Salt Lake City's Grant Tower

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on July 30, 2024.

(Return To Utah Railroads Index Page)

Overview

Grant Tower was formerly an interchange between UP (both OSL and LA&SL), D&RGW and WP to get their respective trains in and out of Salt Lake City. It was completed in 1950 when D&RGW moved its Salt Lake-Ogden mainline over to be adjacent the UP mainline to get away from street-running along 700 West north of South Temple Street, and to improve train handling for interchange cuts of cars between Rio Grande at Roper yard, and Union Pacific at North yard.

A study by Rio Grande completed in December 1943, recommended a change in tracks, adding a double track line parallel to UP's tracks along Fourth (500) West. Moving the mainline to Ogden away from the center meridian of Sixth (700) West, with its 15 miles per hour speed restriction as it traveled through the west side neighborhoods, over to a new route parallel to UP's line, would greatly improve train speeds through the area between Second South and Second North. The new tracks would also eliminate delays for trains bound for Ogden, which were required to stop before crossing the combined Union Pacific, Western Pacific, and Salt Lake Garfield & Western tracks at the intersection of Sixth West and South Temple streets. The proposed line change was shown as the "Fourth West - Sixth West Track Change," and would later become known as the Grant Tower Interlocking.

UP used the interchange to move trains from its joint LA&SL/OSL North Yard, including LA&SL trains moving to and from Los Angeles via both the Leamington Cutoff to the west, and the Provo Subdivision to the south. UP also used Grant Tower to move trains that interchanged traffic between North Yard and D&RGW's Roper Yard.

D&RGW used the interchange for its Ogden-bound trains, and WP used tracks at the interchange's western end to move its freight trains from its joint line with UP (LA&SL), south to D&RGW's Roper Yard. WP also used the interchange itself to move its passenger trains in and out of the joint WP-D&RGW passenger depot.

Before Grant Tower, D&RGW passenger trains to Ogden used the joint trackage north along Fourth (500) West from the D&RGW/WP depot, turning west at South Temple and used trackage jointly owned by WP and D&RGW. Then at Sixth (700) West, they turned north along the D&RGW mainline to Ogden.

After Grant Tower, the track due north along 500 (Fourth) West, the east leg of the wye, was D&RGW track to where it met the north leg of the wye, which was owned by D&RGW. from there north, it was joint D&RGW-OSL to 500 (Fourth) North. The south leg of the wye at Grant Tower was owned by OSL.

(View maps of the Grant Tower area before and after the track changes)

Also after Grant Tower, WP and D&RGW split the joint passenger line east of 700 (Sixth) West, with WP taking the portion between 700 (Sixth) West and the west curb line of 500 (Fourth) West. D&RGW took the line in and along 500 (Fourth) West, including the turnout for the east leg of the wye, to allow them to serve the industries along that part of the line.

After 1983, UP controlled the former WP, and after 1996, UP controlled the former D&RGW trackage. The former D&RGW trackage is still there and UP uses it to get from North Yard, eight miles south to Roper Yard. UP sold the Provo Subdivision to Utah Transit Authority in 1993, and it became UTA's light rail line. With the completion of UTA's Frontrunner commuter rail line in early 2008, the Frontrunner trains used the east side of the Grant Tower alignment for its new trackage between Salt Lake City and Ogden/Pleasant View

From late 2001 until late 2007, due to congestion of trackage west of Salt Lake City and to bypass Grant Tower, UP was again using the former Passenger Line along 900 South to get from the west directly to Roper Yard.

(Read more about UP's 900 South Passenger Line)

From UP engineering department records:

WP And Grant Tower

When the Grant Tower Interlocking was completed in 1948, although Western Pacific trains generally avoided using the tracks almost completely, WP trains did travel on the southwest fringe of the interlocking trackage and needed to be part of the overall control considerations. In his book Track and Time, Jeff Asay noted that WP did not have sole use any interlocking towers at any point on its system in Utah, Nevada and California. All interlocking towers were joint between WP and another railroad. Grant Tower in Salt Lake City was jointly operated with UP and D&RGW, and was WP's only interlocking tower in Utah.

