List of railroad crossings of the North American continental divide explained

A crossing of the North American continental divide is necessary for any transcontinental railroad in North America, and has always been one of the hardest obstacles. This article lists such crossings from north to south.

Canada

LocationProvince(s)Elevation-->Built byCurrent/LastYears of operationNotes
west of O'DellBritish Columbia7470NaN0Pacific Great Eastern RailwayCanadian National Railway1967–presentFirst of two crossings, about 4 miles apart, on CN Stuart Sub
south of Summit LakeBritish Columbia7160NaN0Pacific Great Eastern RailwayCanadian National Railway1967–presentSecond of two crossings on CN Stuart Sub
east of Summit LakeBritish Columbia7280NaN0Pacific Great Eastern RailwayCanadian National Railway1958–present
Yellowhead PassAlberta and British Columbia11100NaN0Canadian Northern Railway and Grand Trunk Pacific RailwayCanadian National Railway1914–presentOriginally two lines. GTP built 1914, CNoR built 1915. Consolidated into one line in 1917, with some adjustments in 1924
Kicking Horse PassAlberta and British Columbia16270NaN0Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway1884–present
Crowsnest PassAlberta and British Columbia13580NaN0Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway1897–present

United States

LocationState(s)Elevation-->Built byCurrentlyYears of operationclass=unsortableNotes
Marias PassMontana52130NaN0Great Northern RailwayBNSF Railway1893–presentHi-Line
Mullan PassMontana55660NaN0Northern Pacific RailroadMontana Rail Link1883–presentPasses through the Mullan Tunnel
Elk Park PassMontana63650NaN0Great Northern RailwayBurlington Northern Railroad1888–1972
Homestake PassMontana63280NaN0Northern Pacific RailroadBNSF Railway1888–present (dormant since 1983)
Pipestone PassMontana63470NaN0Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific RailroadChicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad1909–1980Passed through the Pipestone Pass Tunnel
Deer Lodge PassMontana58010NaN0Utah and Northern RailwayUnion Pacific Railroad1881–presentNarrow gauge until 1887; railroad name Feely
Bannock PassMontana and Idaho75750NaN0Gilmore and Pittsburgh RailroadGilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad1910–1939Tunnel at summit
Monida PassMontana and Idaho68230NaN0Utah and Northern RailwayUnion Pacific Railroad1880–presentNarrow gauge until 1886
Reas PassMontana and Idaho69300NaN0Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific Railroad1905–1981Branch to West Yellowstone
South PassWyoming74200NaN0[1] U.S. SteelU.S. Steel1962–1983Served U.S. Steel Atlantic City Ore Mine
RobinsonWyoming69400NaN0Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific Railroad1868–presentTwo sides of the Great Divide Basin; Robinson is the true Divide (per USGS)
HadsellWyoming69300NaN0
Rollins PassColorado116600NaN0 (1904), 92390NaN0 (1928)Denver, Northwestern and Pacific RailwayUnion Pacific Railroad1904–presentOriginal alignment replaced in 1928 by the Moffat Tunnel https://web.archive.org/web/20060205134349/http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%205.gif)
Jones PassColorado89640NaN0[2] Henderson Mine1976–1999Narrow gauge, passed through the Henderson Tunnel; replaced by a conveyor belt; elevation is for west (and only) portal
Boreas PassColorado114930NaN0Denver, South Park and Pacific RailroadColorado and Southern Railway1882–1937Narrow gauge
Fremont PassColorado113190NaN0Denver, South Park and Pacific RailroadColorado and Southern Railway1884–1937Narrow gauge. Line south of Climax retained, converted to standard gauge 1943, now operated by Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad
Fremont PassColorado113300NaN0Denver and Rio Grande RailroadDenver and Rio Grande Western Railroad1881–1923Narrow gauge
Tennessee PassColorado104240NaN0 https://web.archive.org/web/20060201065114/http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%207.gifDenver and Rio Grande RailroadDenver and Rio Grande Railroad1887–1890Narrow gauge, replaced by standard gauge Tennessee Pass Tunnel
Tennessee PassColorado102390NaN0 (1890), 102210NaN0 (1945) https://web.archive.org/web/20060201065114/http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%207.gifDenver and Rio Grande RailroadUnion Pacific Railroad (dormant)1890–present (dormant since 1997)Passed through the Tennessee Pass Tunnel (original tunnel built 1890, replaced in 1945)
Hagerman PassColorado115280NaN0 (1887),109530NaN0 (1893)Colorado Midland RailwayColorado Midland Railway1887–1918Passed through the Hagerman Tunnel, replaced in 1893 by the Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel. Reverted to original route between 1897 and 1899
Alpine TunnelColorado116120NaN0Denver, South Park and Pacific RailroadColorado and Southern Railway1881–1910Narrow gauge
Marshall PassColorado108560NaN0 https://web.archive.org/web/20051223060615/http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%2014b.gifDenver and Rio Grande RailroadDenver and Rio Grande Western Railroad1881–1953Narrow gauge. Original D&RG mainline before Tennessee Pass line opened
AzoteaNew Mexico77730NaN0 https://web.archive.org/web/20051223055606/http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%2020.gifDenver and Rio Grande RailroadDenver and Rio Grande Western Railroad1880–1968Narrow gauge
HillcrestNew Mexico77140NaN0Rio Grande and Southwestern RailroadRio Grande and Southwestern Railroad1903–1924Narrow gauge
Campbell PassNew Mexico72440NaN0Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayBNSF Railway1882–present
TyroneNew Mexico59900NaN0Burro Mountain RailroadSouthwestern RailroadServes Phelps Dodge copper pit; short tunnel under Divide
WilnaNew Mexico45840NaN0Southern Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific Railroad1883–presentLordsburg Subdivision
HachitaNew Mexico44950NaN0Arizona and New Mexico RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad1902–1934
VistaNew Mexico46500NaN0 (east), 46940NaN0 (west)El Paso and Southwestern RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad1902–1961Two crossings 2 miles apart
(name unknown)New Mexico45250NaN0Phelps DodgePhelps Dodge1970s–1999Line served Hidalgo Smelter
AntelopeNew Mexico45100NaN0El Paso and Southwestern RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad1902–1961

