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| Milepost 45.0 | OPHIR | Elev. 9,236 |
Ophir is the most picturesque town on the RGS and probably one of the most famous
towns in the entire west. The "high bridge" as it is was called by the locals,
and referred to as 45-A by the railway, was the most photographed location on the
line. The "Ophir Loop" is where the line runs down a side canon to add length, thus reducing the ruling grade to Lizard Head. To accomplish
this, the "low line" was built along the talus slopes of Yellow Mountain, reversed
direction at the base of the "Ophir Needles", and the "high line" was blasted into
the cliffs above. All one thousand feet above the valley below. This
was an engineering marvel when it was built in 1892!
My model of the Ophir Loop is the scenic highlight of my railroad. It traverses
26ft down a single wall of my train room and is up to 5ft deep in places.
I've modelled all of the trestles and many are full size. The wall behind the
town of Ophir will simulate the "Ophir
Needles" by featuring cliffs that run to the celling.
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