Emigration Canyon Railroad
This page was last updated on December 21, 2008.
Additional Sources:
- Emigration Canyon Railroad — An excerpt from Ira Swett's "Interurbans of Utah".
- Equipment Roster — A listing of Emigration Canyon Railroad equipment.
- Map — Map of Emigration Canyon Railroad, lifted from "Interurbans of Utah", page 5.
Chronology History
The following is taken from Utah Public Service Commission Case No. 1, Emigration Canyon Railroad Abandonment
To cease operating and dismantle its railroad, located in Emigration canyon.
Operating at a loss of $5,000 to $8,000 per year, with a deficit of $18,000 per year to pay the taxes and the interest on the bonds. The bondholders are willing to allow the company to cease operations. In 1908 the company issued three-hundred $1,000 bonds; these were superseded in 1909 by a single $300,000 bond.
The company was organized on April 24, 1907 by LeGrand Young, and all stock was either owned or controlled by him. Construction was finished in the fall of 1907 and operation began in 1908. A franchise was granted for operation in Salt Lake City on February 5, 1908. A franchise was granted for operation in Emigration canyon by Salt Lake County on April 9, 1910. The railroad's depot was located at 1337 East 500 South.
The road was built to transport sandstone as a building material. Almost immediately, concrete became a strong competitor, causing the sandstone quarries to close, forcing the railroad to depend entirely on passenger traffic. The freight traffic was mostly stone for building purposes, including rubble stone and blocking ("ashler") stone. Starting in 1909 the stone business fell off at least 75 percent. In 1916 only about 100 cords (a container 4x4x8 feet, 128 cubic feet) of building stone was used in Salt Lake City, compared to over 7,000 cords of stone used in the city in 1906 and 1907. In 1916 the railroad did not haul a single car of stone, due to lack of demand.
Protested by the Emigration Canyon Improvement Company and the National Real Estate & Improvement Company, stating that their property located in the canyon would lose value if the railroad was allowed to discontinue its operation.
Protested by Salt Lake City Corporation, based on the public good.
Notice of intent to cease operations was published in the Herald–Republican and Deseret Evening News on April 12, 1917.
Approved August 20, 1917.
***
