This page was last updated on December 21, 2017.
(Return to the Ogden Rails Index Page)
Notes taken at Union Pacific headquarters, Omaha, Nebraska, May 1-4, 1995, with the assistance of Don Snoddy, UP Museum Director.
Unless noted, all notes are taken from the computerized database at the UP Museum.
Other sources include the UP and the OUR&D AFE Register books [AFE = Authority For Expenditure], the correspondence index cards for UP and OUR&D, and the structures property description book.
February 9, 1869
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) February 9, 1869, 40.0-mile segment of trackage was constructed or put in operation between Echo and Ogden, Utah.
March 3, 1869
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) On March 3, 1869, Union Pacific rails reached Ogden.
May 17, 1869
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) On May 17, 1869, the work started out of Ogden on the Utah Central Railway.
January 10, 1870
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) On January 10, 1870, the Utah Central was opened to Salt Lake City from Ogden, Utah.
January 17, 1870
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) January 17, 1870, the Utah Central Railroad company constructed or put in operation 36.3 miles of trackage between Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah.
1872-1873
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) During 1872-1873, the Utah Northern Railroad Company constructed and placed in operation 73.3 miles of trackage between Ogden and Logan, Utah.
1889
(Station) Reported (1922) 64 x 266.6 foot three story brick station, built ca. 1889. Maintained by Ogden Union Railway & Depot Company.
1897
(Shops)(Sand House) Frame sand house 23 x 30 feet
1897
(Station)(Stock Yards) Stock yards 34,400 feet.
1897
(Shops)(Turntable) 60-toot iron turntable
1897
(Shops)(Car) Frame car repair shop 20 x 42 feet.
1897
(Shops)(Oil House) Brick oil house 20 x 28 feet.
1897
(Round House) 20-stall brick round house.
1897
(Station)(Roadway Buildings) Frame bunk house 18 x 24 feet
1897
(Shops)(Store House) Frame store house 12 x 44 feet.
1897
(Station)(Coal House) Frame coal bin 16 x 40 feet.
1897
(Station)(Facility)(Fuel Coal) 40-pocket coal chute.
1897
(Station)(Facility)(Water Tank) Tank, pump house, water columns and pipe line. Water from city mains.
1897
(Station)(Hospital) Brick hospital 36 x 106 feet.
1897
(Station)(Ice House) Frame ice house 30 x 400 feet.
1897
(Station)(Office)(Yardmaster) Brick yardmaster's office 16 x 26 feet.
1897
(Station)(Roadway Buildings) Frame section house 24 x 35 feet.
1897
(Station)(Track Scale) Track scales 40 feet long.
1897
(Track)(Siding) Eleven miles and 1402 feet of side tracks.
January 22, 1898
(Track)(Acquisition)(New Line) Acquired by purchase from The Union Pacific RAILWAY Company on January 22, 1898, 1033.46 miles of first main track, and 11.33 miles of second main track, from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Ogden, Utah.
January 22, 1898
(Track)(Acquisition)(New Line) Acquired by purchase from The Union Pacific RAILWAY Company on January 22, 1898, 5.00 miles of first main track Ogden, Utah to 5 miles West of Ogden.
February 1, 1898
(Track)(Acquisition)(New Line) Under the reorganization, the Union Pacific Railroad Company acquired 1,043.01 miles of line Council Bluffs, Iowa to Ogden, Utah on February 1, 1898.
1904
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) New Line Echo to Ogden which is 40 miles. This line was changed at eight different points, involving the construction of b.E9 miles of new track, each section of the work being opened for business as soon as completed. Savings .05 mile.
1906
Completed construction of a Commissary and Laundry building, located immediately south of Union station. (Union Pacific structures property book)
1906
(Signal) On the Union Pacific Railroad the installation of electric block signals between Council Bluffs, Iowa and Ogden, Utah, is progressing and will probably be completed about January, 1907.
1906
(Track)(Construction )(Second Main) A second main track is in course of construction from the south into Ogden, a distance of 2.90 miles.
