Utah Eastern Railroad of 1879
Utah Eastern Railroad, December 1879 through to its shut down by UP in 1883 and abandonment in 1887
This page was last updated on December 12, 2007.
Additional Sources:
- Newspaper items — A chronology history, from contemporary newspaper news items.
- Johnson Thesis — A portion of the Johnson thesis covered the Utah Eastern.
- Reeder Thesis — A portion of the reeder thesis covered the Utah Eastern.
From Bancroft's History of Utah, Chapter 28, pages 757, 758:
During Emery's administration a bill passed the legislature authorizing the counties of Salt Lake, Davis, Summit, and Tooele to issue bonds for the purpose of constructing a road from Coalville to Salt Lake City, the main object being to obtain a supply of coal at cheaper rates than was charged for fuel taken from the Wyoming mines of the Union Pacific. The bill was vetoed by the governor; but in 1880 an effort was made to build the line by private enterprise, among the subscribers being many who could ill afford such a venture. Like others of the Utah lines, it was thus commenced on a slender capital, but through the aid of wealthy stockholders in the Ontario mine, it was completed as, far as Park City, a distance of twenty-five miles from Coalville. Soon afterward a parallel branch, named the Echo and Park City, was built by the Union Pacific, and in 1883 the control of the former, which was known as the Utah Eastern, fell into the hands of the latter. (Salt Lake City Tribune, Dec. 28, 1879)
Locomotive Roster
| Road Number |
Type | Builder | Builder Number |
Builder Date |
Cylinder | Drivers | Engine Weight |
Notes |
| 1 | 2-6-0 | Brooks | 230 | May 1875 | 11 x 16" | 38" | 34,100 lbs. | 1 |
| 2 | 2-8-0 | Baldwin | 5984 | Jan 1882 | 14 x 18" | 38" | 54,100 lbs. | 2 |
| 3 | 2-6-0 | Baldwin | 3625 | Jul 1874 | 12 x 16" | 42" | 42,450 lbs. | 3 |
General Notes:
| a. | Utah Eastern No. 1 was built by Brooks as its construction serial number 230 in May 1875, as Bath & Hammondsport Railroad No. 2, "Jonathan Robie"; sold September 1879 to Nevada Central Railway No. 1, "Battle Mountain"; sold October 23, 1880 to Utah Eastern Railroad No. 1. As built, this engine had 11x16 inch cylinders, 36-inch drivers, and an engine weight of 33,000 pounds. It arrived at Coalville in due course, and was fired up for the first time on the Utah Eastern on November 4, 1880. |
| b. | Utah Eastern No. 2 was built by Baldwin as its construction serial number 5984, completed on 5 January 1882 (Baldwin class 10/22E-7). It had been "proposed" to R. C. Chambers on 18 February 1881 for a price of $9,000.00, plus $440.00 in extras. It was to have 14x18 inch cylinders, 37-inch drivers, and an iron-frame tender that held 1,500 gallons of water. The extras proposed included an Eames vacuum brake, a 20-inch headlight, and a snowplow. It was shipped on 13 January 1882. The Baldwin order book noted that the invoice for this engine was to be sent to R. C. Chambers. It was named 'Ontario';, and was received at Coalville in the week between the 4th and 11th of February, 1882. According to sundry Baldwin catalogues of the period, a Baldwin 10/22E class would have an engine weight (in working order) of 52,000 pounds. |
| c. | Utah Eastern No. 3 was built by Baldwin as their construction serial number 3625, completed on 24 July 1874 (Baldwin class 8/18D-9), ordered on 18 June 1874 by Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad as their No. 1, "C. S. Abbott", having 12x16 inch cylinders, 40-inch drivers, tender tank capacity of 1,000 gallons, and was a wood burner as built. Its cost was $8,300.00, plus $1,700.00 for transportation to San Francisco. It was "invoiced" on 13 August 1874 (the invoice date was also usually the date shipped). M&SV was widened to standard gauge by Southern Pacific as its Monterey Branch in 1879-1880, and this engine was sold, along with everything else on the M&SV) to the Nevada Central Railway in December 1879, becoming NC No. 3, "Anson P. Stokes". Sold by Nevada Central to Utah Eastern Railroad on 23 October 1880. According to sundry Baldwin catalogues of the period, a Baldwin 8/18D class would have an engine weight (in working order) of 39,000 pounds. Utah Eastern No. 3 was named the "General Burton". It arrived in Echo on 5 December 1880. |
| d. | Additional sources include:
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| e. | One report (no source cited) showed that Nevada Central sold two locomotives, 10 flat cars, and one caboose, along with 25 miles of rail, to Utah Eastern in October 1880. |
Notes:
| 1. | In the 1885 U. P. system renumbering, Utah Eastern No. 1 became new UP No. 1, class DF-1. The No. 1 is declared vacant in April 1891, and presumed scrapped, owing to its poor condition. |
| 2. | Utah Eastern No. 2 was little used on the Utah Eastern, as the U. P. shut the road down in December of 1883, this engine was taken out of Coalville on the 2nd of August 1884 for use on the Utah & Northern. In the 1885 UP renumbering, it became No. 280, in the "Odd" class. In August of 1886, air brakes were put on this engine, and the defunct Utah eastern was charged for the improvement. This engine appears to be on the roster (of the Echo & Park City, to which all were assigned in 1887) through December 1896, after which no information has been found. |
| 3. | Utah Eastern No. 3 became No. 289 in the 1885 renumbering, and again this one seems to be on the roster still in 1896, after which I have no first-hand information. Myrick, in his "Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California", reports that the 289 was sold in 1894 to Kirkpatrick Brothers & Collins, railroad contractors with substantial U. P. dealing. The Baldwin "Register of Engines Made" shows later owners of construction serial number 3625 as Kilpatrick Brothers & Collins (no date), and Laurel Railway Company, per a note dated 6 October 1911. |
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