DISTANCE GRADES AND CURVATURES
In the following tables the distances on the surveyed lines are given, and no note is taken of gains or losses at the points where changes of line are recommended, excepting that at junction of Northern and Southern Lines (West of Agua Azul) on the map and on the ground these lines were connected at Station 5508 of first line, but it was found this connection should have been about Station 5848. For these tables Isleta and the mouth of the Jamez have been taken as initial on the Rio Grande and the distances from Albuquerque, 15 miles to the former and 21-1/2 to the latter, is to be added, however, in connecting Albuquerque with the linw from Isleta a saving of distance and elevation can probably be made by leaving the latter place to the left as before suggested, no saving can be made connecting Albuquerque with the northern line.
The line down the south side of the "Puerco of the West" and the Little Colorado to Sunset Crossing would probably be a mile or two longer than Mr. Hodges line on the North side but will save much work and curvature.
West of Sunset Crossing the line spoken of as following Walnut Canon to Cosninos Caves would shorten the distance two miles. No other deviations mentioned materially until the approach to Laja Gap, when there would be an increase of about one half
A portion of page 70 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
Page 71
- 16 -
mile, between this and Mesa Gap, there would be a saving one and a half and 125 to 150 feet of descent and ascent. Thence to the Colorado river there can be niether much gain nor loss even in the few places where the proposed changes (which are to bring the grades below 100 ft. per mile) occur, they will lengthen the line very little.
From San Felipe by "Northern Line" to the Colorado River is 584-15/100 miles. From Isleta by "Southern Line" -569-10/100 miles.
All the undulations of grades are not shown in the tables, but only most prominent ones; several of the minor ones can be thrown out, such as that east of Cosninos Caves, by the line mentioned as well as some on the divide, between the waters of the Verde and the Colorado, and it is possible that "Kendalls Summit" on the ascent to Laja Gap, can be avoided without any increase of distance. The descent into Upper Chino Valley may be improved as before mentioned and also the ascent from Peacock Mountain to Wallapi Pass.
The grades from the Rio Grande to twenty five miles west of Sunset Crossing can be kept within 53 feet per mile, and from that point to Mojave Gap, a distance of 250 miles, 100 feet per mile is the maximum, thence 21-1/2 miles to the river no grades need exceed one per hundred.
At Mojave Gap, is a mile and a quarter of 100 ft. grade, what will be impossible to avoid the amount of curvature below given is that which would be necessary in order to locate upon the line surveyed. Between the Rio Grande and Sunset Crossing, Mr. Hodges reports the minimum radius of curvature at 1910 feet (3 degree curve) and this is found necessary at but few points.
West of Sunset Crossing it will be necessary to use in some of the canons radii of 1433 feet in order to avoid very heavy cutting through the projecting points.
Mr. Hodges also reports the total amount of deflections on the San Mateo line at - 3350 degrees; same on Southern Line - 2723 degrees. From Junction of two to Sunset Crossing - 2134 degrees.
The total deflection from Albuquerque to Sunset Crossing by Southern Line are - 5075 degrees and by Northern Line - 5650 degrees.
From this point to the Colorado river the following is a total of necessary deflections:
| Left | Right | Total | |
| 1st 100 miles | 1206 deg. | 1164 deg. | 2370 deg. |
| 2nd 100 miles | 1980 deg. | 1975 deg. | 3955 deg. |
| 3rd 100 miles | 630 deg. | 685 deg. | 1315 deg. |
| Total | 3816 deg. | 3824 deg. | 7640 deg. |
Page 71 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
Page 72
- 17 -
On this portion of the division the average curve required being 2-3/4 degree per hundred feet we find there will be 46 miles of curve line in 296-1/2 or about 15 per cent.
Distances and heights by "Southern" or "El Rito" junction of two lines west of Agua Azul.
TABLE "A"
__________________________________________________________________________
| Distances | Heights above tide
Stations | Intermed. Total | Ground : Grade
__________________________|_______________________|________________________
Isleta (Water in Rio Grande 4780 4783
Puerco Summit 12.95 12.95 5256 5245
Valley of Puerco 8.11 21.06 4940 4945
El Rito 23.10 44.16 5508 5508
Laguna 10.00 54.16 5725
Covers (opposite) 8.56 62.72 5879 5879
McCarteys 8.91 71.63 6065 6065
Remances Camp 4.74 76.37 6200 6200
Junction of two lines 6 mis.
West of Agua Azul 26.17 102.48 6660 6660
TABLE "B"
Distances and heights by "Northern" or "San Mateo Line" to Junction of the lines west of Agua Azul
_________________________________________________________________________
| Distances | Heights above tide
Stations | Intermed. Total | Ground : Grade
__________________________|_______________________|______________________
Mouth of Jemez 4950 4965
Puerco Summit 38.24 38.24 6165 6125
Puerco River 2.50 40.74 6020
Undulating Ridge 5.32 46.06 6060
Willow Spring Creek 2.78 48.84 5950
San Mateo Summit 39.18 88.02 7115 7100
San Mateo Creek 11.90 99.92 6615 6615
Crater Ridge 6.80 106.72 6750
Junction of two lines 6 mis.
