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By Thornton Waite
The Hill City Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad went west from Richfield, on the Ketchum Branch, 57.8 miles west to Hill City, on the Camas Prairie in Central Idaho. The Hill City Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad was constructed with the intention of building a rail line from the main line in eastern Idaho west to Boise, but it ended up being a minor branch of the Union Pacific Railroad. The Hill City Branch never had any significant business due to the low population along the route, although there were numerous seasonal livestock and grain trains over the years. Never very profitable, the line was completely abandoned in 1983, and today all that remains are the roadbed and a couple of the depot buildings.
In 1907 the Idaho Irrigation Company opened up the land west of Alberta (present-day Richfield) and east of the Wood River. On the day the land was opened up there was a special train of several Pullman cars carrying landseekers from Boise who needed to stayed at Richfield to claim the land. The Magic Dam was completed in 1910 on the Big Wood River, along with diversion ditches and canals, providing irrigation for the surrounding farmlands[1]. This provided an impetus for the incorporation of the Central Idaho Railroad Company by the Oregon Short Line, which saw the opportunity to earn revenue by serving the Camas Prairie.
The Central Idaho Railroad Company was incorporated in Utah on February 4, 1910, and in Idaho on February 26, 1910. The stated purpose of the line was to put Boise on the main line and to avoid the heavy grades at Glenns Ferry.[2] It was chartered to build a line starting at or near Owinza, Idaho, east of Shoshone and west of American Falls, on the Second Subdivision of the Oregon Short Line Railroad. The rail line was to go north and west through the Big Wood River Valley to the divide between the Boise River and the Big Wood River. From there the line would go through the West Boise River Valley to Boise and then to a point at or near Middleton on the Boise River. The line would then go northwest to the Oregon Short Line main line at or near Payette. One report stated it would connect with the Payette Valley at New Plymouth. This new line would place Boise on the through main line of the railroad, something the city had desired ever since the Oregon Short Line Railway[3] had bypassed Boise City when it built across southern Idaho through Nampa in 1883. At the time travelers to and from Boise had to change trains at Nampa, riding a local train between Boise and Nampa. This was inconvenient and, to the residents of Boise, humiliating, not befitting the prestige of the state capital city.
The Central Idaho Railroad Company was backed by the Union Pacific Railroad, and the directors of the new company were closely associated with the Oregon Short Line, which was controlled by the Union Pacific. These officials were W.H. Bancroft, J.A. Reeves, William Ashton, P.L. Williams, and F.H. Knickerbocker, all of Salt Lake City. Bancroft was the president, Reeves was vice president, Jenkinson was treasurer, and Smith was secretary. The line, which was planned to be 220 miles long, was capitalized at $220,000, with headquarters in Pocatello.
When it was incorporated the Oregon Short Line said the 220 mile line would be completed by the end of 1911. By July the Oregon Short Line stated that the line would be built from Richfield northwest 34 miles, west 6 miles, and then southwest 6 miles, ending at Taft. The principal commodities the railroad expected to carry were agricultural and products and livestock. The Utah Construction Company, which was a large construction firm which constructed many rail lines for the Oregon Short Line, was in charge of the construction.[4]
Apparently there were revisions to the proposed route A report in 1911 stated the proposed line would rejoin the main line at a point between Ada and Elmore counties.[5] The new line would eliminate the heavy grades at Glenns Ferry and put Boise on the main line.[6] A report a week later the railroad stated it was going to build the line from Owinza via Middleton and New Plymouth to Ontario, 220 miles.
