Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY. 277 Kicking Horse River is so rapid that the engi- neers found that enormous tunnelling opera- tions would be necessary if the gradient of 2'2 per cent., which the Company claimed the right under their contract with the With Heavy Gradients. to maintain Government, was not to be exceeded. the whole transcontinental line. In the dis- tance of eight miles between next station west of Stephen, which is at the summit of the pass—and Field, at the foot of the steepest part of the hill, there was a fall of 1,143 feet, most of which occurred in the Hector — the A Stiff Climb. VIEW SHOWING THE LOCATIONS OF THE OLD (BROAD. LINE) AND NEW (NARROW LINE) TRACKS BETWEEN HECTOR AND FIELD. (Photo, C.P.R. Company.) The new location, which includes two spiral tunnels, reduces the gradient from 4’5 to 2'2 per cent. that broad-minded policy which has always characterized this remarkable corporation, the directors waived their rights, and sanctioned a temporary line with much heavier gradients so as to keep British Columbia part of Canada. This temporary line started four miles west of the summit of the pass, and had a gradient for half a mile of 3’5 per cent., for 3| miles of 4‘5 per cent., and for miles of 2 2 per cent. This was by far the steepest gradient on four miles immediately east of Field. This gradient was known to all the railroad em- ployees and to all the habitual travellers as the “ Big Hill,” and it was an awe-inspiring sight to see a heavy train, drawn and pushed by the united force of several enormously powerful “ Mogul ” engines, making its slow progress eastwards up the grade on a dark night when the rails were slippery with rain. The thick showers of sparks from the funnels