Southern Pacific, East of Montello

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This page was last updated on May 19, 2022.

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Stockyards

Stockyards were located at Tecoma (74 cars capacity), Lucin (17 cars capacity, with water), Groome (7 cars capacity, sheep only), Hogup (8 cars capacity, sheep only), Lakeside (16 cars capacity), and Promontory Point (6 cars capacity).

Lucin Cutoff

Completed and turned over for formal operation on September 17, 1904. (A source within the SP engineering department shows December 8, 1904.)

Regular operation of freight trains over the Lucin Cutoff began on March 8, 1904, and operation of passenger trains began on September 18, 1904. (Signor, Southern Pacific's Salt Lake Division, page 90)

The original Lucin Cutoff was completed in 1904 and was 102.6 miles long, including 13.5 miles of fill and 12.5 miles of wooden trestle, along with 5.4 miles of new construction on the south end of the Promontory Peninsula between the two fills. The east arm of the Great Salt Lake was crossed on 7.6 miles of fill. The west arm of the lake was crossed by 1.4 miles of fill at the east end, then 12.5 miles of trestle, then 4.5 miles of fill at the west end.

The 12.5 miles of trestle were replaced by 12.6 miles of new fill that was located about 1500 feet to the north, with curved connections at each end. It was completed in July 1959.

Train Control

(1938)
Automatic Block Signals, Montello to Ogden

(1946, 1948, 1955, 1961)
Automatic Block Signals, Montello to Ogden
CTC, Lucin to Bridge

Single Track/Double Track

(1938, 1946, 1948, 1955)
Double track, through Montello (from Valley Pass) to Lucin
Single track, Lucin to Lakeside
Double track, Lakeside to Tresend (until causeway in 1959)
Single track, Tresend (midlake) to Bridge (trestle)
Double track, Bridge to Ogden

(1961)
Double track, through Montello (from Valley Pass) to Lucin
Single track, Lucin to Lakeside
Double track, Lakeside to Midlake (after causeway in 1959)
Single track, Midlake to Bridge
Double track, Bridge to Ogden

Mile Post Numbering

Note on mile post and date variations: the mile posts and in-service dates in this listing come from numerous sources. SP (CP) renumbered all stations east from San Francisco and/or Oakland on several different dates. Quoting Lynn Farrer's excellent summary (edited slightly for continuity and clarity):

Station List of Southern Pacific's line across the Great Salt Lake from Lucin to Ogden, beginning with the first record found in the Form 70 (later Circular 4) of 1 January 1907. No 1906 station list has been found, but it may have existed as the numbering sequence started with No.1 (assumed to have been 1877), with No.3 of the Central Pacific Railroad dated 1879 being the oldest actually found. Numbers were then shown consecutively until about 1890 when they were discontinued. But on the 1 July 1907 issue, a number 32 is shown and this agrees with all those found from 1879 through 1907 if 1906 is assumed to be number 30 and the 1 January 1907 is assumed to be number 31.

Information in this compilation has been taken from the station lists issued periodically by the Accounting Department, regularly each year or less up to the 1930's, then sporadically to 1948 and on up to 1967, the last one issued being 1973. For stations after this date the researcher must obtain the operating timetables of whatever Southern Pacific Division controlled this stretch of railroad. The California State Railroad Museum at Sacramento was given a long series of all timetables by Southern Pacific in about 1994, covering only to about 1970 or so.

The Mile Post changes of July 1, 1911 are due to Mile Post 0 being changed from a corner of a freight house at Fourth and Berry Streets in San Francisco to the hinge of the Ferry slip on San Francisco Bay at the Ferry Building (the Coast Line Mile Post 0 was changed to the Main track bumper at Third and Townsend Streets in San Francisco).

The changes of July 1, 1915 are undoubtedly due to re-posting of mile posts after the many line changes between Reno and Ogden constructed during the years 1902 through 1912 and even later, a compilation of which can be found in one of the annual stockholders report of this period. The reason for other Mile Post changes is not known but some may have been due to a decision to establish station locations at an even one tenth of a mile, something which was done for all stations in 1968 to 1969.

Telegraph calls are not shown after the July 1, 1953 issue due to the expanded use of radio and microwave facilities.