Construction of the line to Hill City, where the line ultimately ended, took over a year. The construction headquarters was at Richfield, which received the supplies and materials for building the line. There were sixteen construction camps, and by June 1911 there were 500 men and 250 teams of horses and mules at work.[7] Grading started on June 5, 1911, and on June 30 the railroad reported that the 58.20 mile from Richfield to Taft had had 0.37 miles of grading completed and 7.86 miles of grading were in progress.[8] Track-laying did not begin until October 11, 1911. The construction work was suspended from December 16, 1911, through June 17, 1912, due to the winter weather, and tracks officially reached Hill City on August 21, 1912,[9] although at least one trainload of sheep had been shipped out two days earlier.[10] When the line was completed to Hill City the Oregon Short Line stated that extension of the line to the west would be addressed at a later date.[11]
The line was officially opened for traffic on December 22, 1912, a distance of 58.26 miles, and was leased to OSL at that time.[12] The official cost for the line was $1,642,388. It was operated by the Oregon Short Line under lease starting December 22, 1912,[13] and on August 5, 1914, the property was conveyed to the Oregon Short Line.[14] The charter was officially revoked on the first Monday of April 1915, ending the corporate existence of the Central Idaho Railroad Company.
The route of the line to Hill City was not direct. It left the Ketchum Branch at Richfield, passing between two large lava flows and then went south of the Magic Reservoir before reaching Blaine. From there the line went directly west to Fairfield and Corral, on the Camas Prairie and along the base of the Sawtooth Range. The line then went directly southwest to end at Hill City. The Ketchum Branch went to the east of the lava flows.
There were two major bridges on the line, one at milepost 19.30 across the Big Wood River, and one at milepost 32.72 across Camas Creek. The construction of these large bridges undoubtedly delayed completion of the line. The first bridge across the Wood River was built in 1912 and consisted of three deck Howe truss bridges, one 50' long, the second 120' long, and the third 150' long on four concrete piers. It was replaced in 1926 with Warren truss bridges with spans of 53.5' and 154' and two deck girder sections 61'10” long each on five concrete piers. The bridge across Camas Creek was also built in 1912 and consisted of three Howe truss bridge spans, one 98' long and two 120' long, on four concrete piers. In 1926 it was replaced by two Warren truss spans 101’9” and 125' long and two girder spans 61' long. Both bridges had frame trestle approaches. Seventy-five pound rail was laid, a typical rail size at the time for a branch line, and this rail was used until the line was removed in the 1980s.
No further construction was performed on the Hill City Branch and the 57.8 mile line became the Hill City Branch of the Oregon Short Line, with little business due to the low population along the line. It is probable the Oregon Short Line never had any serious intentions of building the line through Boise. If the Hill City Branch had been completed as originally announced, the rail line would have put Boise on the main line of the railroad, something that didn’t happen until 1925 when the Oregon Short Line completed its loop through Boise from Orchard on the main line. The principal reason for the line was undoubtedly to reach the Camas Prairie, which was being opened up by a new irrigation project.
The Hill City Branch never had any significant business due to the low population along the route, although numerous livestock trains and trains carrying grain traveled over it over the years. Over the years the railroad typically ran a mixed train six days a week, carrying passengers and freight on the same train between Shoshone and Hill City. There were additional special trains to transport the livestock in the fall and to switch the grain cars during the harvest at the various sidings. One source states that at one time Hill City was the largest shipper of sheep in the world, a typical claim made by numerous locales promoting their importance. Sheep were one of the major commodities shipped on the line. In hearings before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, the railroad stated that for the year 1913 the railroad had shipped 599 cars and received 103 cars. Of these cars shipped, 389 were sheep. In that year the railroad made $6,467.45 on the line.
Improvements to State Highway 20 gradually took away most of the traffic on the line. In 1960 the Richfield depot was closed, indicative of the loss of business on the line, and in 1973 the Fairfield agency was closed. By 1973 the train service was down to one train a week, working out of Pocatello. At this time the line only generated 500-600 carloads a year, mostly outgoing products of wood chips, grain, and lumber. The schedule in that year had the train leaving Pocatello on Friday, going to Shoshone and then to Ketchum, where the train crew spent the night. It then backtracked to Richfield and went out to Hill City on Saturday, returning to Shoshone and Pocatello that day. [15]
The line from Fairfield to Hill City, 13.88 miles from milepost 44.46 to 58.34, was abandoned in 1982. In 1983 the Union Pacific filed for permission to abandon the line from Richfield to Fairfield, and authorization was granted by the Interstate Commerce Commission on September 30, 1983. The 44.38 miles from Richfield to Fairfield were abandoned this year, at the same time the line from Shoshone to Richfield was abandoned. When the line was removed the bridges were also taken up.[16] The right-of-way can still be easily seen alongside State Highway 20.
