D&RGW Utah Branch Lines

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on June 8, 2022.

(Return to Rio Grande in Utah Index Page)

(Listed Alphabetically)

Ballard & Thompson Branch

D&RGW operated the Ballard & Thompson Railroad from 1912 to 1950, under contract to the owning coal company. After May 1948, D&RGW used the name "Neslen Spur" in its employee timetables.

The branch was abandoned and removed in 1951.

(Read more about the Ballard & Thompson Railroad)

Bennett Branch

D&RGW Bennett Branch -- A Google Map of the Bennett Branch in north Davis County, built to serve the sugar beet growing area surrounding the Layton Sugar company's sugar plant. (map zoomed to show the Bennett Branch portion of the larger map of Syracuse railroads)

Also known as the South Syracuse Branch, the Bennett Branch ran due west from Layton, to a sugar beet dump in Syracuse (right where today's Smith's grocery store is). Since the branch is not listed in any D&RGW summary of branches, it was apparently operated by D&RGW but built and owned by Layton Sugar Co. for sugar beet loading.

Rio Grande operated a spur in South Syracuse, straight west of the Layton sugar factory. The spur served Layton Sugar Company's beet dump that was built along 1000 West, just five hundred feet south of 2700 South. The line was called the Bennett Branch and angled southeast from the beet dump across Bennett's field until it was a half mile south of 2700 South and then headed due east to the sugar factory of the Layton Sugar Company.

The Bennett Branch was built and owned by the Layton Sugar Company to serve their beet dump in South Syracuse. Property for the spur was purchased in October 1926, although the spur may already been built.

The Bennett Branch was built due west along the half section line of Section 19 of T4N, R1W and Sections 24 and 23 of T4N, R2W. At the center of Section 23 the line turned northwest towards the northwest corner of section 23, ending at a beet dump on 1000 West, 500 feet south of 2700 South (on the site of today's Smith's grocery store).

The Rio Grande's Bennett Branch was built and owned by the Layton Sugar Company to serve their beet dump in South Syracuse, near present day 2700 South and 1000 West. Property for the spur was purchased in October 1926, although the spur may already been built. (Davis County Book of Deeds 1‑H, pp.181, 183)

March 1952
The beet dump and spur was removed by 1952. In March 1952 the sugar company sold a parcel of land in section 24, 33 feet wide by 2,651 feet long to Allen A. Adams. James E. Ellison was President and J. B. Cooley was Secretary of the Layton Sugar Company. (Davis County Book of Records 36, p.96)

In January 1955 Layton Sugar Company sold a 1.97 acre (577.5 feet by 149 feet) parcel to George H. Bennett Jr. The parcel was located along 1000 West, 509 feet south of 2700 South and was the typical size for a beet dump. (Davis County Book of Records 178, p.63)

In June 1955 the Layton Sugar Company sold a 2.89 acre (33 feet by 3,809 feet) parcel to the Ellison Ranching Company. The parcel ended at the west line of the Denver and Rio Grande mainline and included a 12 degree curve in the description. (Davis County Book of Records 88, p.435) This is interpreted to be the connection of the Bennett Branch with the D&RG mainline.

From a history that I did for Syracuse:

"Three people have told me about a rail line in South Syracuse that went due west from the Layton sugar factory. Apparently the branch went due west along the half section line of Section 19 of T4N, R1W and Sections 24 and 23 of T4N, R2W. At the center of Section 23 the line turned northwest towards the northwest corner of section 23, ending at a beet dump on 1000 West, 500 feet south of 2700 South.

"The Rio Grande's Bennett Branch was built and owned by the Layton Sugar Company to serve their beet dump in South Syracuse, near present day 2700 South and 1000 West. Property for the spur was purchased in October 1926, although the spur may already been built. (Davis County Book of Deeds 1‑H, pp.181, 183)

"The beet dump and spur may have been removed by 1952. In March 1952 the sugar company sold a parcel of land in section 24, 33 feet wide by 2,651 feet long to Allen A. Adams. James E. Ellison was President and J. B. Cooley was Secretary of the Layton Sugar Company. (Davis County Book of Records 36, p.96)

"In January 1955 Layton Sugar Company sold a 1.97 acre (577.5 feet by 149 feet) parcel to George H. Bennett Jr. The parcel was located along 1000 West, 509 feet south of 2700 South and was the typical size for a beet dump. (Davis County Book of Records 178, p.63)

"In June 1955 the Layton Sugar Company sold a 2.89 acre (33 feet by 3,809 feet) parcel to the Ellison Ranching Company. The parcel ended at the west line of the Denver and Rio Grande mainline and included a 12 degree curve in the description. (Davis County Book of Records 88, p.435) This is interpreted to be the connection of the Bennett Branch with the D&RG mainline."

