Railroads That were never Built
Author: Vance Pomerening
Date: 07-03-2008 - 08:56
A certain prankster on this board seems to delight in posting fanciful transcon schemes originating at Humboldt Bay. "What if", is always a fun game to play. What is your favorite great unbuilt Railroad system?
What if an intermountain North-South system east of the Sierra, and Cascades could have persisted, or even flourished? Here is my system from south to north: Ludlow Southern - Mexican Border to Ludlow, Ca. Tonopah&Tidewater to Goldfield NV. Tonopah and Goldfield to Tonapah Jct. Nv. joining the Carson&Colorado to their connection with the V&T, into Reno, then out via the NCO to Lakeview, Oregon. Phew, quite a trip, but these these lines were all actually in place (except for L&S to Mexcio.) As a matter of fact one could have probably taken this thru trip circa 1915. North from Lakeview requires speculation. Did C&NW make it out of Lander, cross South Pass and meet a trans Cascades railroad, either the Willamette Valley and Coast from Yaquina and over Santiam Pass, or maybe a route from Coos Bay, or.........gasp, Humboldt bay.
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