There is not a lot of documentation concerning the passenger train service on the Hill City Branch. It was mostly related to the railroad’s desire to decrease the mixed train service since there was such a low population along the line. With few people living on the Camas Prairie the few passengers riding on the train could be accommodated with mixed train service, allowing the train crew to switch freight cars along the route. A timetable from 1910 shows that the railroad ran mixed trains 125/126 from Richfield to Hill City on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, returning Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The trip from Richfield took 3 hours, 55 minutes to Hill City and the return trip took 3 hours, 50 minutes. The service apparently was increased to daily-except-Sunday, but on December 22, 1913, OSL discontinued daily service on the Hill City Branch and reinstated tri-weekly service.
The frequency of the train serviced varied according to the season. The Public Utilities Commission talked to OSL, and the railroad said it would reinstate daily, except Sunday service effective February 1, 1914.[17] At this time the only station agents on the line were at Hill City and Fairfield. The passenger train was scheduled to connect with the train between Shoshone and Ketchum at Richfield. This apparently was not satisfactory, and by 1920 the train was scheduled to run between Shoshone and Hill City, making it easier for travelers to make connections with the main line trains at Shoshone. From June 11, 1913, through November 9, 1917, the passenger train had the Shoshone & Hill City Railway Post Office.[18]
Operations were apparently a challenge on this line due to its remoteness and high elevation. On February 11, 1914, the First National Bank of Soldier complained to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission that no mail had been received since January 31 because the snow had shut the rail line down. Rail service was not reinstated until February 15.[19]
On May 11, 1914, a complaint was received by the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Idaho that the Oregon Short Line proposed to replace the daily-except-Sunday mixed train with tri-weekly service. This was due to the overall general decline in business. The June 1914 timetable showed a tri-weekly train, Nos. 125/126, which ran out of Shoshone, taking 3 hours, 55 minutes, Richfield-Hill City, and 3 hours, 50 minutes, Hill City-Richfield. The train departed Shoshone on Monday-Wednesday-Friday and returned from Hill City on Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday, laying over in Hill City. The railroad stated that daily service would be reinstated in July. The patrons along the line were not satisfied and requested daily freight service. This was restored on August 1.[20]
The railroad again replaced the daily-except-Sunday mixed train with tri-weekly service on May 21, 1915, again to the distress of those living along the route. The railroad stated this was a temporary measure and the train was returned to daily-except-Sunday service on June 14.[21] In the summer of 1916 the train ran daily-except-Sunday, making a roundtrip out of Shoshone.
The railroad continued to try to reduce train frequency. In 1922 the railroad petitioned the Pubic Utilities Commission of the State of Idaho to replace the daily-except-Sunday mixed train with a tri-weekly mixed train, as seen in the side bar. This petition was denied.
On January 31, 1922, the Oregon Short Line filed an application to reduce the train service on numerous branch lines in southern Idaho. The passenger and freight business had dropped to the point that continued operations were no longer economical, and the railroad was losing money on the trains. One of the reasons was that much of the business was being diverted to trucks and buses. The lines to be affected were the Mackay Branch, Victor Branch, Northside Branch, Oakley Declo Branch, Rogerson Branch, Wood River Branch, Hill City Branch, Nampa-Murphy Branch, the Nampa-Wilder Branch, and the Idaho Northern Branch.
Public hearings were held in the affected regions and there were many protests by citizens, cities, towns, villages, commercial clubs, and chambers of commerce. They were held at Fairfield on April 19 for service on the Hill City Branch.
