UP Cosa Loma, CA
Theodore Judah, the chief engineer of the Central Pacific, was told of a route used by emigrants over the Sierra that followed an unbroken granite ridge from the summit west to the headwaters of the North Fork of the American River and a descending path to the Central Valley of California. Investigation proved the route was feasible for the proposed transcontinental railroad and 150 miles shorter than surveys that avoided such a direct crossing. In order to meet the western edge of the unbroken ridge at Emigrant Gap the survey for the Central Pacific climbs east from near sea level at Roseville in the Central Valley to more than 1000 feet above the water of the American River. The vista along the Central Pacific from the north edge of the American River Canyon between the stations of Midas and Gorge was so spectacular that successor Southern Pacific built a viewing platform at a new station named “American” and stopped passenger trains for 5 minutes to allow passengers to view it. During the Depression the additional sightseeing stop was eliminated. Today, only the spectacular view remains.
An eastbound Union Pacific stack climbs along the edge of the American River Canyon at what was the station of “American” in the last light of a September afternoon. The engineer gets a priceless view of the canyon and the American River 1000 feet below.
UP Cosa Loma, CA
Theodore Judah, the chief engineer of the Central Pacific, was told of a route used by emigrants over the Sierra that followed an unbroken granite ridge from the summit west to the headwaters of the North Fork of the American River and a descending path to the Central Valley of California. Investigation proved the route was feasible for the proposed transcontinental railroad and 150 miles shorter than surveys that avoided such a direct crossing. In order to meet the western edge of the unbroken ridge at Emigrant Gap the survey for the Central Pacific climbs east from near sea level at Roseville in the Central Valley to more than 1000 feet above the water of the American River. The vista along the Central Pacific from the north edge of the American River Canyon between the stations of Midas and Gorge was so spectacular that successor Southern Pacific built a viewing platform at a new station named “American” and stopped passenger trains for 5 minutes to allow passengers to view it. During the Depression the additional sightseeing stop was eliminated. Today, only the spectacular view remains.
An eastbound Union Pacific stack climbs along the edge of the American River Canyon at what was the station of “American” in the last light of a September afternoon. The engineer gets a priceless view of the canyon and the American River 1000 feet below.