During the nineteenth century there was a rush to build transcontinental railroads that would connect the United States from coast to coast. The Great Northern Railway was created by entrepreneur James J. Hill and became the northernmost transcontinental railroad in the United States. Running from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington, the Great Northern was completed in 1893. One of the challenges of the Great Northern was the route through the Cascade Mountains. The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center in Wenatchee, Washington, has a large display on the Great Northern Railway.
Displays
According to the display:
“The problem of smoke and heat in the first Cascade Tunnel was solved by introducing electric locomotives. The Great Northern built the Tumwater Canyon hydroelectric plant on the Wenatchee River about 30 miles east of the tunnel to supply the power. The electric locomotives would pull trains through the tunnel with the steam locomotives still attached.”
The use of electric locomotives was discontinued in 1955 when a combination of diesel locomotives and ventilation fans solved the problem.
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