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Re: Thanks!

David Martin wrote:

> Anyone know how many "world's steepest railways" there are in the USA at
> present? :-)

There are some steeper tourist lines, branch lines, and street railways,
but the steepest main line grade is considered to be the Saluda Hill on
Norfolk Southern in the western part of North Carolina.  It is 1 in 21.3
(4.7%).  Unit coal trains operate down the hill several times a day, and
there is a runaway spur with an automatic switch about half way down the
hill.

There used to be some other lines with this gradient, but they have
pretty well all been abandoned or bypassed.  There is still a 1 in 21.3
grade in Mexico on the line between Veracruz and Mexico City.  This was
part of the original Mexicano Railway, and was electrified in the early
1920's.  The electrification has been dismantled, and a new bypass was
built about 10 years ago, but local passenger and freight trains still
operate on the old route.