Location #7

This is the final location in the Cuesta Grade section. This is primarily the old cement highway just on the north side of the grade, and is now named Cuesta Springs Rd. It is on the west side of the freeway, and can only be accessed now from the southbound direction. There is much history in this area. There was once a small hotel in this location in the mid 1800's, and it crosses over the opening to the first and largest of the railroad tunnels that was built by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1895, when the rail finally made the connection from Santa Margarita to San Luis Obispo.

View looking east toward the freeway. In this spot you are just about directly over the railroad tunnel.

A washed out area that shows the thickness and composition of the cement slab and curbing.
View looking south near the entrance to the Cuesta Springs access road.
View looking north from the same spot as the above photo. Old Cuesta Srpings access is to the left.
Cuesta Springs ranch access road.
View looking south near the bottom of Cuesta Springs road. The person in the picture is my brother, Jerry.
View looking south towards the end of Cuesta Springs Road. The freeway overpass for the southbound lanes can be seen at the bottom.
Looking south from underneath the overpass at the bottom of Cuesta Springs Rd. From here until the off-ramp to Santa Margarita, the old road is underneath the current freeway lanes.
This is carved into the center of the old cement near where the Cuesta Springs Ranch access road splits off. I'm still working on what this means.
This piece of artwork was found painted on the overpass near the bottom of Cuesta Springs Rd. Note the TP on a stick to the left. I wonder if this is a comment.

 

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