December 10, 1906
(Track)(Construction)(New Line) Oregon Short Line Railroad: Ogden to Roy, Utah, 3.65 miles, built, opened for traffic December 10, 1906.
1910
(Track)(Construction)(Second Main) On Oregon Short Line between Ogden and Sandy, Utah, constructed 5.71 miles of second main track.
1912
Completed new Union Freight Depot. (Union Pacific structures property book)
1912
(Track)(Construction)(Line Change) 2.34 miles on the Oregon Short Line Railroad between Ogden and Farmington, Utah was changed for the purpose of eliminating curvature and reducing grades.
October 30, 1912
(Track)(Construction)(Second Main) Between Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah, built 15.20 miles Second Main Track, opened for traffic October 30, 1912.
November 15, 1914
UP vacated its old roundhouse, which had been built before 1885. All machinery was removed and re-installed in SP's car shop, which then became the joint UP/SP engine house. The old UP roundhouse then became UP's car repair shop for Ogden, until September 1921, when it was retired and abandoned. The 66-foot turntable was completed in 1900, and was built by the Lassig Bridge and Iron Works. The old UP roundhouse had 77-foot long stalls. (Union Pacific structures property book)
1916
(Miscellaneous)(Track Ballast) South main track between Riverdale and Ogden, Utah, was ballasted with 8 inches of gravel.
August 5, 1919
UP ice houses numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4, owned by UP, rented to PFE; all four destroyed by fire. (UPRR AFE Register reference number 1806)
April 30, 1920
"Proposed government depot near Ogden; Arsenal." (UP correspondence file index)
May 12, 1920
PFE Co. - Construction of ice manufacturing plant.
(UP correspondence file index)
November 29, 1920
"Extension of 24th Street Viaduct for accommodation of additional yard tracks."
(UP correspondence file index)
Circa 1921
Completed installation of a second hand Pegram truss bridge, and relay floor and paving of 24th Street Viaduct, per drawing 21047. (OSL AFE Register reference number 223)
September 17, 1921
Completed the removal and abandonment of the 20-stall roundhouse, 66-foot turntable, 40-pocket 30x120 coal chute, plus other shops and buildings, to allow construction of the new Pacific Fruit Express ice house. (OSL AFE Register reference number 220)
October 11, 1921
"Constructing building for Railway Mail Service at Ogden for handling mail." (UP correspondence file index)
November 1, 1922
"Purchase of Block One and West 1/2 of Block Two of Rivervie Addition to prevent further demand for viaduct across UP tracks at 28th Street." (UP correspondence file index)
1923
(Track)(Construction)(Yard) Purchased real estate for yard and terminal extension at Ogden, Utah.
February 1923
(Station) In February, 1923, the Ogden station was destroyed by fire.
December 15, 1923
Completed construction of a new 50,000-gallon wooden water tank on a 30-foot high steel tower, located at 28th Street, including the replacement of a 6-inch water column with a larger 12-inch water column at the same location. (OSL AFE Register reference number 244)
December 31, 1923
Completed installation and construction of a new 12-inch water column at 21st Street. (OSL AFE Register reference number 259)
November 22, 1924
(Station) On November 22, 1924, the Union Station at Ogden, Utah was opened.
October 31, 1925
Completed construction of the new Union Station. Begun on February 20, 1924. (OSL AFE Register reference number 270)
May 13, 1926
Construct 33,000 feet of new tracks to allow Southern Pacific trains to enter yard and be re-iced without breaking them in two. This would change the one long 90-car track to four long tracks. The current short track was used almost entirely for initial icing of fruits and vegetables loaded in Utah. This extension of tracks was possible because of the recent construction of a new 24th Street Viaduct, which now carried traffic all the way west to the West Ogden Bluff, instead of dumping the traffic just east of the Weber River bridge. (OUR&D AFE 18, May 13, 1926)
1927
(Shops)(Enginehouse) Constructed a 20-stall brick enginehouse with 40 x 82 foot brick machine shop, 100-foot turntable, two concrete cinder pits, electric traveling crane, power plant, etc., for new engine terminal facilities, at Ogden, Utah.
