Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway (OSL&UN) (1889-1897)

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Union Pacific's Subsidiary in Utah

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Oregon Short Line Railway (1881-1889) (Wyoming and Idaho only)

Oregon Short Line RR (1897-1936) (leased to UP in 1936)

Overview

The information presented here focuses on the railroad properties and tracks. Except for a brief period in 1897-1898, Union Pacific always held full control and almost complete ownership of OSL&UN and OSL.

Oregon Short Line Railroad (OSL) and its predecessor companies operated all UP lines in Idaho, Montana, and northern Utah.

Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway was incorporated on August 19, 1889 as a consolidation of the original 1881 Oregon Short Line Railway and six other railroads operating in Utah and Idaho.

OSL was incorporated in February 1897 as a reorganization of Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway, in receivership since October 1893.

The original OSL Railway began construction in July 1881 at a connection with UP at Granger, Wyoming and was completed across southern Idaho to Huntington, Oregon by November 1884.

The original OSL Railway (and later OSL&UN) operated the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company under lease between January 1887 and October 1893.

Timeline

July 27, 1889
Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway was organized by merging the following companies: Utah & Northern Railway, the Utah Central Railway, the Utah & Nevada Railway, the Salt Lake & Western Railway, and the Ogden & Syracuse Railway (all in Utah), the Oregon Short Line Railway and Idaho Central Railway (both in Idaho), and the unbuilt Nevada Pacific Railway in Nevada. (OSL corporate history)

The lease of ORy&N to OSLRy (dated January 1, 1887) continued after the consolidation that formed OSL&UN.

August 19, 1889
OSL&UN took possession of the following railroads:

September 1889
OSL&UN (UP) purchased fifty percent ownership (and control) of ORy&N, at a cost of $12 million, by direct purchase from Henry Villard's Oregon & Transcontinental Company. (Memoirs of Henry Villard, page 332) This was to prevent Northern Pacific from taking the same action to control ORy&N. (Trottman, History of the UP, page 237)

September 9, 1889
OSL&UN completed 3.24 mile branch to Eureka. Construction of the line was begun on April 9 by the Salt Lake & Western. (OSL corporate history)

October 11, 1889
A baggage car and contents burned at McCammon on the 4th; gauge not specified, but probably standard gauge. (Idaho Herald, October 11, 1889)

October 30, 1889
The narrow gauge equipment of the (now) OSL&UN is apparently in very bad shape. (The Utah Journal, Logan, October 30, 1889)

November 1889
OSL&UN (Utah & Nevada) is sharing Salt Lake City depot with John W. Young's Salt Lake & Fort Douglas and Salt Lake & Eastern lines. (Salt Lake Herald, November 15, 1889)

November 17, 1889
The paper is still printing timetables with the names of the various component parts, as Utah Central Railway, Salt Lake & Western, and Utah & Nevada, not "Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern," which it has been since the first of August of this year. (Salt Lake Herald, November 17, 1889)

November 19, 1889
Timetable for Utah Central is replaced with one labeled 'Union Pacific Railway, Utah Division, U. C. District.' Others remain unchanged. (Salt Lake Herald, November 19, 1889)

1889-1890
OSL&UN began grading a line from Milford to Pioche, Nevada, a distance of 145 miles. In March 1887 Union Pacific president Charles Adams had asked that a route be surveyed to California, from the Utah Central at Milford, and the route was found "worthy of consideration". At the time of the survey, the silver mining town of Pioche was almost a ghost town. (Athearn, p. 288) The grade to Uvada was completed and some bridges were built along that portion of the line. The grade from Uvada to Clover Valley Junction (later Caliente) and then north to Pioche was only partially completed, although six tunnels were completed on the line between Uvada and Clover Valley Junction. Early completion of 7.75 miles of track laid south from Milford ended when financial difficulties developed in 1890 and construction was halted and the track was taken up. (SPLA&SL corporate history)

