Quote:
Originally Posted by Dmajackson
The rail cut was built immediately after the explosion which allowed the train station, main port, and grain elevator to move to the South End.
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This is a common misconception. The rail cut had nothing to do with the Explosion. But the timing was certainly fortuitous.
There had been planning for years to build a new ocean terminal and move the main rail lines away from the waterfront and, more specifically, the naval dockyard. Excavation for the rail cut began in 1913 and concluded just weeks before the Explosion. That allowed for a rapid installation of infrastructure and passenger trains began using the rail cut to reach a new temporary terminal just a year later, in December, 1918.
I think it matters because the grade-separated rail line was forward-thinking planning at the time. There are several cities — Kansas City and Los Angeles among them — that have spent billions in recent years to accomplish the same thing. It’s why I cringe at the persistent but lunatic notion of trying to cram roadways into the rail cut.