Bingham Branch

(Read more about the D&RGW's Bingham Branch)

Cane Creek Branch

(View a Google map of the Cane Creek Branch)

More Information

(Read more about D&RGW's Cane Creek Branch)

(Read more about moving the Moab tailings)

Castle Valley Branch

The original Castle Valley Railway was organized in 1901 by D&RG (not RGW) interests to build a line through Salina canyon.

(Read more about Castle Valley Railway and the later D&RG/D&RGW Castle Valley Branch)

Diamond Quarry Spur

Farnsworth Spur

(Google Map; all Syracuse-area Branches)

Farnsworth was the site of a beet dump owned by Interstate Sugar Co., and a cannery owned by West Point Canning Co.

Rio Grande had a spur to the West Point Canning Company, at 3200 West and the West Point Road (300 North). The spur was built in 1923 as a private rail line owned by the Interstate Sugar Company, which operated the sugar factory at Hooper.

The spur was built south from the siding that Rio Grande called Kingsville, at about 3000 West and 1800 North, named after James King who sold the land to the railroad in 1917. King also sold property to the Amalgamated Sugar Company, which completed a beet dump at Kingsville in 1918.

The Interstate Sugar Company constructed the line to serve the beet dump that was built at Farnsworth, at the end of the line on the north side of the West Point Road (at about 3200 West). Farnsworth was named after Lou Farnsworth, one of the officers in the Interstate Sugar Company.

The sugar company constructed the line to serve the beet dumps that were built at Farnsworth, at the end of the line on the north side of the West Point Road (300 North at about 3200 West). Farnsworth was named after Lou H. Farnsworth, one of the officers in the Interstate Sugar Company.

1923
Interstate Sugar built its railroad south from Kingsville on the D&RG to Farnsworth in 1923. In June 1923 the sugar company bought 4.25 acres of land (SEQ, Sec 32, T5N, R2W) from William H. Dalton and Oly C. Oelson to be used for a beet dump and a railroad right of way at Farnsworth. The property for the entire rail line was purchased from the adjacent land owners, Julia A. Davis, Hannah S. Stokes, Brigham Hartley, and Oly C. Oelson. (Davis County Book of Abstracts 5, pp. 150, 153)

The Farnsworth Spur was built from where it joined with D&RG's Kingsville Spur just north of Kingsville and headed southwest to about 3200 West then due south to the Interstate's beet dump at Farnsworth, at about 3200 West on the north side of 300 North. (Davis County Book of Abstracts 5, p.175, lines 4 and 26)

The spur to the West Point cannery at Farnsworth began at Station 78+23 of the Interstate Sugar Company's railroad and headed southeast and south one hundred feet east of the sugar company's railroad for a length of 765 feet.

The railroad was 1.6 miles long with a 647 foot spur. Consolidated Assets was a Utah corporation based in Ogden. James E. Ellison was vice president. (Davis County Book of Deeds 1J, p.569) The Ellison family also owned the Layton Sugar Co.

The West Point Canning Company was served by the 765-foot Dalton Spur at Farnsworth.

The West Point Canning Company's cannery was located about a hundred feet east of the beet dump at Farnsworth. The canning company began business in 1925 and Rio Grande built a spur to the cannery in May. The canning company went bankrupt in 1936.

In 1925 the West Point Canning Company built a cannery on the east side of the spur on land purchased from William H. Dalton in February 1925. The canning company sold a right of way to the D&RG for a spur, "as now constructed", in April 1925. (Davis County Book of Abstracts 5, p.175, lines 4 and 26)

In 1930, after the Interstate Sugar Company went bankrupt in 1927, the Rio Grande bought mile and half long spur and called it the Farnsworth Extension. The railroad bought the spur to maintain service to the beet dump which was taken over by the Amalgamated Sugar Company.