Western Pacific's line from the west was in private right of way from its crossing of the Jordan River, eastward to 1000 West, then along what was originally Folsom Avenue. East of 1000 West, WP's tracks were in this private right of way between South Temple and First South. WP's freight connection to the D&RGW turned south at Sixth (700) West Street, at what was known as Pollard Junction. WP passenger trains traveled another two blocks before turning south at Fourth West. WP trackage ownership ended at First South in both instances.

Timeline

February 11, 1944
D&RGW's "4th West - Sixth West Line Change" (included Grant Interlocking Signal Tower)
(D&RGW AFE T-10073)
Approved on February 11, 1944

Building known as "Grant Interlocking Signal Tower"

Grant Tower Name

The Grant Tower project was first approved in early 1944, but construction did not start until mid-to-late 1945. The Grant Tower name may have come as a commemoration of Heber J. Grant, president of the LDS church who died on May 14, 1945. D&RGW may have selected the formal name for the new interchange, "Grant Interlocking Signal Tower," to honor Grant as a person of importance in Salt Lake City. Heber J. Grant was president of the church from November 1918 until his death in May 1945, a period of 28 years.

During WW II, beginning in 1943, Gordon B. Hinckley (later to be the president of the LDS church) was working as assistant superintendent of the Salt Lake Union Depot and Railway Company. The SLUD&Ry was a jointly-owned company formed by Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad and Western Pacific Railroad to own and operate their Salt Lake City passenger depot, and its associated tracks. In 1944, Hinkley moved to Denver to become assistant manager of mail, baggage, and express for the entire D&RGW system, a position he held until late August 1945. He returned to Utah and LDS church employment in late August or early September 1945 to become the Secretary of the church's newly established Radio, Publicity and Mission Literature Committee, along with being in charge of the church's radio broadcasts.

(Read more about Gordon B. Hinkley's railroad employment)

September 1, 1944
D&RGW renewed the joint operation agreement for the Salt Lake City Union Depot & Railroad Co. with Western Pacific. (ICC Finance Docket 14695, approved on October 25, 1944, in 257 ICC 816).

The original agreement was dated November 1, 1908. The SLCU&D was incorporated in Utah on May 29, 1907.

D&RGW Salt Lake City-Ogden mainline crossing of UP's LA&SL Salt Lake City-Los Angeles mainline was at Sixth (700) West and South Temple streets. Shown on D&RGW timetables as "U.P. Crossing" on Salt Lake City to Ogden line (MP 745.6, from Denver)

July 26, 1948
South Temple Street, east of 600 West, was vacated by Salt Lake City for use by railroad tracks on July 26, 1948. (UP engineering drawing of the area)

February 9, 1949
D&RGW prepared a drawing showing the proposed changes, dated February 9, 1949.

1950
D&RGW completed a line change to move its Salt Lake City-Ogden mainline, known as its Sixth West line, over to the east, adjacent to UP's mainline along Fourth West. The Fourth West - Sixth West Line Change was completed to allow the state highway department to construct a super highway, which today is known as Interstate 15.

Super Highway

The route of the new super highway was announced in April 1947, with its location south of Ninth North being between Fourth and Fifth West. The proposed route included tracts of land between Beck's Hot Springs and Fifth North already owned by Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County by tax deed. (Salt Lake Telegram, April 9, 1947)

Construction of the new "super highway" extending from a new Beck Street viaduct, south to the intersection of Eighth (900) West and Ninth (1000) North began in June 1953, opening to traffic with the completion of the Beck Street viaduct in October 1956. (Salt Lake Tribune, June 20, 1953; Deseret News, October 18, 1956; Salt Lake Tribune, October 19, 1956)

Work on the actual interstate between 13th North and North Temple, between Fifth (600) West and Sixth (700) West, began with the demolition of houses along the route in October 1958. (Salt Lake Tribune, October 8, 1958)

According to the 1951 annual report to shareholders, during 1950 Union Pacific constructed "Interlocker facilities at Salt Lake City, Utah, jointly with other railroads, to expedite train movements."

