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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Lincoln\us 50 Under The California Aquaduct


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Not skeptical, just to lazy to figure it out myself. I think its a great way to explain a subject and has many advantages over a long typed-out sentence. I could easily imagine you in the front of a lecture hall with your overhead projector pointing out the landmarks on the map and explaining their significance. :lol:

 

Sioux - any idea what times the trains run through the Altamont? I would like to get out there one afternoon and catch a locomotive going over the trestle but can't really spare an entire afternoon to sit and wait.

 

In regards to railroads and highways, and I apologize if I have said this before, but I believe they are closely tied together at least as far as the western half of the country is concerned. In the time between the driving of the golden spike and the coming of the automobile the railroad was the best way to get from point A to point B. The railroads were built to the power restrictions of the locomotives of the day and would follow the path of least resistance across the landscape. As manpower was replaced with machine power obstacles were carved away and the railroad lines were straightened to allow for higher speeds and in the west the abandoned railbeds became ready made roadways for that new fangled contraption called the automobile. PPOO and the Victory in Nevada are good examples of where some of the former CPRR railbeds became roads.

 

It also made sense that the new roads would follow the rail lines between towns and the coming of the automobile. Many towns in the west were established to support the railroad and the automobile may have kept some dying towns alive long after they were needed by the railroad. Many of these towns would survive up until the coming of the Interstate which then diverted traffic away from them and in time killing off the hotels, restaurants and other amenities needed by the auto traveler. (see: Wells, Nevada)

 

One other connection between railroads and roads in the West. It was a Senator from Illinois that was a huge proponent of a railroad that connected the eastern half of the country with the west. He new then that effecient travel from one coast to another was important for a strong country. Unfortunately as President his attention was diverted by a little internal squabble and he didn't live to see his idea come to fruition. However, 50 years later the first transcontinental highway was named in his honor.

 

Roadhound

Roadhound,

 

My friend and I had a good laugh when we read this post because that very afternoon we were talking about taking the train to work just to ride over the pass to see what we couldn't see from the roads. When I look out the back of our shop I'm looking at the Vasco station! The trains run west in the morning and east in the afternoon. Google Altamont Commuter Express and its easy enough to see the schedule. I just have to get up early enough to be dropped off at the station in Tracy and I think it would be a kick.

 

- Suey

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Roadhound,

 

My friend and I had a good laugh when we read this post because that very afternoon we were talking about taking the train to work just to ride over the pass to see what we couldn't see from the roads. When I look out the back of our shop I'm looking at the Vasco station! The trains run west in the morning and east in the afternoon. Google Altamont Commuter Express and its easy enough to see the schedule. I just have to get up early enough to be dropped off at the station in Tracy and I think it would be a kick.

 

- Suey

 

Suey, Catching the commuter express would make for an interesting picture but I was more interested in catching one of the freight trains going over the trestle or maybe something like this...

 

SC111301.sized.jpg

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