One of five history signs along The Stump Dodger Trail near Dixie Summit on U.S. Hwy. 26.
Marker Name: The Dixie Switchback
Marker Text: To conquer the rugged mountains and canyons, builders of the Sumpter Valley Railway resorted to a number of special engineering techniques. Steep grades of up to 4%, twice as steep as normally used on railroads, were numerous. Deep cuts were blasted, and wooden bridges and trestles leaped across the streams. Near Tipton, a series of 180° curves were constructed that wound down the mountain.
The descent of Dixie Pass was the most difficult grade to lay out. In addition to a high trestle across Dads Creek, a series of loops and a switchback were needed to drop the remaining elevation. While not commonly use on mainlines, switchbacks were frequently found on the logging lines that branched out into the forests. A series of switches zigzagging down the mountainside allowed the train to lose elevation by switching back and forth.
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