April 20, 1950
D&RGW received Salt Lake City approval to take over Fourth West, needed as part of its new Grant Tower Interlocking. The newly approved franchises from the city allowed D&RGW to makes changes to city streets as part of the project to move its Salt Lake City-to-Ogden mainline from Sixth West, to Fourth West, adjacent to the Union Pacific tracks. Work to remove the tracks along Sixth West was to commence in Summer 1950 and be completed by Fall 1950. The street changes included laying tracks along South Temple Street east of Fifth West, and to lay tracks along the east side of Fourth West. The cost of the project was reported as $500,000, including $416,000 for a new control tower that would control rail traffic between 13th North and 8th South. (Salt Lake Telegram, April 20, 1950)

July 1950
Railway Age magazine carried the following news item about Grant Tower:

Denver & Rio Grande Western ­ Union Pacific
These roads have filed a joint application with the I.C.C. for authority to change certain trackage arrangements in Salt Lake City, Utah. The D.& R.G.W. will construct approximately 8,435 ft. of new trackage, in two segments, at an estimated cost of $124,900. The segments will connect present D.& R.G.W. tracks with those of the U.P. and the roads have made an agreement under which the former will acquire trackage rights over 5,050 ft. of U.P. tracks. The U.P. will acquire trackage rights over 960 ft. of the newly constructed D.& R.G.W. line. The D.& R.G.W. will abandon 4,100 ft. of its present track which follows Sixth West street. (Railway Age, Volume 129, page 84, July 1, 1950)

November 14, 1950
The following comes from the November 14, 1950 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper:

D&RG May Abandon Sixth West Line Within Two Weeks. Trains to Move Over U. P. Rails After Authorization From ICC. The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Co. likely will be able to abandon its Sixth West tracks and send its trains over Union Pacific lines in Salt Lake City within 10 days or two weeks.

R. K. Bradford, D & R G W vice president, announced the possibility Monday after the railroad received authorization from the Interstate Commerce Commission to relocate its mainline tracks. Relocation almost is completed except for installations of two switches on the cutoff near South Temple, he said.

"The I C C authorization was purely a formality," Mr. Bradford said. Work on relocation has been going on ever since the two railroads agreed to use Union Pacific rails. "Authorization doesn't alter the situation," he asserted. Mr. Bradford said the railroad's tracks on Sixth West would be removed as soon as the relocation is completed. The change is designed to take D and R G W operations out of a congested section of the city.

Awaits Control Center. The entire relocation project will not be completed until construction of a joint traffic control center at South Temple and Fourth West. Costs of the project are being shared by Union Pacific, D and R G W and Western Pacific Railroad Co.

Originally conceived during heavy World War II rail traffic, the project will improve interchange of freight traffic among the three lines and expedite movement of freight trains.

December 8, 1950
After a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. on Friday December 8, 1950, D&RGW trains began officially to use the new tracks at Sixth West to access Union Pacific tracks along Fourth West, and to end the use of tracks along Sixth West from South Temple street, north to Fifth North. The rails along Sixth West were to be removed immediately. The ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Salt Lake City and other city officials, along with railroad officials and members of various west-side improvement leagues, groups that had been pushing for the change. "The move will affect between 20 and 25 trains per day. D&RGW northbound passenger trains leaving the passenger depot will continue north along Fourth West instead of switching over to Sixth West on South Temple." In 1905, Rio Grande Western had tried to move its tracks from Sixth West to Fourth West, but property owners along Fourth West protested, eventually taking the case to court, and winning, citing a potential decrease in property values. The court's injunction remained in place, and was finally lifted on June 23, 1948, after D&RGW specifically asked the court for relief, as well as contacting the property owners dating back to 1905, and their heirs. D&RGW had also asked for relief to address the congestion during World War II, but the War Production Board had denied the railroad's request. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 8, 1950; December 9, 1950)

June 17, 1951
The first mention of Grant Tower in UP employee timetables is in Utah Division No. 9, dated June 17, 1951. The D&RGW crossing was at OSL mile post 36.0.

(Mile posts in Salt Lake City, west to the Jordan River, and south to Sandy, were on the Oregon Short Line, and were counted from Ogden. The LA&SL started westward at the Jordan River, and southward at Sandy.)

July 1, 1951
The first mention of Grant Tower in D&RGW employee timetables is in Salt Lake Division No. 135, dated July 1, 1951, at D&RGW mile post 745.0. The previous D&RGW crossing of the UP's OSL/LA&SL mainline was at D&RGW mile post 744.2. This earlier crossing was protected by a semi-automatic interlocking.

Western Pacific freight trains turned south toward D&RGW's Roper Yard at a point called Pollard Junction, WP mile post 927.2.

WP passenger trains continued eastward, crossing the D&RGW Sixth West line at mile post 927.3, and entered D&RGW/Salt Lake Union Depot tracks at mile post 928.0.