October 14, 1930
The "Interstate Sugar Company's Railroad" from Kingsville to Farnsworth was sold by Consolidated Assets to the Denver and Rio Grande Western on October 14, 1930. (Davis County Book of Abstracts 5, p. 176, line 35)

(The cannery building still stood as late as 1991, being used as a horse barn.)

Garfield Branch

March 29, 2007
Union Pacific sold to Savage Bingham & Garfield Railroad, portions of the former D&RGW Bingham and Garfield branches.

Savage Bingham & Garfield operations started on October 1, 2007.

Goshen Valley Branch

(View a 1938 map of the D&RGW Goshen Valley Branch)

(View the Google map; as part of all D&RGW Tintic Branches)

(View the D&RGW Goshen Valley Branch Map from 1926)

(View the D&RGW Tintic Branch Map from 1926)

"East Tintic to Have a Railroad", article about the Goshen Valley Railroad. To be built by Utah Construction Company to overcome a long haul by auto-trucks from the Tintic Standard mine. Officers were E. J. Raddatz, president, C. E. Loose, of Provo, vice president, and W. I. Snyder, secretary. Raddatz was also the manager of the Tintic Standard. (Salt Lake Mining Review, March 30, 1919)

April 26, 1927
The federal Interstate Commerce Commission approved the purchase, control and lease of the Goshen Valley Railroad by D&RGW.

The following comes from ICC Finance Docket 6205, decided and approved on April 26, 1927 (124 ICC 397-400):

Finance Docket No. 6205. Control Of Goshen Valley R. R. Co. By Denver & Rio Grande Western R. R. Co. Submitted April 19, 1927. Decided April 26, 1927.

(This report also embraces Finance Docket No, 6282, Lease of Goshen Valley Railroad by Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Company.)

Acquisition by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Company of control of the Goshen Valley Railroad Company by purchase of capital stock and by lease of its railroad approved and authorized.

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Company, on March 23, 1927, filed an application for an order authorizing it to acquire control of the Goshen Valley Railroad Company, hereafter called the carrier, by purchase of capital stock, and on April 11, 1927, filed an application, Finance Docket No. 6232, for an order authorizing it to acquire control, by lease, of the carrier's railroad.

The carrier owns a railroad extending from a connection with the applicant's Tintic branch at Pearl Junction in a general southerly and westerly direction to Dividend, with a branch line from Flora to Iron King, all in Utah County, Utah. The total main-line mileage is 9.05 miles, with 1.5 miles of side and spur tracks.

The carrier's railroad was built in 1919, pursuant to a contract made December 10, 1918, between E. J. Raddatz, the Director General of Railroads, and the receiver of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company, hereinafter called the Denver, the predecessor of the applicant. The contract provided that the line should be built in accordance with standards of railroad constructiorf to be approved by the chief engineer of the Denver, and granted an option to the receiver of the Denver, to purchase the line within one year after the expiration of Federal control, at a price not in excess of the actual cost of right of way and construction. The option to purchase was not exercised, because of financial limitations. The carrier was incorporated under the laws of Utah on December 27, 1918, and on the same day received from Raddatz an assignment of all of his right, title, and interest in the contract. This assignment was duly approved by the general manager of the Denver under the Director General of Railroads and by the receiver of the Denver.

In Stock of Goshen Valley R. R., decided March 15, 1927 (124 ICC 117-118), we authorized the carrier to issue $50,000 of capital stock, consisting of 500 shares of the par value of $100 each, and to deliver 334 shares of said stock to the Tintic Standard Mining Company and 166 shares to the Iron King Consolidated Mining Company in partial payment of the advances made by said companies for the construction of the carrier's railroad.

On January 24, 1927, the [D&RGW] contracted to purchase from the two mining companies the entire capital stock of the carrier for $488,861.12. The mining companies agree to pay all indebtedness of the carrier, and to indemnify the applicant against all claims. The proposed purchase price equals the actual cost of construction and right of way. The railroad was built under the supervision of the Denver's engineers. The track is laid with 75 and 85 pound rail and has been well maintained. The agreed consideration is to be paid in cash.

