Imagine the excitement! The Western Pacific had almost reached Winnemucca when this photo was taken. (Winnemucca is in the background across the river.) Construction was much more mechanized by this time allowing smaller work crews and a faster pace. The photo shows the real muscle used in the construction. A steam driven crane fitted with an undercarriage that allowed it to run on tracks did the lifting and digging. Two locomotives worked to lay the tracks. That crew in the shed beside the track would have pounded the spikes manually through the plates and into each tie along the entire route.
They were at a well earned break. Fortunately for us! It allowed Rena and her young friends to enter the worksite. They had their picture taken standing in front of that wonderful machine.[[In-content Ad]]