The hearings brought out that about 80% of the freight and express originating on the branch lines was “through traffic”, and 20% of the passenger traffic was through traffic. There had been a significant dropoff in traffic from 1920 to 1921, as well as from 1921 into 1922.
Revenues for the lines were as follows:
| Revenues | |
| Freight | $30,341.65 |
| Passenger | $9,349.93 |
| $1,872.98 | |
| Express | $2,466.06 |
| Total Revenues | $44,030.62 |
| Total Expenses | $80,867.88 |
| Profit or Loss | ($36,837.26) |
| Taxes paid | $20,044.09 |
| Savings per Year | $21,000 |
The railroad wanted to run a tri-weekly mixed train instead of a daily-except-Sunday mixed train. After public hearings were held, the PUC denied the application on May 27, 1922. The agency did not feel the public should be deprived of the railroad service even though it was not economical and the highways were being subsidized, allowing freight and passengers to be diverted from the trains.
After public hearings were held, the PUC denied the application to reduce train servicer on May 27, 1922. The agency did not feel the public should be deprived of the railroad service even though it was not economical and despite the fact that the highways were being subsidized, allowing freight and passengers to be diverted from the trains.
As the roads were improved the railroad lost more and more business, and in 1924 the Oregon Short Line again petitioned the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Idaho to reduce the frequency of the mixed train service from daily-except-Sunday to tri-weekly during the off-season, returning it to daily-except-Sunday in the fall when traffic was heavier. The hearings give a good indication of what the train service on the Hill City Branch was like at the time.[22] The trains were running out of Shoshone at this time. The train schedule was as follows:
| Read Down | Town | Read Up |
| 9:30 AM | Shoshone | 5:40 PM |
| Arr. 10:25 AM Dep. 10:50 AM |
Richfield | Dep. 5:00 PM Arr. 4:40 PM |
| 1:40 PM | Hill City | 2:00 PM |
The railroad proposed a similar schedule for the tri-weekly service, running on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. There was little freight service in the off-season, and there few passengers riding the trains. The residents of Camas County immediately protested, and the PUC ordered the Oregon Short Line to submit its revenues for this service. The principal shipping points were Fairfield and Hill City, although the other stations had stockpens for livestock, which was one of the primary sources of revenue. The improved roads had syphoned off most of the passenger business - in the good months. During the winter and spring, from approximately November through May, when the roads were bad, passenger business increased. Inbound express and freight shipments were 724,514 pounds in May 1925, increasing 38% from the previous year due to the recovery from the drought of the previous year. The dairy shipments were now being made by truck and automobile. Grain was shipped out of the area starting in September and extending through the early winter months, while livestock, sheep and cattle, were shipped starting in late June and extending through the early fall months. The livestock trains were special trains, and the grain shipments required daily use of a locomotive to spot the grain cars.
The railroad stated it had an income of $34,493.36 for the year ending March 31, 1925, down from the previous year due to the drought. However, the expenses had been $57,937.53. Operating the train from Richfield would present difficulties. The railroad anticipated a savings of $800 to $1000 a month by going to tri-weekly service. The IPUC authorized the railroad to operate the tri-weekly service effective August 4, 1925, through September 8, when daily-except-Sunday service would be reinstated.[23]
On May 26, 1925, OSL again petitioned the Public Utilities Commission to change the schedule of the train on the Hill City Branch, from daily-except-Sunday to tri-weekly. The railroad stated “That at the time of filing this petition and for a long time prior thereto, the freight business done by said train between the points hereinbefore described, is and has been very slight, and the passenger business on said train has not amounted to an average of four persons each way per day....and business on said line has demonstrated that there is no necessity or reasonable demand for the operation of said train in daily service, or more frequently than on a tri-weekly basis....”