March 1, 1952
The first mention of Grant Tower in a WP Eastern Division employee timetable was in Eastern Division No. 49, dated March 1, 1952.

March 1954
Railway Signaling & Communications magazine ran an article about Grant Tower Interlocking. (Railway Signaling & Communications, Volume 47, Number 3, pages 29-32, March 1954):

(Read the Railway Signaling & Communications article "Electric Interlocking on the Rio Grande")

1955
The Grant Tower interlocking did not show up in UP's employee timetables until 1955.

November 1985
Grant Tower was closed as the last manned interlocking plant in the state of Utah. From then on, all movements through Salt Lake City's busiest rail crossing was controlled by D&RGW's dispatcher number 5 in Denver, Colorado. The interchange itself was unique because all approaches were uphill, bringing a degree of safety to operations. An uncontrolled movement, sometimes known as a "runaway", would be harder through the interlocking plant because of this "top-of-the-hill" location. (part from Trainorders.com, December 23, 2004, reported by James Belmont)

May 5, 1986
D&RGW closed Grant Tower. The following story comes from CTC Board, May 1986, page 12:

Changing Of The Guard . . . The Rio Grande has taken another step in maintaining its position of modernization. Grant Tower, milepost 745.5 on the Utah Division, Seventh Subdivision, was to be closed Monday, May 5th.

The tower, located adjacent to the Union Pacific's depot in Salt Lake City, controls a massive and complex layout of trackage. The Rio Grande's double tracked mainline northbound from Salt Lake City to Ogden is crossed by the Union Pacific's two mainlines, one being the original Los Angeles and Salt Lake, and the other the old Western Pacific. All movements were controlled by a manual interlocking system with the levers operated by a towerman which was on duty twenty-four hours daily.

Effective with the closure of the tower, control of the interlocking is transferred to Denver under the auspices of Dispatcher Five. The facility is both large and complex enough to require two displays on the CRT to contain it. Up to eighty movements per day utilize the junction and special programs have been added to the D&RGW computer controlled dispatching system just for the purpose of handling the complexity of this section of track.

October 1986
Amtrak moved its Salt Lake City station from the UP depot to the D&RGW depot. The change in depot locations included about 1,000 feet of new track between 2nd South Street and 1st South Street along 5th West Street. This new track connected with UP's Provo Subdivision just south of the south leg of the Grant Tower wye, west of the UP depot. The work was performed by the Rio Grande's own construction crews, and was slated for completion on October 26, 1986. (CTC Board, November 1986, page 11; CTC Board, June 1988, page 16, reported by Ryan Ballard)

August 1994
The Southern Pacific Lines received Federal Railroad Administration approval of the conversion of the manual interlocking system to a traffic control system, at Grant Tower, milepost WA-745.4, near Salt Lake City, Utah, Rocky Mountain Region, Subdivision 7. The reason given for the proposed changes is to enhance safety by having the dispatcher use only one set of operating rules for the territory under his control. (Federal Railroad Administration, Block Signal Application Number 3300)

1996
Utah Power & Light completed the environmental cleanup of the former American Barrel site adjacent to the tracks of the Grant Tower Interchange. Work had begun in 1990 after the site had been placed on the EPA's "Superfund" National Priorities List in 1989. The 2.2 acre site was cleaned up and made available for redevelopment as part of the Gateway project. The site had been first used starting in 1873 as a coal gasification plant, which remained in operation until 1908. Beginning in about 1927, Utah Power & Light began treating line poles with creosote in at least two pole dipping tanks. Later the site was used to store 55-gallon barrels, with as many as 50,000 barrels being on site. Barrel storing activities ended in 1987. Environmental inspections first took place in 1986 and by 1988 UP&L had installed fencing to surround the site and removed trees and vegetation. Inspections in 2001 and 2006 confirmed that the site was no longer a danger to human health. (Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund Site Record of Decision, EPA ID: UTD980667240)

(Read more about the American Barrel EPA Superfund site, below)

September 1998
The abandonment (in September 1998) of UP's trackage in Salt Lake City along 400 West, 500 West, and 900 South forced Amtrak to move (in July 1999) from the former D&RGW passenger depot to a temporary intermodal facility directly to the west and located adjacent to the former D&RGW freight line along 600 West. The move was being forced by changes along Salt Lake City's west side that included a redesign of freeway on- and off-ramps for Interstate 15. The new freeway access included removing the overhead viaducts along 500 South and 600 South that kept them above the railroad tracks below. The removal of UP and D&RGW passenger lines forced Amtrak to move its depot west to a "temporary" location on the east side of the former D&RGW freight line leading south from Grant Tower interlocking toward Roper Yard.

