Altamont Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Altamont Pass |
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Wind turbines at Altamont Pass near Livermore, California
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| Elevation | 741 ft (226 m) |
| Traversed by | Altamont Pass Road, Union Pacific Railroad |
| Location | Alameda County, California, between the Livermore and San Joaquin valleys |
| Range | Diablo Range |
| Coordinates | 37°44′45″N 121°39′30″W / 37.74583°N 121.65833°W |
| Topo map | Altamont |
| New Altamont Pass | |
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View from westbound I-580 of Altamont Pass.
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| Elevation | 1,009 ft (308 m) |
| Traversed by |  I-580 |
| Location | Alameda County, California, between the Livermore and San Joaquin valleys |
| Range | Diablo Range |
| Coordinates | 37°43′9″N 121°39′33″W / 37.71917°N 121.65917°W |
| Topo map | Altamont |
Altamont Pass is a famous mountain pass in Northern California. It used to be called Livermore Pass. A mountain pass is like a low spot or gap in a mountain range. This one is in the Diablo Range mountains.
The pass connects the city of Livermore in the Livermore Valley with Tracy in the San Joaquin Valley. There are actually two main crossings that share the name Altamont Pass.
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Traveling Through Altamont Pass
Altamont Pass is a very important route for travel. It has both roads and train tracks.
Old Roads and Railroads
The lower part of Altamont Pass is about 741 feet high. This older route carries two sets of train tracks. It also has Altamont Pass Road. This road was once part of the historic Lincoln Highway and US 50. These were very early highways in the United States.
Modern Highway
A newer, higher crossing of the pass is about 1,009 feet high. This route carries Interstate 580. This is a major highway that many people use every day. It can get very busy, especially with people traveling from the Central Valley to other areas.
Train Lines Today
One of the train lines through the old pass is still used today. It was originally built by the Western Pacific Railroad. Now, the Union Pacific Railroad owns it. This line is sometimes called the Altamont Corridor.
It carries freight trains, which move goods across the country. It also carries the Altamont Corridor Express, often called A.C.E. This is a special train that takes people to and from cities like Stockton, Livermore, Pleasanton, Fremont, and San Jose.
Another old train line, once used by the Southern Pacific, is no longer active. This line was the first train connection for the Bay Area to the First transcontinental railroad in 1869. It was used for about ten years before a new ferry crossing made it less important. The line was completely stopped in 1984.
History of the Pass
Naming the Pass
For a long time, especially during the California Gold Rush, this area was known as Livermore's Pass. It was named after Robert Livermore. He owned a large ranch nearby and had a stopping place for travelers near the pass.
In 1869, a railroad was built through the pass. A town called Altamont was started in 1872. It was first called "The Summit." Eventually, the pass took the name of this town. Today, the town of Altamont is mostly empty.
Famous Events
From 1966 to 2008, the Altamont Pass area was home to the Altamont Speedway. This racetrack became very well known for a big outdoor concert in 1969. It was called the Altamont Free Concert. Famous bands like The Rolling Stones played there. The concert had some difficult moments.
Wind Power
The Altamont Pass is also famous for its Altamont Pass Wind Farm. This was one of the very first wind farms in the United States. Wind farms use many large wind turbines to create electricity from the wind.
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Images for kids
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Older wind turbines, part of the Altamont Pass Wind Farm.
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The California Zephyr train near Altamont Pass in 1970.