West of Agua Azul 5.40 112.12 6660 6660
TABLE "C"
Distances and heights by from Junction of lines near Agua Azul to Sunset Crossing.
__________________________________________________________________________
| Distances | Heights above tide
Stations |Inter- |Total | From | |
|mediate| |Isleta|Mouth | Ground | Grade
| | | |of Jemez| |
__________________________________________________________________________
Junction 102.48 112.12 6660 6660
Campbells Pass 16.12 16.12 7152 7140
Fort Wingate 16.12 32.24 6643
Stinking Springs 8.80 41.04 6410
Quirina Canon 25.26 66.30 6070
Bend of Puerco 12.91 79.21 5850
Navajo Springs(nr) 11.55 97.75 5570
El Magra Springs(nr)6.99 86.20 5725
Signal Hill 4.45 102.20 5475
Carizo Creek 15.15 117.35 5225
Lilhodendron 8.10 125.45 5125
Mouth of Puerco 13.06 138.57 4981
Leroux Fork 4.11 142.62 4953
Sunset Crossing 28.40 171.02 273.50 283.14 4750
Page 72 and a portion of page 73 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
Page 73
- 18 -
TABLE "D"
Giving height and distances from Sunset Crossing to the Great Colorado River.
__________________________________________________________________________
| Distances | Heights above tide
Stations | Intermediate | Total | Ground | Grade
__________________________|_______________________|________________________
Sunset Crossing 4765
Ascent of Mts. Begin 25.66 25.66 4643 4643
Canon Diablo 4.92 30.58 4867 4870
Low Ridge 5.39 36.97 5240
Walnut Canon 3.99 39.96 5148 5158
Pine Valley Summit(to be avoided) 14.00 53.96 6090 6082
Cosninos Caves 2.08 56.04 6025 6018
San Francisco Spr. (Opposite) 17.42 73.46 7122 7114
Leroux Spring 4.35 77.81 7200 7200
Leroux Summit 3.97 81.78 7530 7510
Verde and Cedar Creeks dvd 20.64 102.42 6912 6908
Cedar and Partridge Creek 7.23 109.65 6650 6627
Forks Partridge(Crsg.Beals) 21.16 130.81 5526 5538
Laja Summit (Tunnel) 22.15 152.96 6306 6220
Upper Chino Valley 7.38 160.34 5774 5774
Mesa Summit (Tunnel) 5.39 165.73 6137 6049
Aubrey Valley 8.23 173.96 5180 5180
Yampa Summit 7.67 181.63 5345 5345
Head Yampa Canon 6.62 188.25 5200
Young Spring (1/2 mile to left) 6.81 195.66 4800 4800
Head Truxton Canon 14.77 209.83 4046 4060
Truxton Spring 1.98 211.81 3890 3890
Live Oak Spring (1 mile left) 7.18 218.99 3494 3494
Wallapi Valley 14.38 233.37 3148 3148
Road-Hardyville to Prescott 11.16 244.53
Wallapi Pass 1.17 245.70 3428
Mojave Gap 29.31 275.01 1480 1480
Colorado River 21.59 290.60 357 440
A portion of page 73 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
Page 74
- 19 -
Comparison of grades on Northern and Southern lines from Rio Grande to the junction six miles west of Agua Azul.
__________________________________________________________________________ Rate of Grade | Northern Line Miles | Southern Line Miles Per mile |Ascending | Descending | Total | Ascending | Descending | Total __________________________________________________________________________ Level 15 14 0 to 20 ft. 13-1/2 1-1/3 14-5/6 30 1-1/3 31-1/3 20 to 40 30-2/3 11-1/4 41-11/12 29-1/3 1-1/6 30-1/2 40 to 53 27-2/3 13-1/4 40-11/12 15-1/3 4-5/6 20-1/6
Grades from point of junction near Agua Azul to Sunset Crossing
__________________________________________________________________________
Rate of Grade | In Miles
|_________________________________________________________________
per mile | Ascending | Descending | Total
__________________________________________________________________________
0 to 20 12-2/3 67-5/6 80-1/2
20 to 40 9-1/3 45-1/3 54-2/3
40 to 53 7-1/2 6-1/2 14
Level 28-1/3
Comparison of grades between Albuquerque and Sunset Crossing by Northern and Southern Lines.
