Ogden Interurban Terminal

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This page was last updated on August 25, 2015.

(Updated from text originally published in 2005 as part of the book, Ogden Rails)

Ogden Rails, A History of Railroading At The Crossroads Of The West
(Union Pacific Historical Society, 2005)

The Ogden Terminal of Utah Idaho Central and Bamberger was a combination passenger-freight yard that originally had nine tracks; Tracks 1-5 were normally used by passenger trains, while Tracks 6-9 accommodated freight cars. Access for passengers was via the south side from a long, narrow brick building that fronted on 24th Street. Serving as waiting room, ticket office, baggage room, and snack bar, the building also housed UIC's operating offices. It was rushed to completion in time for Ogden, Logan & Idaho's January 1, 1915, start-up date. Although it was recognized as being too small almost from the start, plans for a larger, more imposing station were postponed time and again, and were never completed.

The facility was a joint operation, with the two railroads each owning components of the terminal. Utah Idaho Central owned the station building and the trolley wire, while Bamberger owned the land, the freight platform, and tracks to 23rd Street. UIC handled day-to-day terminal operations. Trains entered and departed via Lincoln Avenue, between 23rd and 24th streets, on jointly owned trackage that used Bamberger's 750 volts DC, with UIC changing over from its standard 1,500 volts at 23rd Street.

When Utah Idaho Central shut down its operations in 1947, Bamberger took over the terminal and built a new, well-designed bus terminal that fronted on Grant Avenue, occupying the space formerly held by the old terminal tracks 3, 4, and 5. The original terminal building, having been owned by UIC, was sold as part of its liquidation. Bamberger buses, along with buses of other companies such as Trailways, began using part of the train yard after the tracks were either paved over, or removed altogether. After Bamberger abandoned its passenger operations in 1952, all tracks were removed except a track to the freight depot, one team track, and trackage serving Fuller Paint Co. and Cramer Coal Co.

Sources

Ogden Interurban Terminal information taken from Swett, Interurbans of Utah, p. 84

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