The proposed schedule was:
Current – daily-except-Sunday
The proposed schedule was tri-weekly, running Monday-Wednesday-Friday, as follows:
Public hearings were held following protests by residents of Camas County at Fairfield on June 12, 1925. The hearings showed what railroad operations were like at the time. The population of the surrounding area was about 2,000, and Fairfield was the county seat, and Hill City was the other major shipping center. The area was mostly agricultural. Due to the slow train, many were finding it more convenient to drive to stations on the main line to connect with the passenger trains there. However, from November through April there was an increase in passenger business due to the winter snows. The shipment of outbound grain took place in September through the late fall and winter months and required the daily service of a locomotive to spot cars. Stock shipments of sheep and cattle were in late June through the summer and into the early fall, and many stock shipments were in special trains. Dairy products were being shipped by highway. In May 1924 there were 522,997 pounds of inbound freight, both in car lots and Less-than-Carload. The freight shipments were increasing, showing a recovery from the previous drought years.
The schedule in 1926 was:
| Train No. 347 | Mile | Station | Train No. 348 |
| 9:25 AM | 0 | Shoshone | 5:40 PM |
| 10:00 AM | 15 | Richfield | 5:00 PM |
| 1:40 PM | 73 | Hill City | 2:00 PM |
Notes:
____________________________________________________________
In 1933 the service was provided by a daily-except-Sunday mixed train. The only scheduled train stops were at Fairfield and Hill City, with the other stations being flagstops. The schedule in 1941 was:
| Train No. 379 | Mile | Station | Train No. 380 |
| 8:10 AM | 0 | Shoshone | 3:00 PM |
| 8:50 AM | 15 | Richfield | 2:20 PM |
| 11:15 AM | 73 | Hill City | 11:40 AM |
Notes:
The stations on the line in 1930 were:[25]
Richfield (MP 0.0): The Hill City Branch left the Ketchum Branch at Richfield, which was named for the rich soil in the area.
Rawson (MP 4.5): The derivation of name is not known. There were 972' of siding track at Rawson.
Burmah (MP 9.4): The siding was named for Burmah M. Coffman, first postmistress and wife of H.M. Coffman, an early settler in the region. The area was first settled in the 1880s.
A stockyard with one pen and one loading chute was built in 1912. In 1930 the facilities were unchanged. The immediate loading deck had a capacity of one head of livestock and scales were available. The stockyard was still in use in 1936. At that time the immediate loading deck had a capacity of two head of livestock. Scales were available.[26] The facilities were the same in 1951, with a private scale. There was a siding track 2886' long.
Kaysley (MP 19.1): The derivation of the station name is not known. It was not a station stop when the line was built, but was shown on the timetable by 1919. At that time Kaysley had no siding tracks.
Magic (MP 21.5): The station was named for its proximity to the Magic Reservoir of the Idaho Irrigation Company. There was a wood water tank 24' diameter by 16' high on a wood tower and concrete foundation and a 19' x 21' brick pump house, both built in 1912. In 1930 the 50,000 gallon water tank was fed from a spring using a gasoline pump. The water tank had been removed by 1951. Magic had 2488' of siding track.
Macon (MP 34.0): The station was named selected by the engineering department due to its brevity. A stockyard was built in 1912, and in 1930 it had three pens and one loading chute, built in 1912. In 1936 the facilities had not been changed, but it had a capacity of 26 head of livestock in the immediate loading decks.[27] In 1951 there were four pens and one double deck loading chute and the same capacity of 26 head of livestock in the immediate loading deck. There was a 1992' siding track in 1921.
Blaine (MP 34.0): The station may have been named for Blaine County, when it was part of that county when it was established. The county was named for James G. Blaine, Secretary of State (1889-1892) under President Benjamin Harrison.[28] Others say, however, that Blaine County had nothing to do with its name based on the chronology.
Blaine had a two story passenger and freight depot, 20' x 34', a bunk house, and an ice house, all built in 1913. Blaine also had a bunk house, 16' x 34' and an 8' x 12' ice house, both built in 1913. No stockpen was listed in 1936.[29] A siding was established in 1911 and it was 3,015' long in 1921.
Rands (MP 36.8): This siding was named for a nearby rancher.
