The Last Cut
Posted by: 
brwhiz
N 41° 37.674 W 112° 30.228
12T E 374734 N 4609555
The last cut in the route of the Transcontinental Railroad was made several miles to the east of the point where the Golden Spike was driven.
Waymark Code: WMFDBK
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 10/01/2012
Views: 6
The Last Cut
By April of 1869, the Union Pacific was working its Mormon and Irish labor forces day and night in order to meet the scheduled deadline for the completion of the railroad. Below you is the last cut made along the transcontinental route. Cuts such as these were necessary to maintain a smooth and steady grade and to keep within the 2 percent maximum rise (106 feet per mile) mandated by the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862. Atop the cut, notice the excess rock left over from the excavation, which is neatly stacked with the largest rocks on bottom to stabilize the rock pile and to keep debris out of the cut. Excavated materials like these were often used as fill to build up the adjacent grade along the route.
Marker Name: The Last Cut
Marker Type: City
Addtional Information:
County: Box Elder
City: Promontory
Group Responsible for Placement: National Park Service
Marker Number: None
Web link(s) for additional information:
Date Dedicated: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
If possible please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location.
Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Utah history please include that in your log.