Mexico

LocationState(s)Elevation-->Built byCurrentlyYears of operationNotes
DivisaderoChihuahua22700NaN0Ferrocarriles Nacionales de MéxicoFerromex1961–present
Francisco I. MaderoDurango20000NaN0Ferrocarril Coahuila Durango1892–present
Niza Conejo
Chivela Pass		Oaxaca2240NaN0[3] Ferrocarril Nacional de TehuantepecFerrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec1894–present

Central America

LocationElevation-->Built byCurrent or last operatorYears of operationNotes
Chato GuatemalaInternational Railways of Central America (div. of United Fruit)FEGUA[4] 1908–1996
Ochomogo Pass Costa Rica1500m (4,900feet)Incofer1870s[5] –1991[6]
Culebra Cut Panama80.4m (263.8feet)Panama Railroad CompanyPanama Canal Railway Company (div. of Kansas City Southern Railway)1855–present

The Ecocanal is a proposal to build a rail line across Nicaragua from Monkey Point on the Caribbean to Corinto on the Pacific.[7] If built, the rail line will cross the continental divide in Nicaragua, likely at a point north of Lake Nicaragua.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pacific Springs, Wyoming, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest . . 2013-06-08.
  2. Web site: Ute Peak, Colorado, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest . . 2013-06-08.
  3. Tehuantepec (isthmus). 507. 26.
  4. Web site: Williams. Glyn. 2007. Railways of Guatemala. 14 October 2011.
  5. Costa Rica. 7. 220.
  6. Web site: Youd. T. Leslie. T. Leslie Youd. Costa Rica Earthquake, Limon, April 22, 1991. 1993. 16 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120224025100/http://nisee.berkeley.edu/costarica/. 24 February 2012.
  7. Web site: Dry Canal Project in Nicaragua Advances. Central America Data. 3 November 2010. 17 October 2011.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of railroad crossings of the North American continental divide".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.