Bingham Tram
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This page was last updated on August 30, 2024.
Overview
From the back cover of an issue of Kennescope magazine, Kennecott's employee magazine.
Transport
by Tram
Since 1911
Nothing can travel two directions at once, but the tram which links the Carr Fork road with the Mine administration building comes fairly close.
The tram is on the job 24 hours a day carrying admistration building personnel, other workmen and tourists from the street near the Gemmell Memorial Club to the hill above.
Operators Pablo Lovano, Juventino Ramirez, Valdor L. Spencer and Juvenio Gallegos alternate shifts to keep the tram operating continually, Juvenio is shown in the accompanying photograph.
Built in 1911, the tram is powered by a 35-horsepower electric motor and consists of two cars which are pulled up two pair of tracks by cables. While one of the 16-man cars is upward bound, the other is making the trip down the hill.
Tracks of the tram line lie on a 21 degree slope and the trackway is 570 feet in length. The vertical rise from bottom to top is 150 feet.
Winter is the busiest season for the tram. When roads up the hill are slick, the administration building staff members park their cars on the street below and ride the tram to work.
The tram receives regular maintenance by the mechanical department under direction of L. W. Sumnicht, Shop Foreman.
1911
"A double-track incline tramway 554 feet long has been constructed for the handling of passengers, express and light freight between the Bingham station of the Railway and a sub-station located near the centre of the town of Bingham. The difference in elevation between these two is 201 feet." (1911 Bingham & Garfield annual report)
1911
"It was necessary for B&G to construct a double-track, electrically operated, incline tramway, 554 feet long to handle passenger and express business because of a difference in elevation of 201 feet between the railway's Bingham Station (up beside the tracks) and the town of Bingham. This was placed in service in 1911." (Utah Copper Company Chronology, citing "Brief History of the B&G Rwy. Co. 1-31-39", page 13)
September 15, 1911
Bingham & Garfield started its passenger service between Salt Lake City and Bingham. By December 31, 1911, the railroad had served 15,276 passengers. Passenger service to Garfield started in October 1911, with 18,499 passengers being moved by year's end. (Utah Copper annual report, year ending December 31, 1911)
Because the line had to connect with Utah Copper's mine trackage, the Bingham & Garfield's depot at Bingham, down at street level, was considerably lower than the line's actual trackage in its Bingham yard. To allow passengers access from the rail line down to the town's streets, in 1911, B&G built a twin track inclined tramway from their street-level Bingham depot up to their Bingham yard (and Utah Copper's mine office). The site of the Bingham & Garfield depot was removed with the start of construction of the Gemmell Memorial recreation building in 1922, completed in 1924. (Kennecott Historical Index) (The Gemmell building was demolished in December 1975)
February 22, 1912
The new Bingham passenger tram between the B&G depot and Bingham town, 225 feet below, went into service on or about February 22, 1912. The article in the Salt Lake Tribune states that the trains leave the Harriman (Union Pacific) Salt Lake City depot at 7:30am and 2:50pm, with the round trip from Salt Lake City to Garfield (over what are now UP tracks), then on B&G tracks from Garfield to Bingham, taking about three hours. Passengers rode a single train (likely with UP locomotive and cars), without having to change trains at Garfield. An associated photo shows a pasenger train, with UP locomotive, crossing the B&G's Markham Gulch bridge, possibly showing a specail train that gave officials and special guests a preview of the upcoming service. Photos show that the long and winding wooden stairs between the two points remained in place for a number of years after the tram went into service. (Salt Lake Tribune, February 22, 1912; headline reads "Tramway For Bingham; Stairs Are Abandoned")
June 1981
Photos taken by Shirl Scroggin in June 1981 show the tram control building at the top of the tram intact, but the surrounding buildings (mine office, mine warehouse, track shifter shop, etc.) were in the process of being demolished.
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