The carrier's railroad serves the Tintic mining district. It does not connect with any railroad except that of the [D&RGW]. The carrier does not own any equipment. Operations are conducted by the [D&RGW]. In 1926 the interchange between the two railroads totaled 165,320 tons. The total revenue therefrom was $220,786.31, of which $156,731 accrued to the applicant and $64,055.31 to the carrier. Development work in progress is expected to produce a substantial increase in traffic.

May 20, 1927
D&RGW withdrew its application to the Utah Public Utilities Commission to purchase the Goshen Valley Railroad. The application was made on November 6, 1926. (Utah Public Service Commission case 929)

(Although no reason was given for the withdrawl, the most likely reason was that the federal ICC had already decided in favor of D&RGW's control and lease of the Goshen Valley railroad.)

October 29, 1940
D&RGW received Utah Public Utilities Commission approval to close agency station at Goshen. (Utah Public Service Commission case 2425)

April 11, 1947
Property of the D&RGW was sold to the reorganized D&RGW, merging the old D&RGW with the Denver & Salt Lake Railway, the Denver & Salt Lake Western Railroad (the Dotsero Cutoff), the Rio Grande Junction Railroad, and the Goshen Valley Railroad. (Athearn, p. 328; LeMassena, p. 163)

August 1972
The federal Interstate Commerce Commission approved D&RGW's request to abandon the Eureka Branch from Pearl Junction to Eureka, 13.13 miles, along with the Goshen Valley Branch from Flora to Dividend, 2.70 miles. (Railroad magazine, December 1972, page 66)

Heber Branch

(see Provo Canyon Branch)

Hooper Branch

(Google Map; all Syracuse-area Branches)

D&RGW's Hooper Branch began at the mainline, at about 5700 South in Roy. The curve was a 350 foot radius from the north to the west. The branch proceeded west along 5700 South to about 3900 West where it started a gradual turn to the north. At about 4925 West the branch turned due west again to Hooper, along 5600 South. The Hooper Road is 5500 South.

At about 5500 West the spur to the sugar factory turned north for about a quarter mile. The sugar factory was located at about 5400 South just west of 5500 West. The Hooper cannery was located about a half block south of 5500 South at about 5700 West. Apparently the Cox Extension continued west along 5600 South to a beet dump at about 7000 West. The station at Cox was the off‑loading station for a Conservation Corps camp in the 1930's, used to make improvements to the Howard Slough Bird Refuge. The same camp was used as a POW camp during World War Two.

D&RGW's Hooper Branch ran west, paralleling today's 5600 South (Hooper Road) at about 5650 South, to Hooper, at about 5700 West. The Cox Extension was built further west to about 6700 West where a beet dump for Interstate Sugar Company was located (just south of Thorald Cox's home). The station at Cox was also the off‑loading station for a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the 1930s. The CCC were used to construct the Howard Slough Bird Refuge. The same camp was used to house a limited number of Italian POWs during World War Two. The beet dump at Cox was closed in about 1953, at which time the beets were piled at Amalgamated Sugar's Hooper beet dump, on the site of the old Interstate Sugar Company's sugar factory. (part from Garth Moore interview, September 1994)

Initial construction in 1905 by D&RG.

March 1905
RGW bought land for a sixty‑six foot right of way through several sections for use as a spur to Hooper in March 1905. (Weber County Book of Deeds G, p.67)

April 1905
RGW bought land in Hooper in April 1905 for use as a spur to the sugar factory, connecting with the Hooper Spur. (Weber County Book of Deeds G, p.86)

Barton, on Hooper Branch, was at the section line between Sections 21 and 22, T5N, R2W (D&RG Valuation Map)

January 1918
D&RG bought more land in Hooper from Amalgamated Sugar in January 1918. (Weber County Book of Deeds J, p.108, lines 6, 7, 8)

Iron King Branch

(Google map; D&RGW Tintic Branches)

August 2013
A section of the abandoned track was destroyed when Bureau of Land Management contractors used large chains pulled between bulldozers to remove invasive plant species. The chaining ripped up the rails and track structure in several places. (Information and photos from Pete Maxfield)

Jennings Spur

Initial construction 3 miles to Jennings Quarry in 1892; extended to 4.97 miles to Potters Quarry in 1900; removed in 1917

Kenilworth Branch

Replaced Kenilworth & Helper Railway, which connected with D&RGW at Spring Glen, east of Helper.