January 1, 1890
G. M. Cumming resigned effective December 31, 1889; to be replaced by C. F. Resseguie. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, January 1, 1890)

January 21, 1890
U.P. has borrowed five or six RGW engines to be used on line between Silver Bow and Pocatello during the current snow trouble. They left Ogden on morning of 21st, to go to Pocatello via Granger. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, January 21, 1890)

March 23, 1890
Depot at Garden City (on old Utah & Nevada narrow gauge), a pavilion, has been partly enclosed in the center, to make a ticket office and waiting room downstairs, with an office upstairs. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, March 23, 1890)

April 12, 1890
A lengthy item, on Utah & Nevada line, in which is: "The rolling stock is now being increased by the addition of new engines and more commodious cars." (Salt Lake Herald, April 12, 1890)

April 29, 1890
Some of old Utah & Northern equipment is being transferred to the Garfield Beach line. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, April 29, 1890)

May 1, 1890
Six new excursion cars have been ordered for the Garfield line. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, 1 May 1890; Salt Lake Evening Times, May 1, 1890)

May 1, 1890
Reference to "Engine 21 on the Utah & Nevada road...", which broke a piston rod out on the line. (Salt Lake Herald, May 1, 1890)

May 10, 1890
The U.P. has secured the loan of 'several' coaches from the RGW for temporary use on the line to Garfield Beach. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 10,1890)

May 15, 1890
The RGW engines loaned to the U. P. have been returned, and they are now in the shops. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 15, 1890)

May 15, 1890
"The Utah & Nevada engines are also being given Union Pacific numbers." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 15, 1890)

May 15, 1890
Ten excursion cars being built at Pullman for the Garfield line. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 15, 1890)

May 21, 1890
Depot at Milford burned. A complete loss. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 22, 1890, "yesterday")

June 1, 1890
Union Pacific purchased 200 acres in north Salt Lake City for the purposes of a new terminal. (Salt Lake Herald, June 1, 1890)

June 16, 1890
40 pound steel rails arrive for Utah Central's western division, the Utah Western. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, June 16, 1890)

late June 1890
W. H. Bancroft resigned as general manager of Rio Grande Western, "a surprise to everyone". Effective July 1, 1890. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, June 21, 1890) Bancroft returned to Salt Lake City from Denver, to find a letter from D. C. Dodge saying that Bancroft's letter of resignation would be accepted. Bancroft announced that he would leave on July 1, 1890. (Salt Lake Evening Times, June 21, 1890)

(Bancroft had been with D&RG, and its successor RGW, since 1881 [Athearn: Rebel, p. 147] and became Superintendent of the Oregon Short Line.)

July 9, 1890
"Manager Resseguie is to have a new private car from the Omaha shops. The present car, '06', was formerly Superintendent Choate's car on the narrow gauge South Park road, but was put on standard gauge trucks and sent over as Manager Cumming's car. It is a neatly furnished outfit, but much too cramped for comfort. Manager Resseguie can take some pleasure in his new car." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, July 9, 1890)

July 11, 1890
"An additional engine came down yesterday for the Garfield road from the Utah & Northern." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, July 11, 1890)

July 23, 1890
U. P. No. 990, regular engine on the Eureka line, is in for repairs, as also 562 and 802. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, July 23, 1890)

July 25, 1890
Garfield Beach quite busy yesterday, but "There was enough motive power because of the addition of engines from the Kansas Central narrow gauge, and there were enough cars." Pullman has built six excursion cars for the Garfield line; they were unloaded at Ogden yesterday morning, 24th, to be used yesterday between Ogden and Logan, and will come to Salt Lake City today. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, July 25, 1890)

July 31, 1890
A reference occurs to "Engine 21 on the Utah & Nevada road,..." which suffered a bent (or broken) piston rod out on the line somewhere a day or two ago. (Salt Lake Daily Herald, July 31, 1890)

