Altamont Pass

Infobox Mountain Pass
Name = Altamont Pass
Photo = Wind energy converter5.jpg
Caption = Wind turbines at Altamont Pass
Elevation = 1009 ft. / 308 mDubious|date=March 2008
Location = California, USA
Range =
Coordinates = coord|37.732389|N|121.652416|W|type:pass_region:US-CA|display=inline,title
Topographic

Traversed by = I-580, Union Pacific Railroad

Altamont Pass (el. 755 ft. / 230 m) is a pass in Northern California, United States, located in the Diablo Range between Livermore in the Livermore Valley and Tracy in the San Joaquin Valley. [ [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:218189 USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Index] ]

The pass carries Interstate 580, heavily congested by Central Valley suburbanization, Altamont Pass Road, which is the original alignment of US 50 before it was bypassed by the present I-580, and two railroad right-of-ways (ROWs). Only one right-of-way is still in use: the old Western Pacific line, now owned by Union Pacific; it is today used for the Altamont Commuter Express, with service to Pleasanton, Fremont, and San Jose. The abandoned right-of-way was used by Southern Pacific, which is now part of Union Pacific.

The pass is known for the Altamont Pass Wind Farm, one of the earliest in the United States.

References

External links

* [http://xahlee.org/Whirlwheel_dir/livermore.html 30 photos of Altamont Pass Wind Farm]