following the un- un un unusually usually heavy traffic last lat fall tall It was decided that the tho remaining stretch of second track In Echo and Weber canyons must be com completed corn com completed by September 1 I 1926 wIth wIth- wIthout with without out fall fail to take care caro of oC the tall fall movement mo of ot perishables With th this objective In Ie view the con con- construction construction con construction gangs began operations last November 10 It w was s with no little satisfaction satisfaction tion therefore that Union Pa- Pa Pa Pacific rifle engineers witnessed cl the tho trip or of the first train over o this sec sec- section sec section tion lion on July 10 fully seven weeks fore the time cont m plated In view of oC the tact that thai the urgency of ot the work was es- es especially es especially due to the need of or In- In Increased Increased In Increased creased facilities Mor or moving of ot fruit and perish perish- perishables perIshables perishables ables it Is noteworthy that the train to traverse the corn com completed unit w was s n a a pacific Fruit I 1 press train consisting of or 11 0 empties going goine to the tho Pacific const coast The final stretch of 58 B miles traverses t two 0 rock-bound rock cnn cnn- can canyons von ons formidable engineering problems at ever every ery turn MANY 1 DIFFICULTIES Among other feats teats achieved are the spanning of oC the Weber river seven coven times building 15 oth- oth othIr Ir er steel and concrete bridges over o drainage cuts culs erecting three steel and concrete structures s for or way hiel-way way Vay under crossings ani blasting and lining two tunnels with a total toul length of ot feet teet beside throwing up grades and making fills for tor the roa roadbed be i The Sc- Sc accomplishment ac accomplishment undertaking of oC under under- under under- taking laking in so short a time lime Is a athing athing athing thing rarely excelled In the history of railroad building |