August 13, 1890
At a rate of 1-1/2 miles per day from Pocatello end, and 1/2 mile per day from Ogden end, changing the gauge of the last stretch of the old U & N narrow gauge line; from the Ogden end the new line follows the old as far as Collinston, and there will be a standard gauge branch to Logan. (The Logan Journal, August 13, 1890)

Collinston had first been known as Hampton, named for the stage station, ferry and later toll bridge built by Ben Hampton and William Godbe. Hampton was changed to Collinston in honor of Collins Fulmer, a favorite conductor on the Utah Northern. In 1875, Hampton and Godby moved to Salt Lake City after exchanging the ownership of the toll bridge, the 600 acres it was on, and the two-story 18-room ranch house, to James and Merry Standing. (History of Box Elder County, by Lydia Walker Forsgren, 1937, page 283)

August 16, 1890
On Tuesday last, a train of 15 cars of standard gauge ties went through Logan, the first visible sign, says the paper, of the standard gauge-to-be to Logan; the ties are distributed from Logan to Mendon. (The Logan Journal, August 16, 1890)

August 20, 1890
"General Agent Resseguie's car, '016', which was being overhauled at Omaha, is expected here today." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, August 20, 1890)

August 23, 1890
"Manager Resseguie's new car, 016, which came in Saturday night, is a model of neatness and comfort." Saturday was 23rd. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, August 25, 1899)

August 27, 1890
"The U. & N. Widening," somewhat editorial, negative tone, on the work in progress. The U. P. seems to be in a hurry to finish widening the main line, but doesn't seem concerned about the Cache Valley Branch. The editor says this work is being delayed "...by reason of [U.P.'s] willful destruction of the rolling stock,..." of the narrow gauge; "Everything is backward because the U. P. saw fit to cripple the U. & N. by disposing of its rolling stock." (The Logan Journal, August 27, 1890)

September 6, 1890
New depot in Logan to be started soon. (about the 24th) (The Logan Journal, September 6, 1890)

September 13, 1890
Engine 981 (a Taunton standard-gauge 4-6-0 built in 1883) was handling the work train in the widening and rebuilding of the line in Cache Valley. (The Logan Journal, September 13, 1890)

September 20, 1890
There remains about ten miles of track to be put down on the new standard gauge main line, four miles of it south of Deweyville, and six miles of it north of Deweyville. (The Logan Journal, September 20, 1890)

Deweyville had been established by Mormon farmers. It was first known as Dewey Springs, in honor of John C. Dewey, one of the original settlers who had started his farm in March 1864 at the site of what was then known as Empy's Springs. Other settlers followed in 1867-1868, and Dewey Springs became Deweyville on September 29, 1873 when the U. S. Post Office was opened. The little settlement did not receive a station when Utah & Northern was built in 1873-1874. The first depot in Deweyville was completed by OSL when the new standard gauge line was completed in 1890. It was a major shipping point for all of the Bear River Valley, until the Malad Branch was completed in 1903. (History of Box Elder County, by Lydia Walker Forsgren, 1937, page 280; Ogden Standard Examiner, January 9, 1949)

September 25, 1890
Car 016 damaged in wreck near Green River, Wyoming. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, September 25, 1890)

September 27, 1890
"The Utah & Northern Gauge." "On Monday next [September 29th] the last rail of the standard gauge will be laid on the main line between Ogden and Pocatello; and in a few days when surfacing has been completed, the line will be thrown open for through traffic between Salt Lake and Butte." (The Logan Journal, September 27, 1890)

The 15-mile section of the old narrow-gauge main line north from Preston to Oxford, Idaho was abandoned upon completion of the new standard-gauge line, as was the 12-mile narrow-gauge line between Dewey and Mendon, by way of Collinston Summit. This original line over Collinston Divide was used 25 years later by the Ogden, Logan & Idaho Railway to build their electric line between Ogden and Logan in October 1915. (Swett, p. 76) The line between Preston and Oxford later became the alignment for today's U. S. Highway 91.