Selby (MP 39.7): The station was named for F.B. Selby, a nearby rancher. It had 1307’ siding track in 1921.
Fairfield (MP 43.8): The station, located on the Camas Prairie, was named for the blue camas in the surrounding countryside. The location was first settled in the 1880s and significant growth occurred in 1906 with the advent of irrigation water. A post office was established in 1882 at Soldier, with roads to the north to Smoky area mines, and west to Boise and east to Hailey, along the path of present-day Highway 20.[30] Soldier had a population of 300 as late as 1916 and the local businesses, while Fairfield had a population of about 100. The population gradually migrated to be near the railroad tracks, and in December 1922 the Soldier post office closed.[31] Fairfield was originally known as New Soldier when the town of Soldier moved to be near the new railroad tracks.[32] It was incorporated in 1912[33] and became the county seat when Camas County was formed in 1917. It is the only village in the county. In 1920 the population of Fairfield was about 400,[34] in 1938 it was 306, and it was 463 in 2021.
Fairfield had a two story wood depot was built in 1913, and had a two story section 26' x 26' with a one story wing 26' x 14'. The depot was on 2nd Ave. South, and 1st East ended at the depot. Center Street was one block to the west. The east end of the depot had a freight and baggage room, and next to it was the agent’s office, and the waiting room was on the west end. A spur track ended on the east side of the depot, and there was a passing track in front of the depot. Closure of the agency was authorized by the PUC on October 4, 1973, [35] and the agency as closed on November 16, 1973.[36] The depot at Fairfield was donated by the railroad and in 1974 was moved away from the tracks for use by the Camas County Historical Society for its museum. There is also a caboose in town, used by the chamber of commerce.
Fairfield had a 50,000 gallon wood water tank was 24' diameter by 16' high, on a wood tower and concrete foundation. The well, drilled in 1913, was 10” diameter by 220' deep. There was a 19' x 25' pump house, also built in 1913. The water tank and pump house were on the south side of the tracks, just to the east of the depot. In 1930 a well fed the gallon water tank. There was a spur track on the south side of the tracks for loading ore and reach other businesses.
There was also a stockyard with six pens and one loading chute, built in 1912. In 1930 the facilities had not changed, and the capacity of the immediate loading deck was 40 head of livestock. Water was available. In 1936 the immediate loading deck had a capacity of 49 head of livestock, and water was available.[37] In 1951 the facilities had not changed, and the immediate loading deck still had a capacity of 49 head of livestock. Water and a truck chute were available. There was a 2,507' of siding track in 1921.
Corral (MP 51.7): One source states that the station was named for a large corral located here that was used for shipping livestock. It was in use before the arrival of the railroad. Another source indicates it was named for the natural corrals found by the white settlers in the area and along Corral Creek.[38] The population in 1938 was 300.
The two story station, 20' x 34', was built in 1913. After it was closed the Corral depot was moved away from the right-of-way and converted into a personal residence, and is not easily recognizable as a railroad station.
There was a stockyard built in 1912. In 1930 the stockyard had seven pens for sheep or hogs only and two loading chutes. In 1936 Corral had four stockpens with two double deck loading chutes and a capacity of eleven head of livestock in the immediate loading deck.[39] In 1951 the facilities had not changed. Corral had 1,996' of siding track in 1921.
Hill City (MP 57.8): The station was named for the hills in the surrounding area. The settlement began with the arrival of the railroad by Mr. Nickelwaite, who established it when he heard of the proposed railroad. It was first called Prairie since it was in the Camas Prairie, but changed to Hill City for the nearby Bennet Mountain Hills.[40] The village was in a hay and grain area and used mostly by ranchers in the summer months. It was also a shipping center for sheep and reportedly shipped more sheep than any other place in the world. The population was 250, and it was not incorporated.[41] Corral had a population of 167 in 1938, in 1960 it was 60, and today there are only a few residences in the area.
