From US 24 and looking west, you can see the location of Rex, CO, where the grade steepened 4 miles from Minturn to around 2.8%. At Belden (6 miles east of Minturn), the grade varies from 1.36 to 2.56% due to the sharp curves in the canyon. The steepest grade of the Tennessee Pass route was 3.3% at Rex, MP 298, likely at this tangent, between reverse curves. The grade reached a full 3% at Red Cliff, just east of MP 294.
I never saw the MILW in the western states, but I was thinking the same thing as you upon seeing Hemi's latest posts.
The Mobile & Ohio's branchline between Tuscaloosa, AL and Montgomery, AL was opened in 1898 and was operated by the ICG at the time of this picture at Pearson, AL in April 1984. Shortly thereafter, ICG downsizing resulted in abandonment of this segment.
From 07/18/1985 at Greendell, NJ on the DL&W's once immaculate cutoff across the Garden State, as completed in 1911. GD Tower and the station still stand.
Sometimes it is simply impossible to comprehend how something once so vital, became essentially worthless.
