Revisiting the Tecopa Railroad

Arriving at the north-eastern switch of the Wye, the roadbed turns to the right to resume the trek down to Tecopa.
 

Unlike the western and south-eastern legs of the Wye, which required heavy filling, this section used high ground located between two washes for most of the leg.

At the north-west switch, this portion of the Wye meets the western leg on a wide fill which was protected by a double culvert.
 

Descending from the Wye, the roadbed runs straight down the slope crossing numerous medium sized washes, most of which have long since taken out the roadbed.
 

Most fills across the washes in this down hill run were protected by wooden culverts. Here a pair have been shifted, mostly intact, some distance by the force of the water.
 

In at least one location, protection was by a stacked bridge.

The ties and rails were laid on a ballasted solid top decking.
 

Continuing on down, many other small cuts and fills were necessary, but the major wash was kept to the western side of the roadbed.

Midway down the grade, the U. S .G. S. has recently dug a 3' x 5' pit about 2' deep in a small wash and carefully removed soil samples from the side of the pit.
 

Many of the smaller washes were not drained by culverts and this water had to find its own way out or sit and percolate into the soil.

At some points the overflow from these has begun eating across the roadbed and in a few years these will become washouts too.
 

At several points along the way there are signs of encampments, possibly from the period of dismantling.

Often seen on the side of the roadbed are wire forms used in pairs making a sling for lifting the rails during the dismantling of the railroad.