October 1, 1890
OSL&UN completed the new standard-gauge line between Ogden and Pocatello. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, October 2, 1890, "last rail in widening of old line and building new line")

There were delays in the completion of the new OSL&UN line in 1890 due to many land owners not having clear title to the portions needed for the railroad's right-of-way. Edward B. Kirk was retained by Union Pacific to work with land owners to develop title from government patents down to the then-current owners. All these titles are in Box Elder County's Book of Abstracts, Book A. (History of Box Elder County, by Lydia Walker Forsgren, 1937, page 61)

The new line included 48.58 miles of new construction between Dewey, Utah and Oxford, Idaho (20.64 miles north of the Utah/Idaho line) by way of the Bear River gorge, along with an 8.58-mile connection between Cache Junction, on the new standard-gauge line, and Mendon, on the old narrow-gauge line. Operation of the new standard-gauge connection between Cache Junction and Mendon line began on October 24. (OSL corporate history)

The new line through Bear River Gorge included two large timber trestles. In later years these two timber trestles were replaced with steel deck girger bridges. The 1976 OSL Condensed profile shows the westward bridge as Bridge No. 45.04, with four 31.5-ft. and six 63-ft. deck plate girders, and the eastward bridge as Bridge No. 45.89, with four 31.5-ft and three 63-ft. deck plate girders. These bridges were a combination of Common Standard deck plate girder, with the 31.5-ft. version being CS-111, and the 63-ft version being CS-114.

The conversion of the original line between Mendon and Preston, through Logan, converting it from narrow gauge to standard gauge, was completed on Sunday, October 26. (Utah Journal, October 22, 1890)

The original line became the Cache Valley Branch. (ICC Financial Docket 15790, 267 ICC 638)

The direct line between Mendon and Logan later became the Old Cache Valley Branch when the Wellsville "Loop" was completed in 1906.

October 1, 1890
Last rail was laid in widening of old line and building new line, Ogden to Pocatello. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, October 2, 1890, "yesterday")

October 4, 1890
New timetable on the standard gauge line Ogden to Pocatello takes effect on the 5th. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, October 4, 1890)

October 4, 1890
"Our Jim Crow Road," comments about that "The track [the old narrow gauge line] between Oxford and Preston is to be torn up the coming week." "Changed Again." "The final train run on the old narrow gauge track made its trip last night. Today the new gauge is to be utilized..." (Logan Journal, October 4, 1890)

October 5, 1890
The first passenger train passed over the new line between Dillon, Montana, and Salt Lake City, on October 5, 1890, to accommodate passengers coming to attend the L.D.S. semi-annual conference. (History of Box Elder County, by Lydia Walker Forsgren, 1937, page 32)

October 8, 1890
"Railroad Notes." "The depot excavation is going at a rate that is only exceeded by a U. & N. passenger train against a headwind or in a fog." There is still the three-foot gauge into Logan, as one must change cars from narrow to standard at Deweyville. (Logan Journal, October 8, 1890)

October 18, 1890
"Train Talk." "It is the expressed intention of having the broad gauge road to Logan in operation by October 20th. We are ready to wager a hat that it is not in operation by the 20th." (Logan Journal, October 18, 1890)

October 21, 1890
The old line through Logan is still narrow gauge; will be widened on the 26th of this month. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, October 21, 1890)

October 22, 1890
"Broad Gauge." The superintendent has wired the General Freight and Passenger Agent, Mr. Eccles, that trains will commence on the standard gauge Cache Valley Branch, through Logan, on Sunday, October 26, 1890. (Logan Journal, October 22, 1890)

October 25, 1890
Only one train out of Logan on the narrow gauge today, at 6:27 a.m.; the widening to be completed today and tomorrow. (Logan Journal, October 25, 1890)

October 29, 1890
"Train Notes." "The first train on the broad gauge reached Logan before 8 o'clock on Saturday night. All trains ran about as usual, and on Sunday the new schedule went into effect." (Logan Journal, October 29, 1890)

