Salt Lake & Fort Douglas Railway (1883-1897)

This page was last updated on June 6, 2010.

Additional Information

Salt Lake & Fort Douglas (1883-1897) — Information about the history of Salt Lake & Fort Douglas Railway.
John W. Young's Railroads — An index page for all of John W. Young's railroads.

After the September 1888 organization of Salt Lake & Eastern Railway, the operating departments and locomotive rosters of the two companies (SL&FD and SL&E) were apparently operated as one company, sharing the "mainline" from the D&RGW connection east along 800 South and 900 South. The Salt Lake & Fort Douglas split off at 900 South and 1000 East and turned north and east to reach the fort and the quarries in Red Butte and Emigration canyons. Salt Lake & Eastern split off and turned south along the Jordan & Salt Lake Canal to reach Sugar House and the line being constructed east up Parleys Canyon to Park City. This was the apparent operation from September 1888 until April 1890 when Utah Central Railway was organized, with Salt Lake & Fort Douglas becoming a separate company. More research is needed to find how SL&FD was operated after 1890, and until it was torn out in 1897.

Locomotives

Salt Lake & Fort Douglas 0-4-0 — 1 locomotive

Road Number	Previous Number	Date To SL&FD	Builder	Builder Number	Builder Date	Date Vacated	Notes
SL&FD 1		28 Feb 1885				Nov 1887	1

General Notes:

a.	On February 25, 1885, Salt Lake & Fort Douglas number 1 was carried by the D&RGW from Ogden to Salt Lake City, on D.& R.G. flatcar number 8265, the engine being billed at 20,000 pounds, which at 15 cents per hundred pounds, resulted in a freight charge of $30.00. (Ogden Herald, February 25, 1885; Salt Lake Herald, February 28, 1885)
b.	SL&FD number 1 was equipped with a tender, and was not a tank locomotive (0-4-0T). This comes from George Pitchard's research that found a ledger entry for a new hardwood "tender buffer" in February 1887, several months before the arrival of any other locomotive.
c.	SL&FD number 1 arrived in Salt Lake City in late February 1885; construction of the railroad began in late November 1886, and until October 1887, the little engine was the company's sole locomotive; its main use was to power the construction trains to the Fort, and on the branch south to Sugar House; the first former Utah & Northern locomotive arrived in October 1887; tracks were completed to Sugar House in December 1887, and to Fort Douglas by May 1888; SL&FD number 1 was retired in November 1887.
d.	George Pitchard wrote of the possible source for Salt Lake & Fort Douglas' first locomotive: The most likely candidate seems to be the old "Betsey Jane" 0-4-0 with small tender that had been the Santa Cruz Railroad's first engine about a decade earlier (and apparently not new then), an engine that would seem to "fill the bill" in every known particular, including apparent availability, as in about April of 1882, the Santa Cruz Railroad passed into the hands of the Southern Pacific (all but inseparable from the Central Pacific at this time), which widened the line in November 1883 as the S.P.'s Santa Cruz branch. Our friend John W. Young is known, per Salt Lake Herald of January 14, 1885, to have then been in San Francisco buying rail for the S.L.& Ft.D., which rail we know came from the Central Pacific, so it takes no great stretch of imagination to postulate that while Young was at C.P./S.P. offices in San Francisco arranging for some rail, he also ended up acquiring the old Santa Cruz RR engine "Betsey Jane" from its new owners - who had no use for it, and were probably more than glad to be rid of it! In response to the question, Randy Hees wrote: Betsy Jane is a very simple engine, possibly (but by no means known to be) built in San Francisco, and was probably built new for the Santa Cruz RR. She was purchased sometime between March 1st 1874 and Dec 31 1874, (The Sentenal reported SCRR has purchased first loco on July 11, 1874) and was valued at $4,200 according to the annual reports. In those reports she is described as " 1 small 4 wheel". Apperntly she weighed 6 tons, although the Santa Cruz Sentenal reported her as "5 tons, can haul 50 tons". It appears she was used to build the Loma Prieta RR out of Aptos between early 1883 and late 1883. It appears she was shipped out via Watsonville in January 1884. More research is needed, but it is likely we will never know where the little locomotive came from.
e.	One possible source for number 1 could have been a narrow gauge version of several locomotives built by Vulcan Foundry in San Francisco, in the early 1860s. Three examples found their way to Oregon for service on the Columbia River portages, and later became known as the Oregon Ponies.