The two story station was 26' x 26' and had a one story wing 14' x 26' and was built in 1913. On August 31, 1954, the Union Pacific petitioned the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to close the agency. It had been open seasonally in the summer months starting in 1943, with PUC authorization, for livestock and grain shippers. Three shippers stated they had no objections, and on October 1, 1954, the PUC authorized closure effective December 1, 1954.
Corral also had a bunk house, 16' x 34' and an 18' x 22' ice house, both built in 1913. Since it as the end of the line, there was an enginehouse with two stalls 85’ long, built in 1913. There were also a 16' x 45' coal platform and a 26' long concrete cinder pit and a wye to turn the locomotives. In 1930 the stalls in the enginehouse had been extended so that they were 96' long. The enginehouse was removed by 1942, as the operations changed so that there was no need to store a locomotive overnight at Hill City.
There was also a 50,000 gallon water tank fed from a deep well using a gasoline pump. The wood water tank was 24' diameter by 16' high, on a wood tower and concrete foundation, built in 1913. The well was 10” diameter by 465' deep. The pump house was 14' x 18', and was built in 1913.
In 1930 there was a stockyard with five pens and two loading chutes, built in 1912. It had 2,875' of siding track and an additional 5,783' of additional siding. In 1936 Hill City had five stockpens with and additional low pen for sheep or hogs and two double deck loading chutes. There was water, and the immediate loading deck had a capacity of 37 head of livestock. [42] In 1951 there were five stockpens and an additional six for sheep or hogs. There were two double deck loading chutes. The immediate loading deck had a capacity of 16 horses or cattle or 167 sheep or hogs. Water, scales, and a truck chute were available.
Profile of the Hill City Branch:
| Station | Elevation |
| Richfield | 4290 |
| Burmah | 4503 |
| Magic | 4808 |
| Blaine | 5025 |
| Fairfield | 5065 |
| Corral | 5098 |
| Hill City | 5093 |
The Oregon Short Line Railroad Company prepared a cost estimate for the construction of the line from Richfield to Taft under the auspices of the Central Idaho Railroad. The estimate was not dated, but may have been prepared after the construction of the line.
Length of Main Track – 58.2 miles
Length of Side Track – 7.8 miles
Maximum grade ascending – 1.00%
Maximum grade descending – 0.66%
Total ascents – 1901’
Total descents – 84’
Pile and Frame trestles – (25) 1305 linear feet
Howe Truss Bridge – 1 – 320’
-----
Engineering - $44,600.00
Right of Way - $37,500.00
Grading - $510,100.00
Bridges & Culverts. - $105,700.00
Ties - $172,604.00
Rails - $261,450.00
Frogs and Switches - $8,764.00
Track Fastenings - $42,083.00
Tracklaying and Surfacing - $91,300.00
Fencing right of way - $25,370.00
Crossings, signs, etc. - $1600.00
Telegraph Line - $13,095.00
Station Buildings - $25,450.00
Engine House, etc. - $13,750.00
Water Station – 20,350.00
Fuel Station - $2,400.00
Miscellaneous Structures - $16,475.00
Rental of Equipment - $12,000.00
General Expense - $3,000.00
-----
Total cost - $1,407,591.00
Average cost per mile - $24,185.37
Cross ties were untreated, at $.92 each, 183,500 ties. Switch ties and bridge ties separate..
New 60# steel rail was used.
100 Cattle guards at $50.00
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Water Stations:
Water Tanks – 4 @ $3000.00 each
Water Columns 1 @ $5500.00
Pumping plants, piping, etc. – $6,000.00
Contingencies - $1850.00
Total - $20,350.00
Station Buildings:
Passenger Depots – 5 @ $3500.00
Freight depot – 1 @ $2500.00
Combination coal houses – 5 @ $125.00
Water supply at stations - $2,500.00
Contingencies - $2325.00
Total - $25,450.00
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Engine House & Turntables:
Engine House – 2 stall – 1 @ $#3500.00
Turntable – 1 @ $6,000.00
Ash Pit – 1 @$15,00.00
Sand House – 1 @ $250.00
Oil House – 1 @ $250.00
Water Supply, piping, etc. - $1,000.00
Contingencies - $1,250.00
Total - $13,750.00
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Fuel Stations:
Coal Platforms – 2@ $1200.00
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Miscellaneous Structures:
Section Houses - 5 @ $1500.00
Jap Houses – 5 @ $650.00
Combination coal houses – 10 @ $50.00
Tool Houses – 10 @ $100.00
Stock yards – 4 @ $1200.00
Contingencies - $890.00
Total - $16,475.00
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Rental of Equipment - $12,000.00
Beal, Merrill, and Merle Wells, History of Idaho. New York: Lewis Publishing Company, 1959.