January 1, 1891
Garfield Beach line: "Engines and cars were sent down from the Utah & Northern narrow gauge and trains were run on such good time as to almost paralyze the public." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, January 1, 1891)

January 1, 1891
Union Pacific: Engines 368 and 984 being rebuilt, the 984 being old Salt Lake & Western engine. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, January 1, 1891)

January 25, 1891
"The Tribune Flyer" A item about the repairs and reconstruction of engine 319 of Union Pacific at Salt Lake City. The item included a description of the new front end and smokebox extension for the purpose of "killing" cinders, and regulating smokebox draft to improve combustion. The work is being done under the direction of A. C. Hinkley, Master Mechanic of the Utah Division. "Mr. Hinkley claims that with an engine thus rigged, he can haul a train of flat cars loaded with uncovered hay any distance without setting any of them on fire, or run for any length of time through wheat fields without setting anything on fire. Moreover, there is such a saving in fuel secured by more complete combustion that three to five cars can be added to a train pulled by an engine equipped with this device. Other engines will be thus fitted out." OSL&UN 319 was a 4-4-0 built by Schenectady in 1871 as Utah Central Railroad no. 5. Apparently the rebuilt engine did not perform to its expectations. It was retired in 1897 and scrapped by OSL in October 1898. Its tender was used as a water tank at Glenns Ferry, Idaho. (part from Salt Lake Daily Tribune, January 25, 1891)

April 1891
OSL&UN relaid 11 miles of former Utah & Nevada with 40-pound steel rail. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, April 5, 1891)

April 2, 1891
"A Clash Between Utah & Nevada and the Utah Central." "A Utah & Nevada engine committed a very expensive joke on a Utah Central locomotive. At South Temple and Fourth West streets, the Utah & Nevada has a wye track crossing that of the Utah Central. Engine No. 84, ..., of the Utah & Nevada, was coming north on the north stem of the wye, hauling four cars of salt into the Union Pacific yard. Engineer Wallace, driving engine No. 2, at the same time was going west at a pretty good jog, [and] did not check up. When he saw that he was about to be caught, he put on the brakes and jumped, ..., as the Utah & Nevada engine came crashing in. No. 2 tumbled over on its side, clearing the track, and all day lay as helpless as a stranded whale. Its drivers and rods are all bent, while No. 84 escaped with little damage, except a broken pilot." This event occurred yesterday morning, April 1st, 1891. (Salt Lake Daily Herald, April 2, 1891)

April 2, 1891
A wreck yesterday morning between Utah & Nevada engine 84 and a Utah Central engine not specified, but not a Shay, which said the U.C. engine laid on its side; the 84 is referred to later in the item as being Utah & Northern, which it once was. The Utah Central engine lay on its side most of the day, while the major part of the damage to the 84 was the breaking off of the pilot. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, April 2, 1891)

April 5, 1891
The U.P. has 10 engines on the former Utah & Nevada part of OSL&UN, as well as "all the cars necessary from the Utah & Northern narrow gauge stock." New 40 pound steel is going down on the Utah & Nevada, for some 11 miles. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, April 5, 1891)

May 3, 1891
Contractors for OSL&UN had completed the new Logan depot, and employees were waiting to occupy the new building. The delay was from a Mr. Smead, a Union Pacific official who was to go through a ceremony of accepting the work performed. Mr. Smead had been expected for many days, but had not yet arrived. In the meantime, the doors were locked and the agent and baggage man were waiting to be put to work in the new building. The work to connect the water system to the city mains had been completed on May 2. The building, 100x40 feet, was lighted by electricity, with six lights in each waiting room. The platform on the west was 190 feet long and the roof above, 180 feet long. the waiting rooms were each 26x40 feet. The express room on the north, and the baggage room on the south were each 17x26 feet. The office in the middle was 16-1/2 feet square. The building was constructed of St. Louis brick, and the interior finished with Georgia pine. The new depot cost approximately $20,000 to complete. Work had started on September 25, 1890, with the contracts having been awarded on September 1st. The contractors were Bassett & Percival, the same firm that had been constructing all the depots for the Union Pacific. On September 24, the engineer, a Mr. Lightfoot, had been occupied in locating the exact site for the building. (Desert Evening News, September 8, 1890; Salt Lake Herald, September 26, 1890; March 13, 1891; May 3, 1891)