1927
(Station)(Facility)(Fuel Coal) At Ogden, Utah, built a 350-ton conveyor type steel coaling station for new engine terminal facilities.
March 5, 1927
Completed construction of extending the Union Station passenger subway for a distance of 41 feet. Begun on May 26, 1926. (OSL AFE Register reference number 338)
July 1, 1927
(Shops)(Roundhouse) On July 1, 1927, Ogden, Utah, roundhouse and repair track was opened for business.
July 30, 1927
Completed construction of a new 24th Street Viaduct. The 24th Street viaduct was extended west to high ground, allowing extension of the PFE platform north, which allowed 70-car trains at the platform instead of 40-car trains. Ogden City and Weber County agreed to the new viaduct to eliminate a bad hill in each direction. The drawing for the new viaduct was dated December 1925. Construction began on July 1, 1926. (OSL AFE Register reference number 345; OUR&D drawing 22159; Contract ACE 6429; OUR&D AFE 34)
September 15, 1927
Completed construction of 37,286 feet (approximately 7 miles) of track, including the installation of 32 split switches and 3 double-slip switches. Begun on July 23, 1926. (OSL AFE Register reference number 382)
(Was this part of the OSL Run Around Track?)
1928
(Communication)(Telegraph) Between Echo and Ogden, Utah, telegraph lines were reconstructed.
April 23, 1928
Completed construction of 4,550 feet of new track, as OUR&D's portion of OSL's freight run around track west of the PFE icing plant, for OSL Salt Lake to Pocatello trains, new track referred to as the "OSL Run Around Track". Also, OSL was to build 7,000 feet of new track as part of same effort. There were ten OSL trains through the Ogden yard daily, and this new run-around track would allow these trains to avoid the congestion of Ogden yard. Begun on September 15, 1927. (OUR&D AFE 8, approved on June 17, 1927; OSL AFE Register reference number 396)
(This run around track was also referred to as the "Belt Track". Later, in a 1953 drawing, the same track was called the "Shasta Tracks".)
September 30, 1928
Completed construction of 5,600 linear feet of new umbrella sheds ("Sacramento type"). New sheds needed to protect passengers going to and from trains, and rebuild sheds over stairs of subway to match new train sheds. The design was changed from 19-foot sheds, similar to those proposed at Salt Lake City, to 23-foot sheds, similar to those built by Southern Pacific at Sacramento. Begun on April 20, 1928. (OSL AFE Register reference number 413; OUR&D AFE 5, approved on November 9, 1927)
October 25, 1928
Completed construction of a new timber load shifter. Begun on July 2, 1928. (OSL AFE Register reference number 425)
November 1, 1928
(Accident)(Train Wreck) Head-end collision between two transfer movements on November 1, 1928, resulting in death of one employee. Caused by failure of switchmen to maintain proper lookout for the other. Engines 4413 on eastward and 240 on westward movement involved.
December 11, 1928
Completed construction of four new long tracks adjacent to the ice house tracks. 21,635 feet long (approximately 4 miles), along with 13 turnouts. Begun on July 9, 1928. (OSL AFE Register reference number 422)
1929
(Signal) Between Evanston, Wyoming, and Echo, Utah, and between Gateway and Ogden, Utah, 47.1 miles of signal pole line was reconstructed and line charging system installed.
1929
(Signal) Between Wahsatch and Emory, and Gateway and Ogden, Utah, 24.4 miles of new signal pole line constructed and line charging system installed.