1926
The following comes from various issues of Railway Age magazine:

DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN. -- This company has applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission for a certificate authorizing the construction of a line of 6.28 miles from Spring Canyon Junction, Utah. (Railway Age, February 6, 1926, page 409)

DENVER & RIO GRADE WESTERN. -- Improvement program for this year calling for an expenditure of more than $9 million, includes "an extension from Helper, Utah, to Kenilworth, a distance of six miles." All of the other projects were in Colorado. (Railway Age, March 13, 1926, page 833)

DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN -- Abandonment. -- The Interstate Commerce Commission has issued a certificate authorizing the Kenilworth & Helper and the Denver & Rio Grande Western, lessee, to abandon the line of the Kenilworth & Helper, which extends from Kenilworth Junction, Utah, to Kenilworth, 3.75 miles. Similarly a certificate has been issued authorizing the Denver & Rio Grande Western to construct a new branch line from Spring Canyon Junction in a general easterly direction, 6.28 miles. The Kenilworth is leased by the Denver from its owners, the Independent Coal & Coke Company, which purposes to open up new coal operations which the present line will not be adequate to serve. (Railway Age, April 10, 1926, page 1039)

DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN. -- A contract has been awarded to the Utah Construction Company, San Francisco, Cal., for the grading of a six-mile extension from Helper, Utah, to Kenilworth, reported in the Railway Age of March 13. (Railway Age, May 22, 1926, page 1415)

December 1971
D&RGW received federal ICC approval to abandon its Kenilworth Branch, Helper to Kenilworth, 6.23 miles. (Railroad magazine, April 1972, page 65)

See also: Utah Coal, Kenilworth Mines.

Kingsville Spur

(Google Map; all Syracuse-area Branches)

Kingsville was the site of a beet dump owned by Amalgamated Sugar Co.

D&RG's Kingsville Spur was built in late 1917 and early 1918. The branch started with a 12 degree curve to the south from the Hooper Spur, at a point 458 feet east and 414 feet south of the NW corner of Section 21, T5N, R2W. The land for the entire spur was purchased in December 1917.

The D&RG station at Kingsville was named after the original land owner, Joseph S. King, and was located at about 3000 West on the north side of 1800 North (Clinton Road). King sold a right of way for the D&RG spur, which had already been graded, in December 1917. At the same time King also sold two acres to the Amalgamated Sugar Company for use as a beet dump. The land for the beet dump was 665 feet north to south and 128 feet wide along the east side of the D&RG spur. D&RG purchased additional land from Amalgamated Sugar in January 1918, at which time the spur had been completed. (Davis County Book of Abstracts B, p.19, and Book of Deeds 1‑A, pp.437 and 478)

Amalgamated Sugar bought land for use as a beet dump at Kingsville in November 1917. (Weber County Book of Deeds J, p.79)

Lake Park Branch

(Read more about RGW's Lake Park Resort and Branch)

Lark Branch

Little Cottonwood Branch

Midvale to Sandy, then eastward to Wasatch.

Wasatch to Alta.

April 24, 1960
The D&RGW Little Cottonwood Branch was shown in D&RGW Employee Timetable No. 142, dated April 24, 1960.

October 14, 1960
D&RGW agreed to abandon and remove the tracks of its Little Cottonwood Branch between Midvale and Sandy, along Midvale's Center Street, eastward to the State Street crossing and into Sandy. This was to be done prior to the start of Interstate 15 construction. (Midvale Sentinel, October 14, 1960)

In April 1957 the state road commission had asked that the tracks along Center Street in Midvale be removed to allow widening of Center Street. The request was to the railroad itself, but was not approved. The state then sued in Third District Court in October. Only four customers were being served by the Little Cottonwood Branch at the time. (Deseret News, April 24, 1957; October 12, 1957)

March 1, 1965
The D&RGW Little Cottonwood Branch was officially closed to rail traffic on Monday March 1, 1965. The rails immediately east of the main line were in the way of construction of the Interstate 15 overpass over Center Street, and were to be removed within 30 days. D&RGW had agreed to abandon and remove the tracks leading to Sandy when they became an obstacle to the completion of I-15 through Midvale. (Midvale Sentinel, March 5, 1965)

