First Transcontinental Railroad (United States)

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Moab Man

Senior Member
For all of Utah's shortcomings... if you dig a little deeper this state has an amazing history often lost in time. With that said, Utah is where the first transcontinental railroad line met east with west. To this day you can see some of this history still hanging around in the desert.


This photo is looking west. About 100 yards forwards, straight towards the west, is where they still reenact the meeting of the the Union Pacific No. 119 and Central Pacific No. 60 and the Golden Spike being driven to complete the railroad line joining east to west.
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These are some old train car wheels from the turn of the century (1900). They probably collected these parts to keep the old steamers up and running.
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This is one of the old manual Railroad Switches to allow a train to switch tracks. Lots of great historical stuff to see.
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A much more modern lock than the railroad switch it's attached to.
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This old structure is still hanging around. I don't know what is has been used for over the years. Beside it is the remains to the pump windmill that provided water for the people and trains that maintained this junction.
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Hope you have enjoyed this bit of railroad history located in a desolate remote part of the northern Utah desert.
 
M

Moab Man

Senior Member
Don Kuykendall said:
How long has it been since this has been an active track?
Click to expand...

I will see if I can find out. The only thing it's used for now is the two steam engines they keep out there to do the reenactment with.

Answer: The line was discontinued in 1904. They ripped up the original tracks that were laid along with the ties to reuse for the WWI war effort. In the 1940's a total of ~200 miles were restored in Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming over the original grade (what they call the prepared ground). Those parts are a smaller gauge and in use today but not for real train work.
 
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Lawrence

Senior Member
Very interesting - even for me. History is fascinating when you think of the hardships people had to endure to make progress.
Thanks for sharing.
 
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oldsalt

Senior Member
Thanks - love "real" trains... glad I got to see a lot of steam engines during my early childhood.
My dad was training to be an engine driver when WW2 broke out and he enlisted in the navy and
worked as a stoker on a destroyer...his ship was anchored about 300 yards from the USS Missouri
during the signing of the surrender - he had some amazing stories of that time... history is amazing.....

​
 
S

Sandpatch

Senior Member
The original line was lifted and replaced by the Lucin Cutoff, which was built west from Ogden, UT to Lucin, UT and opened in 1904 as Moab Man wrote. The Cutoff went straight across the Great Salt Lake, so shaved a lot of mileage off the original route north of the Lake.

I'd love to see all of this someday!
 
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