__________________________________________________________________________
Rate of Grade | Northern Line Miles | Southern Line Miles
Per mile |Ascending | Descending | Total | Ascending | Descending | Total
__________________________________________________________________________
Level 45 45
0 to 20 ft. 40 70 43 80
20 to 40 40 56 39 47
40 to 53 35 19 23 11
Grades first 100 miles west of Sunset Crossing
__________________________________________________________________________
Rate of Grade | Distance in Miles
|_________________________________________________________________
per mile | Ascending | Descending | Total
__________________________________________________________________________
Level 15.70
0 to 20 1.93 14.45 16.38
20 to 40 5.89 8.88 14.77
40 to 60 12.33 7.44 19.77
60 to 80 8.42 4.11 12.53
80 to 90 4.79 4.79
90 to 100 14.81 1.27 16.08
Grades third 100 miles west of Sunset Crossing
__________________________________________________________________________
Rate of Grade | Distance in Miles
|_________________________________________________________________
per mile | Ascending | Descending | Total
__________________________________________________________________________
Level 6.52
0 to 20 5.70 2.66 8.36
20 to 40 6.75 14.45 21.20
40 to 60 41.05 41.05
60 to 80 8.46 8.46
80 to 90 3.08 3.08
90 to 100 7.75 7.75
Page 74 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
Page 75
- 20 -
Grades Second 100 miles west of Sunset Crossing
__________________________________________________________________________
Rate of Grade | Distance in Miles
|_________________________________________________________________
per mile | Ascending | Descending | Total
__________________________________________________________________________
Level 18.53
0 to 20 1.50 3.20 4.70
20 to 40 4.62 15.33 19.95
40 to 60 2.00 11.78 13.78
60 to 80 1.63 6.84 8.47
80 to 90 5.81 2.86 8.67
90 to 100 5.56 20.90 26.46
Total grades between Sunset Crossing and Colorado River
__________________________________________________________________________
Rate of Grade | Distance in Miles
|_________________________________________________________________
per mile | Ascending | Descending | Total
__________________________________________________________________________
Level 40.25
0 to 20 9.13 20.31 29.44
20 to 40 17.26 38.66 55.92
40 to 60 14.33 60.27 74.60
60 to 80 10.05 19.41 29.46
80 to 90 10.60 5.94 16.54
90 to 100 20.37 29.92 49.92
Total ascents and descents going westward from Sunset Crossing
Ascent Descent
Westward Westward
First 100 miles 3232 1149
Second 100 miles 1470 3810
Third 100 miles 290 4358
Total 4992 9317
With regard to the character of the country through which the line passes, it will be found to sustain the reports of the earlier explorers, excepting so far as water is concerned. Some of these explorations having been purposely made at a time when the rains kept all the water courses supplied, which is but three or four months in the year.
Grazing can and doubtless will be the great agricultural resource of this country.
The mineral products will be of considerable value, coal and gypsum are found over much of the country east of the Little Colorado and some of the latter near the Great Colorado. Rocksalt exists in great quantities on the latter stream above Ft. Mojave.
West of Wingate the meataliferous quartz leads are seen near the line and is said to be quite abundant north of it
Page 75 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
Page 76
- 21 -
toward Ft. Defiance. Around the foot of San Francisco Mountain very large bodies of red granite appear and here are many localities where the indications are much in favor of gold and silver bearing rocks.
After passing Truxton Springs, the country is very rich in minerals and at the present time excellent leads of silver and galena are being worked in the Cerbet Mountains; the Black and Wallapi Mountains also are rich in silver and gold, which was and is to some extent lying idle because of the hostilities of the Indians and want of facilities for transportation.
In conclusion I desire to thank my assistants and junior members of both parties for the zeal and energy they displayed and for the fortitude with which they endured the privations and hardships to which they were sometimes exposed.
TO General Gordon Granger, commanding the Department of New Mexico and to General George Cook commanding the Department of Arizona, we owe many thanks for facilities in outfitting our parties and in prosecuting our work. TO the latter I feel particularly indebted as he granted on my personal application an order permitting me to purchase subsistence and quarter master stores from the Military Posts in his Department.
TO Captain Kauffman and Lieut. Chilson commanding the escorts of the two parties, and to the Commanding officers of the various Military posts on our line, we are much indebted for protection from hostility of the Indians though I believe that neither party was actually attacked, and for many of the comforts and convenience we enjoyed.
The short time at my disposal for collecting and putting together the materials for this report will account for the repetitions and omissions that may be found in it.
I am very respectfully, Sir,
Your obedient Servent
(Signed) E. Godfrey Rehrer
Div. Engr. Arizona Division
A&P RR.
St. Louis, Missouri
January 10, 1872
Page 76 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
ATSFRY.COM |
Junction Records |
Plans & Plats |
Oral history |
Train Orders |
Photo |
Clicbooks |
Available |
The |
Meades |
Site maintained by Russell Crump all rights reserved© 913-962-4556 73077.2356@compuserve.com, 10808 W 76th St., Shawnee, KS 66214