Salt Lake & Utah Railroad
Compiled by Don Strack
This page was lat updated on April 20, 2011.
1910-1911
Utah citizens secure franchises for a railroad from Salt Lake City south through
Salt Lake and Utah Counties
mid-1912
Orem interests led by Walter C. Orem (1873-1951), from a wealthy Boston
family and builder of the Nevada Copper Belt Railroad, took control of the Salt Lake & Utah Railroad project
October 16, 1912
The Salt Lake & Utah Railroad was incorporated in Portland, Maine
C. Dyer, Portland, President; F. M. Orem, SLC, Treasurer. Capital Stock $3,000,000. The Interurban Construction Company also incorporated by the Orems in Maine
October 20, 1912
SL&U construction begun in Provo, Utah
June 1913
At SL&U stockholders' meeting, W. C. Orem elected President and General
Manager; F. M. Orem elected Secretary and Treasurer
October 1913
Three new gasoline motor cars ordered from Hall-Scott Motor Car Company,
Berkeley, California, to open SL&U service
December 1913
Local newspapers call SL&U construction "The biggest event of the year"
Early February 1914
Three Hall-Scott all-steel motor cars, SL&U Nos. 501-503, arrive from West Berkeley running via Southern Pacific to Ogden and Salt Lake & Ogden Railway to Salt Lake City. 59-feet 7-1/2 inches long, 56-seat capacity
March 23, 1914
The SL&U, The Orem Lines, open with eight daily gasoline motor car trips between Salt Lake City and American Fork, operated by the Interurban Construction Company. 33.4 miles, travel time 1 hour 25 minutes
July 24, 1914
SL&U begins public service to Provo, 48.5 miles, with 14 daily electric trains,
red interurban cars. SL&U assumes operating responsibility. Travel time 1 hour 55 minutes
August 15, 1914
Through freight service inaugurated. SL&U interchanges with Oregon Short
Line (UP) at Salt Lake City and Denver & Rio Grande at Provo
October 1914
SL&U averaging more than 800 passengers daily
December 5, 1914
Sixteen daily trains between Salt Lake City and Provo
May 16, 1915
Increased to 20 trains daily
October 1915
SL&U Hall-Scott motor car No. 503 repainted by SL&U as Nevada Copper
Belt No. 22
November 1, 1915
NCB No. 22 en route from SL&U to Orem's NCB at Mason, Nevada
May 26, 1916
W. C. Orem's father, A. J. Orem & Company, completes SL&U construction.
SL&U gold spike driven at Payson. 24 daily electric trains inaugurated over the 66.6-mile standard-gauge Salt Lake City-Payson mainline
July 16, 1916
Increased to 26 trains a day. Running time 2 hours 15 minutes
October 10, 1917
9.7-miles Magna Branch put into service
(no date, circa 1919)
SL&U received Utah PSC approval to allow construction of tracks east along 9th South, crossing 1st West, Jefferson Street, and West Temple, including the tracks of Utah Light & Traction Company along West Temple. SL&U's main track runs north and south along 1st West. Salt Lake City has granted a franchise permitting tracks along 9th South. Grade Crossing Permit No.32. (Utah Public Service Commission, Case 119)
May 24, 1920
SL&U was approved to receive a $64,600 two-year loan from U. S. government to purchase new equipment and motive power, to make additions and betterments, and to pay part of floating debt. Applied for a $300,000 five-year loan. ICC Finance Docket 1016.
(65 ICC 8) (Research done August 22, 1988)
July 10, 1920
SL&U was approved to receive a $235,400.00 15-year loan from U. S. government, being the remainder of an original application for a $300,000 five-year loan. ICC Finance Docket 1016.
(65 ICC 55; 67 ICC 52) (Research done August 22, 1988)
June 23, 1921
SL&U was approved to receive a $700,000 15-year, first mortgage loan from U.
S. government, under the provisions of the Transportation Act of 1920, Section
210. ICC Finance Docket 1475 (67 ICC 791) (Research done on August 22, 1988)
July 24, 1925
SL&U enters receivership, due to increased auto and truck competition
July 25, 1925
SL&U receivers appointed July 25, 1925. (Utah Public Service Commission, Case 928)
1934
SL&U received Utah PSC approval to increase freight rates, along with all the other railroads in the state. Columbia Steel Corporation's Ironton plant began operations on May 1, 1924. Between 1924 and 1934, the plant produced: 1,189,598 tons of pig iron; 825,574 tons of coke; 44,702 tons of sulfate of ammonia; and 35,939 tons of benzyl. The pig iron produced at the plant is shipped to plants in Pittsburg and Torrance, California. (Utah
Public Service Commission, Case 1658)
December 20, 1934
SL&U received Utah PSC approval to close the agency at Salem. (Utah
Public Service Commission, Case 1660)
January 26, 1938
SL&U sold at foreclosure sale to new The Salt Lake & Utah Railroad Corp.
September 6, 1939
SL&U received Utah PSC approval to do business as a common carrier. The company is no longer in receivership and has been sold.
(Utah Public Service Commission, Case 2298)
July 2, 1945
SL&U received Utah PSC approval to close the depot on Center Street in Provo. The depot will be replaced by a new one to be built on its freight line along 5th South. Also to abandon its tracks to the Center Street depot, provided that it is not required to remove them. The normal five month deadline for action was waived because of the labor shortage due to the war.
(Utah Public Service Commission, Case 2861)
December 12, 1945
SL&U again placed in receivership
(no date, circa late 1945)
SL&U received Utah PSC approval to abandon all service and discontinue operation of its entire line of railroad. Protested by Pleasant Grove Lumber & Supply Company because it is the only railroad served coal yard in the vicinity. The company sold $11,250 in coal in 1944. Protested by H. W. Jacobs Feed & Grain Company of Pleasant Grove. They have shipped 40 carloads of feed in the past year.
(Utah Public Service Commission, Case 2925)
March 1, 1946
All SL&U operations discontinued
June 3, 1946
Salt Lake & Utah officially abandoned.
June 8, 1946
Abandonment authorized by ICC
June 26-27, 1946
Trackage, equipment, property and other assets sold at auction by Hyman-Michaels Company, salvage contractor for Salt Lake & Utah
July 26, 1946
Salt Lake & Utah's interest in Salt Lake Terminal Company was sold to Bamberger Railroad for $1.00.
December 27, 1946
Salt Lake & Utah Railroad dissolved as a Utah corporation
***