Notes:

1.	SL&FD number 1 was purchased secondhand from an unknown source; to SL&FD in February 1885; used almost solely as the locomotive for construction trains; found to be too light and in much need of repairs; retired about November 1887, known to have been relegated to pump house duty by June 1, 1889

Salt Lake & Fort Douglas 2-6-0 — 1 locomotive

Road Number	First Number	Second Number	Date To SL&FD	Builder	Builder Number	Builder Date	1890 UCRy Number	Date Vacated	Notes
SL&FD 2	U&N 13	U&N 17	17 Sep 1888	Baldwin	4562	Mar 1879	UCRy 2 (1st)		1
SL&FD 3	U&N 12	U&N 16	30 Oct 1887	Baldwin	4561	Mar 1879	UCRy 3 (1st)		2

Description:

Drive Wheel Diameter: 42 inches

Cylinders: 12x18 inches

Engine Weight: 39,000 pounds

General Notes:

For SL&FD number 2 (ex U&N 17), the U&N journal entry shows the sale price as $2,000. At the time of its sale to SL&FD, U&N 17 was in service on the Utah & Nevada line west of Salt Lake City (telegram, SL&FD to U&N, dated September 17, 1888)

SL&FD numbers 3 and 6 were the former U&N 16 and 13; George Pitchard's research found the following: "a November 1887 journal entry in the U.P. Boston office's General Journal, in the Utah & Northern equipment account, showing Utah & Northern engines 13 and 16 sold in November 1887 to the Salt Lake & Fort Douglas Ry., "and are not to be replaced." This journal entry was for the purpose of crediting to the Utah & Northern equipment account the value of the two engines (#13 at $5,600, the #16 at $6,600) and does not mention the actual sale price, but from various S.L.& Ft.D. records, it is seen that the #16 cost the agreed-upon $2,500, whereas the #13 cost $3,500; the records further indicate that these two engines, together with a lot ,of "cars, rail and other fixtures, were paid for as part of a large cash payment made to the Union Pacific on February 29, 1888 - apparently the end result of the "other arrangements with Manager Potter" made in October of 1887."

Notes:

1.	SL&FD number 2 was built as U&N 13 in 1879; to U&N 17 in 1885; vacated and sold in September 1888 to Salt Lake & Fort Douglas 17, renumbered to SL&FD number 2 by November 15, 1888; to Utah Central Railway number 2 in 1890; out of service by late 1893, before Utah Central Railroad took over in 1897; to Glasgow & Western Exploration Company for their Golconda & Adelaide Railway in late 1898 to early 1899, named "Pearl"; to Nevada Short Line Railroad number 1 in 1914; to Nevada Central Railroad number 6 in 1924; sold for "preservation" in 1938; stored until moved to California State Railroad Museum; restored to its Nevada Short Line appearance. (This is the only known preserved Utah & Northern locomotive.)
2.	SL&FD number 3 was built as U&N 12 in 1879; to U&N 16 in 1885; to SL&FD number 3 in October 1887; renumbered to Utah Central Railway number 3 in 1890; out of service by late 1893, vacated by 1897-1898, likely scrapped due to poor condition

Salt Lake & Fort Douglas numbers 4 and 5 were blank and not used

Salt Lake & Fort Douglas 2-6-0 — 1 locomotive

Road Number	First Number	Second Number	Date To SL&FD	Builder	Builder Number	Builder Date	1890 UC Number	Date Vacated	Notes
SL&FD 6	U&N 9	U&N 13	Nov 1887	Baldwin	4555	Mar 1879	UC 6		1

Description:

Drive Wheel Diameter: 42 inches

Cylinders: 12x18 inches

Engine Weight: 39,000 pounds

General Notes:

Notes:

1.	SL&FD number 6 was built as U&N number 9 in 1879; to U&N 13 in 1885; to Salt Lake & Fort Douglas Railway number 6 in November 1887; to Utah Central Railway number 6 in 1890; out of service by late 1893, vacated by 1897-1898, likely scrapped due to poor condition

Salt Lake & Fort Douglas Two-Truck Shay — 1 locomotive

Road Number	Previous Number	Builder	Builder Number	Builder Date	1890 Utah Central Number	Date Vacated	Notes
SL&FD 7	SL&FD 226	Lima	226	Nov 1888	UC 7	After 1893	1