March 1, 1929
Completed construction of a new 57x122 brick Terminal Railway Post Office building, to be leased to government. Current building to be rehabilitated and used by OUR&D as crew locker room. Begun on September 14, 1928. (OSL AFE Register reference number 435; OUR&D AFE 14, approved on October 7, 1928)
May 18, 1929
Formal completion of construction of new, solely Union Pacific engine terminal facilities, consisting of a 20-stall engine house, and a 100-foot turntable, along with new cinder pits, coaling station, and other improvements. The engine house stalls were each 114 feet in length. The coaling station covered 3 tracks and had a capacity of 420 tons. Total cost of construction was $573,468. By the end of 1928, Union Pacific figured that it had saved $149,400 in annual costs compared to the previous twelve months, ending in 1927, in costs associated with having Southern Pacific provide for the repairs of UP's locomotives and cars at Ogden, $472,704 compared to $622,104. The new facilities included a Whiting gantry crane for the new cinder pit. The crane had a 24 foot lift (to bottom of cinder pit), with a span of 21 feet and an overhang of 23 feet, 6 inches at each end, and a 2 cubic yard bucket. The crane was ordered on December 16, 1926. (UP AFE 202, presented on May 25, 1926 and approved on August 10, 1926; ICC Class 21; Union Pacific structures property book)
January 13, 1930
Completed construction and installation of a new 150-ton track scale, 56 feet in length. Begun on October 12, 1929. (OSL AFE Register reference number 455)
August 2, 1930
"Construct additional switching lead to stock yards including bridge over Weber River." (UP correspondence file index)
December 12, 1930
Completed installation of a second switch lead for Ogden Union Stock yard, including 1,550 feet of track, 5 switches, and an 18-foot side extension of the present pile bridge over the Weber River. Begun on August 27, 1930. (OSL AFE Register reference number 475)
September 1, 1931
Complete construction of trackage at east side of new UP car repair and mechanical facilities to allow double ended access to car repair tracks. The additional tracks would allow the repair tracks to be switched from both ends. (OSL AFE Register reference number 480; OUR&D AFE 1, approved on March 11, 1929)
March 23, 1936
Construct fueling facilities to allow refueling of Streamliner trains at Ogden, including an underground 20,000 gallon storage tank. (OUR&D AFE 1, March 23, 1936)
1937
(Station)(DC&H Laundry) Additional machinery purchased for use in laundry at Ogden, Utah
1939
(Communication)(Telephone) New Apparatus installed at Omaha, Nebraska and certain intermediate points providing additional telephone circuits over existing Company wire lines and materially extending the territory throughout which telephone conversations over Company's 1939 wires may be conducted, thus effecting savings in telephone tolls and telegraph operations.
1939
(Signal) Between Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah, electric light signals substituted for oil lamp signals, polarized track circuits changed to neutral track circuits, signals respaced, and wires installed on signal pole line for transmitting current for automatic charging of signal batteries, and in connection with this work constructed 16.44 miles of new signal pole line.
December 13, 1940
"Rehabilitate old CP mainline between 17th Street and 12th Street to connect with government trackage serving U. S. Army Supply Depot." (UP correspondence file index)
December 23, 1940
Relay 2,820 feet of old Central Pacific main line between 17th Street and 12th Street with 100-pound rail, to allow access for the construction of the new Army Supply Depot. (OUR&D AFE 3, December 23, 1940)
1941
(Shops)(Turntable) Constructed 135-foot turntable, replacing 100-foot turntable, at Ogden, Utah, to accommodate longer locomotives.
February 18, 1941
Install a 135-foot, deck plate, three-point suspension turntable, replacing a 100-foot, pony-truss, balanced suspension turntable built in 1926. (UP AFE 36, February 18, 1941; ICC Class 21)
1942
(Shops)(Enginehouse) Extended nine stalls and pits in enginehouse at Ogden, Utah, to accommodate Larger locomotives.
1942
(Track)(Construction)(Yard) At Ogden, Utah, The Ogden Union Railway and Depot Company constructed 47,600 feet involving purchase of 305 acres of right of way.
1942
(Track)(Construction)(Yard) At Ogden, Utah, The Pacific Fruit Express Company constructed 14,230 feet of yard tracks.
