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CASTLE GATE

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Posted by MidlandMike on Sunday, August 21, 2016 10:46 PM

daveklepper

Whatever justification there was for this destruction vanishes for me upon learning that my memory was incorrect about it being for an interstate.  When I studied Transportation Planning with Professor Ballbaugh at MIT in the first half of my Senior year in 1952, we learned that three-lane highways with center passing lanes were the most dangerous highways around, so dangerous that Massachusetts had a well-funded program to convert what  could be converted to four lanes and to reduce the rest to two.

They could have put in a tunnel.  And was the Thistle landslide the Eternal's retaliation for a truly vandalizing highway department destroying one of the Eternal's artistic creations?

...

The Google Earth image shows the highway has a NB single lane, and SB with passing lane.  There is a solid yellow line seperating the two directions of travel.  No center passing lane. 

As I recall, the Castle Gate escarpment was over 500' high, so you would think a tunnel would be less effort than removing a mountain of rock.  There is probably more to the story than we can guess.

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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, August 22, 2016 9:36 AM

1.   Regardless of the reason, there was no possible excuse for this act of vandalism.

2.  The Castle Gate in the photo and now the preoperty of Gilford-Pan Am is a lightweight.  I would imagine it was built originally for the candelled Chessie streamliner and then soled to the D&RGW.   Still, it would be nice if Pan Am would recognize its heritage, restore its name, and equip it with a photo of the once-upon-a-time miracle landmark.

The car I rode in on the Chicago - Colorado specials was a six-wheel-truck Pullman-green steel heavyweight, air conditioned of course, but probably not originally. I think no vestibules or traps, possibly one side door for loading supplies.  Pure lounge car, finished in English Club fine-woods style.  Anyone know its history and disposition?

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Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 9:44 PM

Castle Rock, Wyoming, near Green River stood in the way of I-80, but fared better than its Utah counterpart.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/61808937?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com

Map:

http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=41.5319&lon=-109.4650&z=16

 

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Posted by ouibejamn on Thursday, August 25, 2016 7:57 PM

dakotafred
 
daveklepper

Was there any outcry from environmentalists or anyone when this took place?

 

 

Too long ago, Dave -- same decade that saw Penn Station torn down.

People have learned something since then -- or their sensibilities have merely changed -- and now, if possible, we have gone too far in the other direction. But Castle Gate does make one shake his head. It seems such a no-brainer.

 

Anybody who objected to this back then you would have considered "Environmental Wackos".

RME
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Posted by RME on Thursday, August 25, 2016 8:33 PM

daveklepper
When I studied Transportation Planning with Professor Ballbaugh at MIT in the first half of my Senior year in 1952, we learned that three-lane highways with center passing lanes were the most dangerous highways around, so dangerous that Massachusetts had a well-funded program to convert what could be converted to four lanes and to reduce the rest to two.

And they were -- one of the single most stupid ideas from the well-established guild of highway bubbas.  Three lanes, with a continuous dotted stripe from either side to the center 'passing lane' -- guaranteed to provide highest-combined-speed pullout collisions with minimal warning.

The fix ... when it came ... was mockingly simple: make the 'center' lane passing lanes wherever the road graded 'uphill', or where traffic warranted elsewhere, with enough transition at the top and bottom of grades to allow passes to complete safely, and no-passing double-line dividing the sides elsewhere.  Yes, additional signage required.  And some additional cost and labor for paint.  But well worth it. 

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, August 25, 2016 8:47 PM

I remember riding down US 11 between Wytheville, Va., and Bristol--and seeing the three lanes. I am thankful that the man who had picked me up was verry careful in passing.

 

Johnny

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