Downgrades east of the Mississippi that really get your attention

Saluda Pass?

 

Probably Fancy Gap. Especially when the fog and rain set in. Have to be real careful.

 

For me Buckner Gap on I 26 near NC/TN border, I 68 Sideling Hill, US 19 WV, I 40 Black Mountain, NC

 

Saluda would be the one pass you want to avoid.

It is one of the biggest strongest steepest MAINLINE Passes ever used in the United States by Rod connected Steam Engines. (Logging shays, climaxes and heislers were a special form of engine that could and do run 12-15% grades) If memory serves that grade is almost 4% And it has a safety switch manned at the bottom with some excruciatingly specific procedures and checkpoints to follow to be sure your train is under control.

Now to run Saluda with a 18 wheeler loaded? Whew. I do not remember the details but I don't have a appetite for that one.

Another would be near Luray Caverns, you really have to work to get east of 81 and across that particular gap to get to Luray with a 18 wheeler. It's guarded by a series of really good steep mountain grades. I remember my little Nova from way back when had to be up to 4500 RPM in 3rd to get up and over. It was not much of a car, but to me it was one of the best because you can fix anything anytime anywhere as long you had a new radiator or whatever to drop into it. Even the engine block was not that heavy. Take the whole thing out if you had to.

I sidetrack myself. Ive been working to keep posts shorter.

Another will be near Fort Necessity on US 40. That one empties out near or at Grants Mountain I think Frostburg Md Area at I-70. Fort Necessity had me on hands and knees pulling that one. I hate it. It's like a saw tooth blade being crossed by a tiny ant, one tooth at a time, up over and down and back up again.

Finally I leave you with the suggestion of Luke Maryland. You will have a downgrade to a T intersection. On that side opposite the downgrade is essentially a granite rock face wall. On that wall is a cross for everyone killed there.

Too many crosses.

 

When I was my first week out of school I did monteagle.. Trainer in the back asleep. Downgrades are easy if you are paying attention. I always go slow that pass, other trucks flying by. Trainer woke up later and said I can see I am still alive.. Good job on eagle pass. Did donners pass not long ago.. That's a whole lot of hype right there. Doing passes in the winter? I'll get back to you.

 

Certainly better than continuing the trip down and having no brakes.

 

Its called Saluda Mountain....

 

Passes in the winter aren't as bad as a Lot make them out to be... My personal preferance is to put the Jakes on lowest setting and proceed down at a very, very, VERY slow speed in a low gear to match. Slow enough that I can grab one gear higher if something decides to break loose, then regain perfect control as I slow down again and very carefully downshift. Now I am not saying this is how it should be done... This is how I do it. Most proper training will tell you no Jakes on slick roads, and rightly so... You really have to be careful, and know when it is ok to let them help you, and when they will kill you in slick conditions. I run Elk Mountain, and Sherman on I80 in WY twice a week, every week, all year round. These are 2 places that get a lot of people in trouble if they get overly confident, or stupid. I have seen many very bad wrecks on both, and I have also ran both when they were at their worst... Road closures just minutes behind me the whole way, in near complete whiteout conditions, in the middle of the night. Those type of conditions will make even the most seasoned drivers butt take a bite of seat cushion. Often times I prefer to battle mother nature at night when I'm alone or nearly alone on the road, rather than in the daylight when all the other idiots (4 wheelers and 18 wheelers alike) are out and about with a death wish.

 

There are a number of hills in the east during winter where people die, get hurt or burned etc because they screwed up. I keep coming back to Sandstone on 64. It's a pretty hill in the summer but something draws in the idiots in winter and boom crash.

If there is anything in the east there is one called White Sulphur Springs. The exact interstate escapes me now but there is a living truckstop at he bottom of that one which is dedicated to the legend, songs and stories about that particular grade. When you run that one in the dead of winter and make it all the way down to that stop to get a good proper meal cooked right, then you know you have cheated death once again and can look forward to a better day tomorrow in Virginia.

 

Cheated death by doing your job properly like thousands of others do everyday? Aint that a little dramatic?

Dude its driving a truck, not running black ops in siberia or Laos.