Cheyenne to Laramie over Sherman Hill

Cheyenne to Laramie
over Sherman Hill:
a chronology

compiled by Alan Sprod

with acknowledgements to an article in Pacific News #231 (? November 1981) and
Sherman Hill by Ehernberger and Gschwind, E&G Publications, 1973.

This page was originally uploaded on 13 November 2004.

Year	Line sections opened	Line sections closed / Line sections redesignated
1868	Cheyenne – Laramie (Single track with summit = 8247’).
1876	First Dale Creek Bridge replaced.
1885	All-steel Dale Creek Bridge.
1900	Second Track, Cheyenne-Borie.
1901	Major deviation – Hermosa Junction – Buford via Hermosa Tunnel and Tie Siding (new summit = 8013’).	Original route via 8247’ summit.
1901	New Line (designated Track 1) from Laramie to Hermosa, eastward of existing line now designated Track 1. Ruling gradient on Track 2 = 0.82%, against 1.97% of Track 1. Track 1 becomes westbound and Track 2 eastbound, creating left-hand running between Laramie and Hermosa.	Original line designated Track 2.
1902	Realignments, together with second track from Borie to Buford.
1908	New line from Carr, on Denver Line, to Corlett Junction, west of Cheyenne.	Carr to Cheyenne (original route from Denver)
1909	Borie Cut-off, Speer to Borie, enables head-on running Denver-Laramie.
1917	Second Track, Buford to Hermosa, except through Hermosa Tunnel.
1918	Second Hermosa Tunnel, creating double track throughout from Cheyenne to Laramie.
1931	Third Track Cheyenne to Corlett Junction
1947	Underpass at Hermosa (westbound under eastbound), enabling non-conflicting transposition between the right-hand and left-hand sections (c.f. SNCF on the borders of Alsace-Lorraine)
1952	Harriman Cut-off from Cheyenne to Dale (Track 3) reduces westbound ruling gradient to 0.82%. Involves chords at Speer and to Borie, plus second track from Speer to relocated junction (Wycon). Fourth track Wycon-Cheyenne.	Southern section of original Borie Cut-off. Original Speer connection at Corlett Junction.
1953	CTC introduced	Hermosa underpass eliminated.
1978	1901 Laramie-Hermosa doubled, these tracks now designated Tracks 1 & 2.	Original Hermosa-Laramie redesignated Track 3.