Georgetown Loop was a great engineering design?

Look at Wellingtons Book on ":Railway Engineering and Location", various copyrights from 1906-190's. This is the accepted treatsie on railway engineering and location, which all modern railway engineering books are either based on or refernce. The loop following basic engineering practices to lay out a line that does not give up elevation once gained, does not require reverse moves, etc.

If one were to lay out a line today, given certain restrictions on grade, curvature, dirt removal and relocaton, I dare say a similar alignment would be created. Maybe today would see a higher or longer bridge, but keeping the train running forward, not stopping, no switches, etc are included in the basic engineering guidelines set forth by Wellington. In this book the Georgetown loop is included as an example of engineering art of the time.

It is a great book and can be found used from $25 to $60 depending on condition, editon. etc. Remember, those that do not know history are doomed to repeat it.