SP Stations East of Montello

(all stations have a telephone, unless noted)

Montello (Shown as MP 659) (old location)

Montello (Shown as MP 661.9) (new location)

Akbar (Shown as MP 663) (old location)

Tecoma (Shown as MP 668.3) (old location)

Tecoma (Shown as MP 669.3) (new location)

Eastbound (Gartney) Line

(south line, opened April 15, 1869) (original CP line)

The eastbound line is the original CP transcontinental trackage. Prior to double tracking the line, SP apparently stationed helpers at Lucin, in order to help westbounds deal with the short but somewhat steep (1.3%) climb up Gartney Hill to Montello. The beginning and ending date is not yet known, though it was likely after SP double tracked that stretch and ran the westbound line on a longer routing, in order to reduce the grade. The westbound line, completed in 1911, had a stone marker at the state line for many years. (from Bob McKeen, June 6, 2005)

Nevada-Utah Line (Shown as MP 671.6)

  • In service as Utah Line, 1870 to 1875
  • In service as State Line, 1875 to 1887
  • In service as Utah Line, 1887 to 1896
  • In service as Nevada-Utah Line , 1896 to 1975
  • Shown as MP 671.565 in 1960
  • Shown as MP 671.5 in 1976

Gartney (Shown as MP 674.3)

  • In service, 1890 to 1957
  • Shown in 1938 employee timetable as spur, 25 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1946 employee timetable, but no capacity shown
  • Shown in 1948 employee timetable, but no capacity shown
  • Shown in 1955 employee timetable as spur, "additional station", 23 cars capacity, enter from west
  • Not shown in 1961 ETT
  • Shown as MP 674.3 in 1938-1955 employee timetables

Umbria Junction (Shown as MP 678)

  • 3390' siding
  • In service, 1903-1916 (changed from Umbria to Umbria Junction in 1904)
  • Junction with Promontory Branch
  • Shown as MP 681.1 in 1909

Westbound (Grouse) Line

(north line, opened December 25, 1911)

Nevada-Utah line (Shown as MP 672.7)

  • In service, 1912 to 1966
  • Shown as MP 672.656 in 1960
  • Shown as MP 672.67 in 1976

Grouse (Shown as MP 670.5) (new location)

  • In service, 1912 to 1966
  • Old location of Grouse (1905 to 1908) was at Shown as MP 685.0 on Promontory "Old Line".
  • Shown in 1938 employee timetable as siding, 129 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1955 employee timetable as spur, "additional station", 15 cars capacity, enter from east
  • Shown as MP 670.3 in 1938 (ETT, approximate, 9.5 miles west of Lucin)
  • Not shown in 1946 ETT
  • Not shown in 1948 ETT
  • Shown as MP 670.5 in 1955 employee timetable
  • Not shown in 1961 ETT

Lucin (Shown as MP 679.8) (new location, on Lucin Cutoff)

Pigeon (Shown as MP 685.1)

Teck (Shown as MP 688.8)

Jackson (Shown as MP 693.7)

Beppo (Shown as MP 697.6)

Lemay (Shown as MP 702.1)

Newfoundland (Shown as MP 706.4)

Groome (Shown as MP 711.1)

Allen (Shown as MP 716.3)

Hogup (Shown as MP 720.7)

Olney (Shown as MP 725.3)

Strongknob (Shown as MP 729.5)

Lakeside (Shown as MP 734.6)

Rambo (Shown as MP 739.0)

Tresend (Shown as MP 739.7)

Salt Lake Trestle, Tresend to Bridge, 1903 to 1959

Engle (Shown as MP 741.1)

  • In service, 1915 to 1960
  • Dropped from station list on July 1, 1960
  • Shown in 1929 employee timetable as siding, 105 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1938 employee timetable as siding, 113 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1946 employee timetable as siding, 137 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1948 employee timetable as siding, 132 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1955 employee timetable as siding, 137 cars capacity
  • Shown as MP 744 in 1915 (January)
  • Shown as MP 741 in 1915 (July)
  • Shown as MP 741.1 in 1929-1955 employee timetables

Midlake (Shown as MP 744.9) (old location)

  • In service, 1905 to 1982
  • Shown in 1929 employee timetable as two sidings, one with 74 cars capacity, the other with 50 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1938 employee timetable as siding, 107 cars capacity, with spur, 12 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1946 employee timetable as siding, 116 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1948 employee timetable as siding, 113 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1955 employee timetable as siding, 113 cars capacity
  • Telegraph call MD
  • Telegraph office closed in 1937
  • Located on original trestle (1903 to 1959), and on new causeway after 1959
  • Shown as MP 749 in 1907
  • Shown as MP 748 in 1910
  • Shown as MP 747 in 1911
  • Shown as MP 745 in 1915
  • Shown as MP 744.8 in 1929-1955 employee timetables
  • Shown as MP 744.9 in 1968

At Midlake there was a one-story train order office. There were also operators' dwellings there. Pages 216-217 of Beebe's "The Central Pacific and the Southern Pacific Railroads" had three photos of Midlake showing the facilities. The train order office was closed in 1945 due to the installation of CTC and the buildings removed shortly thereafter (see February 1946 Trains magazine for photo of removal of buildings). (John Sweetser, email dated March 1, 2005)

The 1938 Salt Lake Division employee timetable shows Midlake with a 107-car passing track and a 12-car spur. The timetable shows only a code of P (for Passing Track), without any indication of a telegraph, which matches Lynn Farrer's data that Midlake's telegraph call was MD, and that the telegraph office was closed in 1937.