The new Amtrak station was on the same east-west street (300 South Street) that the current D&RGW station is centered on, but about two blocks farther west. All this change will remove tracks of the former UP Provo Sub, and will leave both the Rio Grande and UP depot buildings with no tracks. The former Rio Grande freight line through the area along 600 West will remain, as will the current UP main lines that head west from the Grant Tower interchange.

Grant Tower, which is still standing, is the key junction where UP's two western routes (former Los Angeles & Salt Lake, and Western Pacific) connect with the former Rio Grande and the UP line north to Ogden, and in a related project, Grant Tower trackage will be modified to provide higher-speed curves. Also, a single double-track route west will replace the current separate UP and WP single-track alignments, thus reducing the number of grade crossings. (Trains "NewsWire", September 30, 1998)

April 26, 1999
UP's tracks along 400 West were officially removed from service when the turnout leading to the trackage was spiked shut at the north end, at Grant Tower. (interview with Rick Durrant, UP operating official)

February 5, 2001
UP reached an agreement with UTA that granted UTA to share a 20-foot corridor adjacent to UP's mainline between Salt Lake City and Ogden on the condition that UTA acquire a "fee interest" in the UP's mainline corridor between Ogden and Provo. The corridor was not uniform in width, and for UTA to acquire a consistent width for its own tracks, it would have to acquire small strips of additional land from 189 property owners in 60 jurisdictions by way of eminent domain. Senate Bill 256, then before the Utah legislature, would grant UTA the needed power of eminent domain and condemnation to proceed with the needed acquisitions. (Utah League of Cities and Towns, Meeting Minutes, February 19, 2001)

November 2001
Changes in the commercial district in the vicinity of Grant Tower were completed as part of the Gateway development. These changes included a new six-feet high fence around the building itself to separate it from the adjacent parking area and a newly constructed 500 West Street, a street that did not exist prior to the Gateway project.

April 2018
The former Grant Tower building was demolished during April 2018, and a portion the space converted to a community garden for local residents.

September 2022
The site of Grant Tower was proposed as a new public space under Salt Lake City's Public Lands Department. The actual Grant Tower building was in the southeast corner of a parcel of land that has a triangle shape. The public space was proposed to be called Triangle Park, with 500 West along the east side and the Union Pacific and UTA Frontrunner tracks along the northwest side. The south side is formed by a parking lot. Salt Lake City's Folsom Trail was completed along the same northwest side of the park and would be included into the public space. A group of local railfans has proposed that an elevated viewing platform be added to allow for the safe viewing of trains as they pass by.

Westside Railroad Realignment Project

October 27, 2003
Union Pacific and Salt Lake City announced an agreement for the realignment of tracks in the Grant Tower Interchange which would stop the operation of trains along the 900 South Line. The first step of the agreement, to be completed by the end of 2004, would be preliminary design configurations and cost estimates. Funding, about $40 million, was to come from federal sources. Union Pacific committed to contribute $4.5 million to the project. Construction was to be completed by September 30, 2007, when the agreement was to expire. (Salt Lake City Office of the Mayor, News Release, October 27, 2003)

In 2005, the U.S. Congress earmarked $5 million in Department of Transportation funds for the Grant Tower project. These funds will be used by Union Pacific for a project called the Roper Yard Segment, a series of separate track improvements and safety upgrades Union Pacific needs to make south of the Grant Tower area to improve the crossings and enable higher train speeds. (Salt Lake City Council, July 17, 2007)

(A search of federal on-line databases (U. S. Congress, Library of Congress and Government Printing Office) for earmarks for FY2005 and 2006 did not find this reference to $5 million in federal funds. The above document stated that the total cost of the project was put at $6.5 million, using $5 million in federal funds and $1.25 million in local funds.)