July 9, 1965
D&RGW removed the tracks of its Little Cottonwood Branch along Center Street in Midvale, east of the D&RGW mainline, "last week." The connection between the mainline and the branch had been cut (in March) with the construction of Interstate 15 between the mainline at Midvale, and the crossing of State Street. The tracks through Midvale were commonly known by residents as the "Shay tracks" because of the type of locomotive once used along them. After the tracks and sub-roadbed of the branch were removed, a new base up to 24 inches deep was put into place, and the area was paved, making Center Street wider. (Midvale Sentinel, July 9, 1965; July 16, 1965)

(Read more about D&RGW's Little Cottonwood Branch)

Marysvale Branch

D&RGW Marysvale Branch -- A Google Map of D&RGW's Marysvale Branch, built in 1891 and abandoned in 1984.

(Read more about D&RGW's Marysvale Branch)

Mammoth Branch

Joint operation with OSL, then with UP, to provide access to the mill of the Mammoth Milling Co.

Morrison Branch

Former San Pete Valley Railway

See also: a History of Railroads in San Pete Valley.

Ogden Sugar Works Branch

Orem Branch

Purchased from the bankrupt Salt Lake & Utah Railroad in 1946.

(Read more about D&RGW's Orem Branch)

Park City Branch

(Read more about D&RGW's Park City Branch)

See also: the railroad portion of History of Transportation in Parley's Canyon.

Pleasant Valley Branch

Timeline:

See also: Utah Coal, Pleasant Valley Mines.

Provo Canyon Branch

D&RGW's Provo Canyon Branch extended from downtown Provo, north and northeast for 28 miles to Heber, by way of Provo Canyon.

The upper portion became the current tourist railroad known as the Heber Creeper (Heber Valley Historic Railroad).

(Read more about D&RGW's Provo Canyon Branch)

(Read more about the Heber Creeper, today known as the Heber Valley Historic Railroad)

San Pete Valley Branch

Additional Information

December 2, 1947
D&RGW received ICC approval to abandon 23.21 miles of the San Pete Branch, between Moroni and Nephi. (ICC Finance Docket 15476, in 267 ICC 807)

(LeMassena, p. 163, says that the portion of the San Pete Valley Branch from Moroni to Gypsum Mill, 32.8 miles, was removed in 1948.)

(The portion at the western end, from Nephi to Gypsum Mill to Nephi, 1.9 miles, was sold to Union Pacific's LA&SL subsidiary. UP operated the line as its Nephi Plaster Mill Spur until October 1953, when it was retired and removed. The spur ran down the middle of Nephi's main east-west thoroughfare, First North Street, which was also designated as Utah Highway 132. The state highway department wanted the tracks removed to allow improvements along the state highway.)

See also: a History of Railroads in San Pete Valley.

Spring Canyon Branch

Timeline:

Spring Canyon Branch shown in D&RGW Salt Lake Division employee timetables as late as No. 139, dated September 22, 1957

D&RGW Spring Canyon Branch possibly abandoned in 1954 in ICC Finance Docket 18361, decided 2/16/54. (282 ICC 810)

D&RGW Spring Canyon Branch -- A Google Map of D&RGW's Spring Canyon Branch, west of Helper; also shows Utah Railway Spring Canyon Branch and coal mines.

See also: Utah Coal, Spring Canyon Mines

Sunnyside Branch

(Read more about the Sunnyside Branch)

Tintic Branch

(Read more about D&RGW's Tintic area branches)

Sources

D&RGW April 1884 passenger timetable, showing distances from Denver via the original narrow gauge

D&RGW Salt Lake Division timetable 117, December 4, 1938 (from Scott Meier's web site)

D&RGW Grand Junction Division timetable 119, June 2, 1940 (from Scott Meier's web site)

Maps in LeMassena's Rio Grande to the Pacific

D&RGW 1934 Condensed Profiles

John B. Charles email to D&RGW group at YahooGroups, July 22, 2003; information taken from Salt Lake Division timetable No 95, June 1, 1924.

Scott Meier email to D&RGW group at YahooGroups, July 23, 2003; information taken from Salt Lake Division timetable No. 102, June 9, 1929.

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