May 13, 1891
Union Pacific engine 984 has gotten a major overhaul, and now has an extended front end and a straight stack, and is lettered in gold leaf, as it is a passenger engine. Also, engine 491 has come over from Denver for use on the Utah lines of the U. P. The Utah & Nevada has five engines in service, and three more are to be added, in the form of two 10-wheelers and one 8-wheeler, says the paper. The line also has 29 excursion cars at present. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 13, 1891)

May 13, 1891
The Utah & Nevada has five engines in service, and three more to be added in the form of two 10-wheel and one 8-wheel, says the paper; the line also has 29 excursion cars at present. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 13, 1891)

May 14, 1891
The Utah & Nevada is repairing their enginehouse. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 14, 1891)

June 1, 1891
Item about U.P. Master Mechanic McConnell removing the extended front ends and straight stacks, replacing them with the diamond stack he designed; more economical with coal, and fewer fires along the way! (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, June 1, 1891)

August 19, 1891
"Local" "Engine No. 96, of the Utah & Nevada branch of the Union Pacific, was derailed and thrown on its side just as it was entering the yards yesterday. Both the engineer and fireman were on the engine, but escaped unhurt." (Salt Lake Daily Herald, August 19, 1891)

August 19, 1891
A reference made to derailment of U. P. engine 96, yesterday, at 2nd South, tender getting the worst of it. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, August 19, 1891)

September 13, 1891
U.P. engine 1029 in a minor wreck near the Hot Springs. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, September 13, 1891)

September 19, 1891
Engine 319 is noted again; two damaged engines came into the U. P. shops yesterday, engine 491 having run into the tender of engine 20 a day or two ago, at Draper. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, September 19, 1891)

1892
OSL&UN completed the 1.09-mile Five Points Branch, from Five Points Junction, on the main line, 2.94 miles north of Ogden, to Five Points, Utah. (OSL corporate history)

January 1892
The narrow-gauge (former Utah & Nevada) district of the OSL&UN was operating standard-gauge cars on narrow-gauge trucks for the salt traffic between the south shore of the Great Salt Lake and Salt Lake City. The change in trucks is being made at Salt Lake. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, January 1, 1892) The change was done using a Ramsey Transfer device. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, December 11, 1900)

February 1892
OSL&UN completed the 3.03-mile Northern Spy Extension, from Silver City on the Silver City Branch to the Northern Spy Mine. Construction was begun in August 1891. (SPLA&SL corporate history, LA&SL drawing 8111-D; OSL corporate history)

February 29, 1892
Idaho Division timetable No. 32, in effect 12:05am February 28, 1892. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, February 29, 1892)

March 8, 1892
A passing reference to Union Pacific car 040. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, March 8, 1892)

April 27, 1892
Utah & Nevada line has been relaid with 40 pound steel, and has gotten some additional equipment as well. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, April 27, 1892)

May 31, 1892
Car 030 is now private car of James Sharp; had been Superintendent Rider's car on the Idaho Division, a narrow-gauge body now on standard gauge trucks. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, May 31, 1892)

June 28, 1892
An old Utah & Northern baggage car, still on its trucks, used as a jail at Garfield Beach, has been brought in for rebuilding. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, June 28, 1892)

June 29, 1892
"Engine 281 on the Garfield line is just in from the Kansas Central, where she was repaired and put into first class shape." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, June 29, 1892)

August 7, 1892
U.P. has sent three coaches and five open cars from Garfield line to Denver to be used on Georgetown Loop line during the conclave; still 39 open cars on the Garfield, and 'several' coaches; others will return in a week or two. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, August 7, 1892)

