Sherman Hill Number 3 Track (AKA Harriman Cutoff) In Both Directions

[SPer]

In 1953 the Union Pacific built the Harriman Cutoff to replace the Sherman Hill line. Was the new line used for trains in both east and west for freight and passenger trains.

[Deggesty]

Track 3 up Sherman Hill supplements tracks 1 & 2.  It was built to reduce the westbound grade for freight trains; it is just about 10 miles longer than tracks 1 & 2. Its primary use is by westbound freights--but in June of 1974 at least one trip of Amtrak #5 went up on that track (I was on #5 that day; all my other trips over Sherman have been on track 1 or track 2).

 

[timz]

There are pics of pre-Amtrak westward passenger trains on Track 3. No eastward, of course.