Colin (Shown as MP 750.1)

  • In service as Colon, 1905 to 1908
  • In service as Colin, 1908 to 1960
  • Dropped from station list on July 1, 1960
  • Shown in 1929 employee timetable as siding, 96 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1938 employee timetable as siding, 102 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1946 employee timetable as siding, 93 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1948 employee timetable as siding, 85 cars capacity
  • Shown in 1955 employee timetable as siding, 85 cars capacity
  • Shown as MP 754 in 1907 (Colon)
  • Shown as MP 754 in 1908 (Colin)
  • Shown as MP 753 in 1910
  • Shown as MP 752 in 1911
  • Shown as MP 750 in 1915
  • Shown as MP 750.1 in 1929-1955 employee timetables

Salt Lake Causeway, Tresend to Bridge, 1959 to present day

Midlake (Shown as MP 744.8) (old location)

  • Double track to west, to Lakeside (after 1959)
  • In service, 1905 to 1982
  • Located on original trestle (1903 to 1959), and on new causeway after 1959
  • Shown as MP 744.8 in 1961 employee timetables

Midlake (Shown as MP 745.2) (new location)

  • In service, 1982 to 1996
  • Located on new causeway

Bridge (Shown as MP 752.9)

(Read an article about living at Bridge, published in the Utah Historical Quarterly, Volume 85, Number 4, 2017)

Boom (Shown as MP 757) (same as 753 today)

Saline (Shown as MP 755.2)

There was a large salt extraction business located at Saline, with evaporation ponds. There was alarge warehouse at Saline where the salt ws stored wainting to be shipped. When SP started construction of the new causeway project in 1955, a spur was built to the Little Valley quarry, connecting with the mainline just west of Saline. The spur was located beween the evaporation ponds and the lake. The salt extraction business remained in place until the lake level rose in the 1980s, destroying the evaporation ponds and the dikes that separated them from each other and the lake. The warehouse remained after the salt company closed its operations, but later burned. (Lee Nicholas, email to Utah Railroading Yahoo discussion group, August 16, 2006)

Promontory Point (Shown as MP 758.5)

Bagley (Shown as MP 763.7)

Withee (Shown as MP 769)

Little Mountain (Shown as MP 767.2) (new location)

Utah Industrial Park (Shown as MP 769.7)

Reese (Shown as MP 772.5)

Griffin (Shown as MP 773)

Carver (Shown as MP 774.9)

Weber Junction (Shown as MP 775.5)

West Weber (Shown as MP 776.3)

Marriott (Shown as MP 780.0)

Cecil Junction (Shown as MP 781.5)

D&RG/D&RGW Crossing (Shown as MP 781.4)

Ogden/Ogden, 24th Street (Shown as MP 781.0)

Ogden/Ogden, 25th Street/Ogden Depot (Shown as MP 782.3, via Lucin Cutoff)

Sources

Initial list based on list of SP stations systemwide by Ken Harrison in 1994.

Emails to Espee List by Ron Boham, Bob McKeen, Bruce Morden, and Joe Strapac, on June 3-5, 2005.

SP Condensed Profiles, dated May 31, 1960 (state line crossing only, from Joe Strapac)

SP Sacramento Division track chart, dated 1976 (state line crossing only, from Ron Boham)

Research material by Lynn Farrer, furnished by John Signor, June 8, 2005.

SP Accounting Department List of Stations, dated January 1, 1923, from Tony Johnson.

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 20, dated 1909, Promontory Branch data from Tony Johnson, June 10, 2005.

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 35, dated October 6, 1929, data from Tony Johnson

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 41, dated September 27, 1931 (Promontory Branch only), data from Tony Johnson

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 52, dated February 6, 1938.

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 55, dated July 9, 1941 (Gartney mile post only)

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 57, dated July 5, 1942 (Promontory Branch only), data from Tony Johnson

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 61, dated November 10, 1946.

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 63, dated October 31, 1948.

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 75, dated January 9, 1955.

SP Salt Lake Division employee Timetable No. 85, dated September 24, 1961.

SP Salt Lake Division Special Instructions No. 11, dated December 18, 1960