May 17, 1942
Purchase 305 acres (all land between the UPRR main line and the Weber River, between Riverdale Road and the Bamberger crossing) and construct 47,600 feet of yard tracks, consisting of four 125-car receiving tracks and a new switch lead, all east of 33rd Street. PFE to construct two 125-car cleaning tracks, also east of 33rd Street. Previously, during the fall traffic peak of 1941, as many as six trains were held awaiting yard tracks. Westbound movements of empty refrigerator cars were also held up due to congestion at Ogden, forcing such cars to be stored in yards all the way from Council Bluffs to Ogden. New yard per C.E. drawing 53996, dated May 6, 1942. East Yard gets its name because it was east of the Bamberger crossing. At this time it had not yet been designated solely for eastbound traffic. The new yard would allow an increase in the number of switchers, from one to three. (OUR&D AFE 2 , May 17, 1942)
September 6, 1942
Construct new load shifter at 21st Street, on west side of yard. Present load shifter was located near the Union Freight House. (OUR&D AFE 4, September 6, 1942)
December 1942
Completed change of Ogden engine house to allow the maintenance of the new 4000-class locomotives. Extend stalls 15 and 16 to rear, from 114 feet to 153 feet. Extend stalls 12, 13, and 14 to rear, from 114 feet to 233 feet, for new machine shop. Convert machine shop at end of stalls 17 to 20 to extend tracks. Change two-track drop pit to three-track drop pit. (UP AFE 85, approved on April 10, 1941; ICC Class 21; Union Pacific structures property book)
1943
(Communication)(Telephone) Transposed telephone circuits between Omaha, Nebraska, and Ogden, Utah, and installed cable loading equipment at various intermediate locations to prevent interference between circuits.
1943
(Track)(Construction)(Yard) To expedite the handling of traffic, the Ogden Union Railway and Depot Company constructed 43,848 feet of yard tracks at Ogden, Utah.
1943
(Track)(Retirement)(Yard) Yard tracks at Ogden, Utah.
February 16, 1943
"Additional tracks and facilities to handle loads via Ogden diverted from El Paso and Tucumcari gateways; additional tracks at Riverdale to relocate D&RGW interchange facility."
(UP correspondence file index)
March 23, 1943
Construct 43,848 feet of additional yard tracks in East Yard. (OUR&D AFE 3, March 23, 1943)
May 1943
Completed construction of a new yard office, located between 24th and 25th Streets. (Union Pacific structures property book)
1944
(Communication)(Telephone) To provide more efficient and expeditious telephone service, installed additional circuit between Omaha, Nebraska, and Ogden, Utah, including repeaters at various intermediate locations.
1945
(Shops)(Air) Installed motor driven air compressors at Ogden, Utah.
1945
(Shops)(Store House) Constructed building at Ogden, Utah, for Store Department
1947
(Signal) Train signals were rearranged and improved between Ogden, Utah, and McCammon, Idaho (111 miles).
1949
(Signal) Train signals were rearranged and improved between Ogden, Utah, and McCammon, Idaho (111 miles).
1949
(Station)(DC&H Laundry) Construction of building at Ogden, Utah, and purchase and installation therein of laundry machinery and equipment, were authorized to replace obsolete and inadequate facilities and reduce laundry costs in connection with dining car, hotel and restaurant operations.
September 9, 1949
"Purchase sign 'Union Station Go By Train' on station." (UP correspondence file index)
September 3, 1950
Construct a new, heavier load shifter in a new location. Old location was at 21st Street on west side of OUR&D yard. (OUR&D AFE 11, September 3, 1950)
1951
(Signal) Rearrangement and improvement of train signals between Green River, Wyoming, and Ogden, Utah (176 miles), have been authorized.
1951
(Station)(DC&H Laundry) Laundry at Ogden, Utah, was completed and placed in operation.
