Mountain Railroading

[Anonymous]

I have been to Horseshoe Curve and it is quite awesome with the grades and helpers. What other locations have mountain grades and helpers? I've seen videos on Raton Pass and Crawford Hill but know little about them. Also I would like to know if these areas are accessable now since 9/11. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Mark,
Thanks for the reply, I do have those issues.
Tracy

[Anonymous]

I guess one that I would like to see is Raton Pass. Is it very active since the merger?

[jchnhtfd]

Mark -- having ridden over Raton on the Southwest Chief (and years ago... well, that's another story!) I second your motion. There is no more exciting passenger train ride anywhere than westbound over Raton. Many places you can see the head end from most of the cars, the scenery (particularly Glorieta) is terrific and... well, it doesn't get much better than that.

[kevarc]

We don't have mountain RR'ing here in LA, but they do use helpers at times getting over the Mississippi River Bridges in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. It is kinda odd when KCS sticks a switch engine to help a train over the bridge in Baton Rouge. :)

[Modelcar]

....Tracy, a few years ago in one of my visits to Horseshoe Curve I was watching a westbound ascending the Curve and listening to the comments the engineer was making to....{don't remember who}, but it was interesting to be watching and the train was just about to stall...and it really had the engineer concerned. He was down to just a walking speed and it sure looked like he would not make it...but somehow it kept moving and he did make it....All very interesting...to be watching and listening. It was great for me...probably not for any of the railroad fellows involved.

[Anonymous]

The longest helper district in the steam era was on the Sante Fe between Needles, California (elevation 476ft) and Yampai Summit near Seligman, Arizona. This was a punishing 135 miles of 1.42 % climbing 4758 feet of elevation. Steam era helpers were also required eastbound Seligman to Crookton and Williams to Riordan at the Arizona Divide elevation 7354 feet. This is desert country and the lack of good water required Sante Fe to run water trains to replenish on line facilities. This lack of good water led to the early dieselization of desert sub divisions.

[Anonymous]

I am uncertain if one would call the line from Harbour Station-the local
Sports plex-to the Reversing Falls bridge mountain railroading but the history
of the 3+ percent grade includes helper service on Freight trains.I have never
seen helper use on the line but have seen added power called for by NBSR.
the grade is long in lenght but something to see.

We got to be proud of the nations we live
and chari***he freedom we have each day
as give phraise to our Lord for all comes
from him.

David

[dldance]

while it is certainly not Horseshoe Curve, the 3 track horseshoe on the Spanish Fork side of Soldier Summit is quite impressive - especially since US Hwy 6 bridges it. I also appreciate the rest area at the bottom of the grade.

dd

[Modelcar]

....Any mountain railroad RoW grade one can easly get to is hard to beat.....

[vsmith]

The two best mountain routes out here are also have easy access, Cajon Canyon has several access roads that allow right next to the track access, as does the Tehachapi Loop, you used to be able to drive right up to the tracks and photo the tunnel with the loop track over it, I havent been up there in a while so I dont know if its still that way.