Loop district

The bridges and the tunnel approach in the upper loop district about mile post 48 are captured in this postcard view. Much of the curved trestle had been filled with displacement ballast and you can see additional buttress braces down at the bottom of the bridge bents. The boiler house at the end of the curved trestle provided steam to heat the curved tunnel that extended the arc of the trestle into the hillside. The overgrown emergency switchback can still be seen to the left of the image. Photo is taken from track side near MP 47 and illustrates the 2.5% grade prior to beginning of the 1948 reconstruction which actually resulted in an increase to 3%.