March 1, 1893
"Lake Point's Desolation." "The Old Three-story Hotel now being Torn Down." "The old Lake Point Hotel, owned by the Union Pacific, is being torn down. During the last few years this old structure has presented a very desolate appearance, but seven or eight years ago its three stories were crowded from basement to attic during the summer season." "The water has since receded, until now the spot where the steamer used to land passengers at the pier is a quarter of a mile inland." (Salt Lake Daily Herald, March 1, 1893)

June 1, 1893
"Four new narrow-gauge cars are being built in the Denver Shop for the Garfield traffic, and the order turned in with them is 'rush'." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, June 1, 1893)

June 23, 1893
"The Union Pacific sent down a narrow gauge engine to Nephi yesterday for use on the San Pete Valley branch." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune,23 , June 1893)

October 13, 1893
UP entered receivership, along with all of its leased and controlled subsidiary ORy&N.

October 13, 1893
Receiver appointed for OSL&UN (same date as Union Pacific)

Additional receivers appointed for OSL&UN by other courts in other suits foreclosing on several separate mortgages, on November 3, 1893, November 22, 1893, and on September 4, 1894.

December 1893
OSL&UN completed the 1.82-mile Mammoth Branch from Mammoth Junction, on the Silver City Branch, to the Mammoth Mill. Construction was begun in September. The last 5,047 feet (.96 mile) of the branch, from the crossing of Rio Grande Western's Tintic Range Railway to the mill, was joint trackage to allow RGW access to the mill's traffic. (SPLA&SL corporate history; OSL corporate history)

1894
Newspaper item about improvements to Utah's railroads for the previous year, 1894. "On the district between Salt Lake City and Garfield Beach (narrow gauge), 22,000 broad gauge ties have been put in the track and ballast has been hauled for the purpose of widening the embankments and preparing the road for standard gauge." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1895)

February 1, 1894
"The Lake Resorts" discusses the proposed widening of the Utah & Nevada line, among other things, and says: "The Utah & Nevada has disposed of a narrow gauge engine, a coach and several freight cars to the Sanpete Valley line, and it is not probable that such a sale of narrow gauge rolling stock would have been made, had the Union Pacific management intended to maintain a narrow gauge line to Garfield." (Salt Lake Daily Herald, February 1, 1894)

February 24, 1894
OSL&UN rotary plow run on Salt Lake & Western line to Eureka; was to have been in Eureka last night. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, February 24, 1894)

July 15, 1894
OSL&UN General Superintendent Bancroft came into SLC yesterday in his special car, the '014'. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, July 15, 1894)

July 29, 1894
U.P. -- special car 040 had to be returned to OR&N when the court ordered a separate receivership. OSL&UN appears to be the owner of the 021 and 030, while the 014 is Union Pacific, and "the finest private car" on the system, which car Bancroft is using. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, 29 July 1894)

August 21, 1894
OSL&UN officer's car 030, assigned to director James Sharp, went up to Pocatello last night, and is temporarily assigned to Superintendent E. E. Calvin, Idaho Division. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, August 21, 1894)

December 4, 1894
OSL&UN car 014 in shops getting overhaul, paint, varnish, and so forth. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, December 4, 1894)

spring 1895
A separate receiver is named for the OSL&UN. (Trottman p. 261)

August 1, 1895
An item on some of the old locomotives of the former Utah Central standard gauge (now OSL&UN), which engines are going to the rear of the roundhouse in a state of decay. Says that the 436 and 437, formerly 8 and 10 on the old U. C., have been replaced by modern power. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, August 1, 1895)

August 10, 1895
The Union Pacific has abolished the office of Master Mechanic at Salt Lake City, and transferred it to Pocatello. (Park Record, Park City, August 10, 1895)

