The shortest route - Yes. The easiest grade over the mountains ??? Then why the Electrification ???
Truth is - Milwaukee Road paid a price for their shortest route from Twin Cities to Seattle - by going Over & Through the mountains, not around them. Twenty - Two miles of 1.74% Eastbound from Cedar Falls to Hyak over Snoqualmie Pass. Ten miles of 1.6% Eastbound from Kittitas to Boylston & Eighteen Miles of 2.2% Westbound from Beverly to Boylston over Saddle Mountains. Fifteen miles of 1.7% grade Eastbound from Dishman to Manito on Mica Hill. Twenty-Four miles of 1.7% grade Eastbound from Avery to East Portal & Fourteen miles of 1.7% grade Westbound from Haugen to East Portal over St. Paul Pass. Fifteen miles of 1.66% grade Eastbound from Butte Yard to Donald & Twenty - One miles of 2% Westbound from Piedmont to Donald over Pipestone Pass. Four miles of 2.1% grade Westbound between Bruno & Loweth over the Belt Mountains.
Their " Shortest Route " also meant Milwaukee Road missed most of the major cities ( and their revenue potential ) on Lines West with the exception of Butte; Spokane was on a branch line, as was Great Falls.