George Pitchard Archive

This page was last updated on February 13, 2023.

(Return to Pitchard Manuscript Index Page)

These pages were completed by George Pitchard during 2004 and 2005, after he and Don Strack began corresponding in 2003 about presenting Pitchard's "Utah Railroad Scrapbook" and "Newspaper Notes" projects as a series of web pages at UtahRails.net.

Mr. Pitchard decided to review all of his previous research efforts, and to update and gather additional research and comments for the applicable pages. His efforts continued throughout 2003, 2004 and 2005, during which time he was able to compile new summaries of several of his previous manuscripts. This was tedious and difficult work, limited by several factors, including his use of a standard typewriter and normal page layout.

In late 2005, the limitations became so frustrating that he decided to end his efforts and pursue other interests. In mid-2007, Mr. Pitchard wrote, "After trying to fix the dozens of problems in this, and having thought about it for a long time, I have concluded that the best thing to do is that everything of mine be deleted from your site, as soon as possible. I never should have agreed to its being put there in the first place."

All of George Pitchard's pages were removed immediately. Four years later, in mid 2011, the value of Pitchard's research, and the fact that some of his previous efforts might be lost, far outweighed the publication of his later summaries, and all of his research from the mid 1980s was integrated into the appliable pages for individual railroads. In mid-2012 these summaries from 2004 and 2005 were made available without further comment. George E. Pitchard passed away in November 2021 at age 69.

Following are the "replacement" summaries completed during 2004 and 2005, and are presented here because they really don't fit in with any one particular railroad, or they contain extensive comments that explain some of Mr. Pitchard's conclusions. Some of these summaries cover groups of locomotives as they moved from one corporate ownership to another.

Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway, Its Antecedents

Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway (1881-1889)

Rio Grande Western Railway, Narrow Gauge Locomotives, 1889-1900

Rio Grande Western Railway, Standard Gauge (1889-1908)

San Pete Valley Railway (1874-1908)

Utah Central (1869) / Utah Southern / OSL&UN

Utah Northern / Utah Western / Utah & Nevada / OSL&UN

Utah Central Railway, Its Antecedents

Utah Central Railway (1890-1893)

Utah Central Railroad (1893-1900) (end of narrow gauge)

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