October 1, 1895
"The Union Pacific sends down another narrow gauge passenger coach on No. 1 this morning for use on the conference specials an the San Pete Valley, which start today." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, October 1, 1895)

October 5, 1895
The U. P. is building a depot at Fairfield, because of the Salt Lake & Mercur. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, October 5, 1895)

January 9, 1897
Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway was sold at a public sale to a committee representing the reorganization committee. The successful bid was $7,185,000 and assumed obligations, bringing the total amount to $30,000,000. (Davis County Clipper, January 15, 1897)

February 23, 1897
The property of old Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway was sold to the new Oregon Short Line Railroad, incorporated for the purpose in Utah on February 1, 1897. On January 9, the receivers had sold the property to the reorganization committee, who then sold it to the OSL. (OSL corporate history)

March 3, 1897
"Activity in the Shops" of the Oregon Short Line - first car relettered for the about-to-be-independent O.S.L. was Idaho Division business car 030, which came out of Pocatello as OSL car 03; this and cars 021 & 022 are only business cars to be transferred to the new O.S.L. In the cars shops at present are two baggage, one coach and one caboose cars, while several locomotives are being overhauled in the machine shops. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, March 3, 1897)

March 15, 1897
The new Oregon Short Line Railroad took possession of the old Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway on March 15, 1897. (OSL corporate history)

(Trottman, p. 261, gives date as "early 1897".)

(The Salt Lake Daily Tribune of March 16, 1897 says that the transfer took place, saying that "At 12:01 am this morning, the Oregon Short Line company commenced operating its lines and independent system.")

The Salt Lake Daily Tribune article mentioned above also showed that OSL's principal shops were at Salt Lake City and at Pocatello, with smaller shops at Shoshone, Eagle Rock, and Battle Creek, all in Idaho, Butte, Montana, and at Lehi, Logan and Ogden, Utah. (Lehi?!?)

"All locomotives of the Short Line will be at once be renumbered by the class system in vogue amongst most of the roads." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, March 16, 1897)

March 16, 1897
"At the Salt Lake narrow gauge shops a number of old friends from the Oregon Short Line locomotives are being repaired and overhauled, to be; ready for the summer traffic. They are the 21 and 11 of the Utah and Nevada, and the 91, the last of the Utah & Northern big narrow gauge boys. After they come out of the shops they will be 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and lettered 'Oregon Short Line', which is the title chosen for cars and engines. One of the best engines lying at the Jordan spur will also be rebuilt for the Garfield run. The old Kansas Central engines have been sent back East." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, March 16, 1897)

March 16, 1897
OSL business cars 014 and 022 are out of the paint shop. (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, March 16, 1897)

March 16, 1897
The receivership of Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway came to a formal end, having conveyed all of its interests to Oregon Short Line Railroad. (Union Pacific internal history of LA&SL, on file in Salt Lake City public relations offices; copied on January 20, 1978)

March 19, 1897
"Short Line Improvements during the Past Year." "The equipment of the Short Line has not materially varied during the past year." "All of the equipment has been turned over in good shape to the purchasers of the Short Line." (Salt Lake Daily Herald, March 19, 1897)

  Std.
Gauge		 Narrow
Gauge
Passenger cars 77 34
Freight cars 4,206 527
Roadway cars 33 8
All classes of cars 4,316 569
Locomotives 122 3

(Read more about Oregon Short Line Railroad, reorganized from OSL&UN in March 1897)

Locomotives

OSLRy - OSL&UN - OSL Locomotives

More Information

Wikipedia entry for Oregon Short Line Railroad

Klein, Maury. Union Pacific, Birth of a Railroad, 1862-1893 (Doubleday & Company, 1987)

Klein, Maury. Union Pacific, The Rebirth, 1894-1969 (Doubleday, 1989)

Trottman, Nelson. History of the Union Pacific (Augustus M. Kelley, 1923, reprinted 1966)

Oregon Short Line Railroad Company. Corporate History of Oregon Short Line Railroad Company, As of June 30th, 1916

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