The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill

 

The third, fully revised and expanded edition  is now available! 

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When the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built through the Rockies in 1884 it laid track straight down the west slope of Kicking Horse Pass. Dropping 1,140 feet in 7.1 railway miles, this section of railway was a construction worker’s horror and a railroader’s nightmare that soon became known as the Big Hill. Intended to be temporary, the 4.5 percent grade, more than 3 miles long, saw use for 25 years until completion of the Spiral Tunnels in 1909. The two tunnels – unique in North America – loop over themselves, doubling the length of track and halving the grade.

 

Incorporating more than 100 photographs, The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill – An Illustrated Railway History describes the construction of the CPR and recounts the tales of daring, defiance, and disaster on the second-steepest mainline track ever operated in North America. Maps and diagrams reveal how the Spiral Tunnels create a safer grade for trains. The text provides up-to-date descriptions of today’s locomotives and explains the many challenges of operating trains on mountain grades.

 

A Canadian bestseller for three decades, this revised edition will be informative reading for railfans, for travellers in the Rockies, and for those with an interest in Canadian history.​

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Third edition, 144 pages, ISBN: 978-0-994916-143  $22.95 CDN​

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Finalist, Banff Mountain Book Festival

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“The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill tells the story of the CPR’s crossing of Kicking Horse Pass in fascinating detail, and is a wonderful

guide to the history of this enduring railway

and its trials and triumphs.” 

 

Robert D. Turner

Curator Emeritus, Royal BC Museum​

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Sample pages third edition

 

Review: Rocky Mountain Outlook

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Featured on Railserve.com

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Podcast: Banff Park Radio (26 minutes)

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Purchase fixed layout eBook on Google Play