Behr, Alice Crane, and Maureen Hancock Ward. History of Richfield, Idaho. 1995.
Boone, Lalia. Idaho Place Names. Moscow: U of Idaho Press. 1989.
Robertson, Donald. Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History, Vol. II (Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming). Dallas: Taylor Publishing Co. 1991.
Hawley, J. H. History of Idaho, Vol. I. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1920.
Kay, John L. Directory of Railway Post Offices. MPO Society, 1997.
Ricketts, Virginia. Then and Now in Southern Idaho, Caldwell: Caxton Printers. 1999 edition.
ICC Valuation
Annual Reports of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Idah, various years
Idaho State Journal
Idaho Trails Plan, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, 1993
Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory. Union Pacific Railroad
Oregon Short Line Corporate History
Railway Age Gazette
The Railway Gazette
Union Pacific Railroad Annual Report, various years.
Union Pacific Employes Idaho Division timetable #97. dated July 31, 1921.
Union Pacific Magazine
[1] Behr, p. 16
[2] Railway Age Gazette, February 11, 1910. This grade continues to present a challenge to railroad operations to this day.
[3] The Oregon Short Line Railway was organized in 1881, and became the Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway in 1889. It was reorganized as the Oregon Short Line Railroad in 18j97.
[4] Railway Age Gazette, July, 1911
[5] Idaho State Journal, 6-11-61, 60 years ago column
[6] The Railway Gazette, p. 333, 2/11/10
[7] Behr, p. 1
[8] UP Annual Report, June 30, 1911, p. 27
[9] Corporate history
[10] Robertson, p. 204
[11] Railway Age Gazette, February 23, 1912
[12] UP Annual Report, 6-30-13, p. 8
[13] Annual Report for the Union Pacific, June 30, 1913, p. 8
[14] Beal, p. 533
[15] Idaho State Journal, October 10, 1973
[16] Idaho Trails Plan, , p. 26
[17] PUC annual report, 5-8-13 to 6-30-14, p. 187
[18] Kay, p. 388
[19] PUC annual report, 5-8-13 to 6-30-14, p. 186. The Public Utilities Commission of the State of Idaho was renamed the Idaho Public utilities Commission in 1951.
[20] PUC annual report, 5-8-13 to 6-30-14, pp. 186-187
[21] PUC annual report, 7-1-14 to 6-30-15, p. 202
[22] Idaho Public Utilities Commission, 12th and 13th Annual Reports, July 1, 1924 - June 30, 1925
[23] PUC annual report, 7-1-24 to 6-30-26, pp. 71-77
[24] Union Pacific Magazine, February 1931, p. 25
[25] Union Pacific Employes Idaho Division Timetable #97, dated July 31, 1921
[26] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory, p. 39
[27] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory, p. 40
[28] Boone, p. 38
[29] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory, p. 39
[30] Ricketts, p. 36
[31] Ricketts, p. 36
[32] Boone, p. 131
[33] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory
[34] Hawley, Vol. 1, p. 7877
[35] PUC annual report, 1-1-73 to 6-30-74, p. 219
[36] Merrill, p. 96
[37] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory, p. 40
[38] Boone, p. 92
[39] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory, p. 39
[40] Boone, p. 180
[41] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory, p. 265
[42] Official Freight Shippers Guide and Directory, p. 40
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