Technology - Railroads

Along the Humboldt River on the original US transcontinental route. The route of the Western Pacific (Feather River route) also comes thru this canyon (it's on the other side), and in fact parallels the transcontinental route for 100 miles or so. Of course, it's all Union Pacific now, but even back before the railroads had merged there was a joint operating agreement along the parallel tracks, such that one side was westbound and the other eastbound.

On the Union Pacific westbound main line at Palisade, Nevada. I find it astonishing that railroad ties are still by and large made of wood, a curious holdover from 19th century technology. Some have been replaced with concrete, but not many. And this is on what remains the main transcontinental line!

Made out of old railroad ties, a common practice in the desert West decades ago.

More old railroad ties as logs. This was a common "quick'n'dirty" construction technique in the treeless West into the early 20th century. Again, the gray-green shrub is sagebrush.