Description:

Drive Wheel Diameter: 28 inches

Cylinders: (3) 10x10 inches

Engine Weight: 28 tons

General Notes:

On January 30, 1889, just two months after its arrival on Salt Lake & Fort Douglas rails, the Shay was part of a wreck in Red Butte Canyon that resulted in the deaths of two employees. The locomotive was repaired and returned to service in late June 1889. (click here for a transcript of the newspaper coverage)

Notes:

SL&FD no. 7 was built as SL&FD no. 226 (its Lima construction serial number) in 1888, arrived in Salt Lake City on December 11, 1888; wrecked in late January 1889, repaired and returned to service in late June 1889 as SL&FD no. 7; to Utah Central no. 7 in 1890; vacated between March 1894 and March 1895 (compare 1894 and 1895 Utah Board of Equalization reports); sold to Oregon Lumber Company no. 1, in service at Baker, Oregon; later sold in March 1920 to McKim & Company, also at Baker. (source at ShayLocomotives.com)

Salt Lake & Fort Douglas 2-6-0 — 1 locomotive

Road Number	First Number	Second Number	Date To SL&FD	Builder	Builder Number	Builder Date	Date Vacated	Notes
SL&FD 8	U&N 20	U&N 24	30 Aug 1888	Baldwin	5122	May 1880		1
SL&FD 9	U&N 21	U&N 25	30 Aug 1888	Baldwin	5129	Jun 1880		2

Description:

Drive Wheel Diameter: 42 inches

Cylinders: 12x18 inches

Engine Weight: 39,000 pounds

General Notes:

a.	George Pitchard's research was unable to determine the history of SL&FD 8 and 9. All indicators pointed to them being ex Utah & Northern 24 and 25. For lack of better information, Pitchard assumed SL&FD numbers 8 and 9 to be former U&N 24 and 25, in that order.

Notes:

1.	SL&FD number 8 was built as U&N 20 in 1880; to U&N 24 in 1885; to SL&FD number 8 in August 1888; to Utah Central Railway number 8 in 1890; out of service by late 1893, vacated by 1897-1898, likely scrapped due to poor condition
2.	SL&FD number 9 was built as U&N 21 in 1880; to U&N 25 in 1885; to SL&FD number 9 in August 1888; to Utah Central Railway number 9 in 1890; out of service by late 1893, vacated by 1897-1898, likely scrapped due to poor condition

***

Letter, 12 March 1889, C. W. Hardy, Manager And Superintendent Of Construction, to Lima Locomotive Works:

SALT LAKE VALLEY & FORT DOUGLAS R. R. CO.

UTAH.

March 21st, 1889,

L C. TRENT, Agent

SHAY PATENT LOCOMOTIVE,

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

Dear Sir: In reply to your request for statement as to how far the 28-ton Shay Locomotive fulfills expectations and representations, we would refer you to the Salt Lake "Herald" of Dec. 21st, 1898, as the report there given on one of the test trips is substantially correct. On that occasion we tested it with a load behind engine and tender of eighty-one tons on a stretch of track in Red Butte Canon, having a grade of 316 feet to the mile, with a curvature of twelve degrees, thirty-five lb. rail. Although there were only steam brake on locomotive and hand-brakes on cars the train was easily started and stopped up or down grade. This grade being the heaviest on our road we were satisfied that if the locomotive stood this test, there would be no question as to its coming up to its rated capacities on lighter grades, and have not therefore, so far made as careful tests on lighter grades. This load, 81 tons, is more than twice as great as it was possible to pull up that 6 per cent grade with our 39-ton Mogul engines (12 x 18 cylinders) previously used for this duty. On seeing the specifications of the Shay Locomotive which called for 1,000 gallons of tank capacity, we thought this too little, as our other engines have 1,200 gallons capacity. In operation this objection proved groundless for we found that the consumption of fuel and water was little if any more than one-half of that of our other engines.

After two month's use there was no appearance of wear upon the gearing. We consider the Shay Locomotive a thorough success in every respect and for a system like ours where there are grades varying from 100 to 316 feet to the mile, such a machine is invaluable.

Yours truly,

C. W. Hardy, Manager And Superintendent Of Construction.

R. Croft, Master Mechanic.

***