February 1952
Completed construction of Diesel fueling facilities. (Union Pacific structures property book)
December 31, 1952
Completed construction of a new Commissary and Laundry building, replacing one completed in 1906. (Union Pacific structures property book)
1953
(Track)(Construction)(Yard) The present yards at Ogden, Utah, are no longer adequate to handle the heavy volume of freight traffic passing through this important terminal, and work has therefore been started on enlargement of the east yard to accommodate eastbound traffic and rearrangement of the main yard to handle traffic moving west, north or south. This undertaking will necessitate, among other things, construction (a) by Ogden Union Railway & Depot Co. (owned jointly with Southern Pacific Co.) of about 21 miles of new yard tracks, two yard office buildings, a diesel fueling station and two viaducts, (b) by Pacific Fruit Express Co. of a new 110-carlength icing platform, equipped with three icing machines, and (c) by the Union Pacific of 7,510 feet of trackage and repair facilities for freight cars.
March 3, 1953
New yard facilities at Ogden terminal East Yard and Main Yard; UP car repair yard and facilities." (UP correspondence file index)
March 22, 1953
Construct 11,300 feet of new trackage and to rearrange trackage to better serve the Ogden Union Stockyards. New trackage needed to serve as a second switch lead to allow two switchers to switch the Ogden Union Stock Yards simultaneously. Also to purchase from D&RGW 1,400 feet of track, including 11 turnouts, as part of the expansion. (OUR&D AFE 1, March 22, 1953)
June 10, 1953
Construct 111,900 feet (approximate 21 miles) of new trackage and other improvements in East Yard, including new 50 feet by 160 feet yard office and 150-ton track scale. The present tracks are inadequate for present volume of traffic resulting from the Defense program. There is no room to expand the present trackage west of the 33rd Street (the Bamberger overpass). Propose to expand East Yard to handle all eastbound traffic. (OUR&D AFE 1, June 10, 1953)
1954
(Miscellaneous)(Icing Platform) At Ogden, Utah, a 110-carlength icing platform with three machines for mechanically icing refrigerator cars, was constructed by the Pacific Fruit Express Co.
1954
(Track)(Construction)(Yard) The expansion and modernization project in the freight yards at Ogden, Utah, which was started in 1953, was completed on September 1, 1954, in time for heavy fall traffic. The east yard was expanded to accommodate eastbound traffic and the main yard was rearranged to handle westbound trains destined to San Francisco and trains moving south and north. This involved construction of 22 miles of yard tracks, and facilities for inspection and repair of freight cars; two yard office buildings; eleven floodlight towers; two yardmasters' radio towers; a diesel fueling station; and two viaducts. Movement of traffic through this important terminal has been speeded up materially, and operating economies are being realized.
May 24, 1954
"OUR&D constructing double track overhead steel railroad bridge to carry Bamberger tracks over new yard, and agreement for new tracks on Bamberger right of way at Ogden." (UP correspondence file index)
October 11, 1955
"OUR&D yardmaster's tower and carmen's building in Riverdale yard."
(UP correspondence file index)
November 1955
Completed construction of the Riverdale car shop. (Union Pacific structures property book)
December 31, 1955
Completed construction of a new four-track car repair yard adjacent to new OUR&D Riverdale Yard, including a 50-ton traveling crane, with 1,300 foot runway. The new facilities were needed to allow the repair of 70 cars, stemming from the increase in traffic projected from expansion of OUR&D East Yard to only eastbound traffic. (UP AFE 146, approved on June 10, 1953; ICC Class 21)
1957
(Communication)(Telephone) Long-distance dialing equipment is being provided for various exchanges, such as at Ogden, Utah. This will permit every station served by a Company exchange to dial any other exchange connected to the dialing system, without necessity for operators.
1958
(Track)(Acquisition)(New Line) The Union Pacific purchased from the Bamberger Railroad Company, after approval by the Interstate Commerce Commission, an 8 1/2 mile line of railroad, with appurtenant yard tracks and sidings, extending southeast from Ogden, Utah, to the Hill Air Force Base. The newly acquired line, which has been named the Hill Field Branch, serves a number of industries, as well as the Air Force Base, in the Ogden area, and should prove a profitable investment as a source of considerable additional freight traffic. (UP computerized database, UP Museum, Omaha)
April 30, 1959
Retired old 9-track car repair tracks, adjacent to roundhouse. (Union Pacific structures property book)
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