July 2005
Utah received $5 million for its part of the Grant Tower Realignment Project as part of larger portion of $1.8 billion for highway projects throughout the state. (Senator Orin Hatch, Press Release, July 28, 2005)

January 2006
The Utah state legislature voted to provide $3.5 million as the state's contribution to the $50 million project for the realignment of the Grant Tower interchange. With a projected total cost of $50 million, the costs had been divided as Salt Lake City and Union Pacific contributing a total of $29.5 million, Utah Transit Authority contributing $12 million, Federal Department of Transportation contributing $5 million, and the State of Utah contributing the final $3.5 million. (The Salt Lake Tribune, January 28, 2006)

February 2006
The funding for the Grant Tower Realignment Project was given with different proportions: Union Pacific and Utah Transit Authority each contributing $15 million; Salt Lake City contributing $11 million; federal government contributing $5 million; and the State of Utah, via HB372, contributing $4 million. (Salt Lake Tribune, February 21, 2006)

April 2006
The Grant Tower interchange was, in April 2006, host to one of the busiest railroad junctions in the Mountain West, with about 80 million tons of freight rolling through the junction each year. It was also one of UP's biggest bottlenecks, at times forcing trains to slow to 10 mph due to congestion. (The Salt Lake Tribune, April 30, 2006)

June 2, 2006
Union Pacific received federal Surface Transportation Board approval to formally abandon the 900 South Line between milepost 780.1, west of Redwood Road, and milepost 782.32, near 400 West, all in Salt Lake City. The line's abandonment was not to actually take place until after the reconfiguration of UP's Grant Tower interchange, which is planned for completion in early 2007 as part of many changes in support of UTA's commuter rail project between Salt Lake City and Ogden. (STB Docket AB-33, sub 237X, decided on May 24, 2006)

Use of the Passenger Line east of Redwood Road was greatly reduced after Amtrak's startup in May 1971, and in 1999, UP suspended service over the portion of the 900 South Line east of Redwood Road (milepost 780.79) to facilitate the Salt Lake City Gateway Area Redevelopment Project and related street improvements. In 2001, UP reactivated the 900 South Line as a freight bypass for through traffic to relieve pressure on its existing routings via Grant Tower.

September 2006
In September 2006, Salt Lake City, under eminent domain laws, condemned eight pieces of property that were needed to complete the combined UP and UTA realignment of Grant Tower trackage. These properties were within the interchange itself (the former "barrel yard") and properties along South Temple Street between 600 West and 800 West, including parcels adjacent to, and under the I-15 overhead viaducts. Construction was planned to begin in December 2006, forcing to city to take legal action in lieu of negotiated settlements. Total cost to the city was reported as $3.6 million. (The Salt Lake Tribune, September 22, 2006)

November 1, 2006
Union Pacific was given temporary authority for the "temporary discontinuance of the block signal system, at UP's Grant Tower in Salt Lake City, Utah. The temporary discontinuance will be for a period of no more than 120 consecutive days, within a time period starting after November 1, 2006 and ending before August 1, 2007. The reason given for the proposed changes is to support the installation of new track and new signal system. At the end of the temporary discontinuance, the affected area will have a new signal system fully complying with Federal Regulations." (Federal Railroad Administration, Docket Number FRA-2006-25265; Federal Register, August 8, 2006, Volume 71, Number 152, Notices, Page 45100)

August 23, 2007
With the completion of the realignment of its double track mainline through the northern portions of the Grant Tower interchange, Union Pacific announced that the entire project was at the half-way point. Completion was planned for November 2007. An improved train-signal system, and improved street crossing signals and gates was to allow UP to operate its trains as fast as 40 miles per hour, supposedly four times as fast as the present speeds. (The Salt Lake Tribune, August 23, 2007)

A more realistic assessment of the operation points to a speed of about 20 to 25 miles per hour, with severely reduced need for warning bells and whistles due to improved safety at street crossings.

November 2, 2007
With the formal completion of the realignment of UP's tracks through the Grant Tower interchange, beginning on November 2 Union Pacific increased train speeds from 10 mph to 40 mph. A November 1, 2007 press release advised all interested parties that train speeds were to increase "through multiple grade crossings in Salt Lake City, Utah, beginning on November 2. The crossings include 1800 North Street, Third North Street, Fourth North Street, Sixth West Street, Eighth West Street, Ninth West Street, Tenth West Street and Second South Street." According to Scott Moore, vice president - public affairs, Western Region, "The Grant Tower realignment will enable Union Pacific trains to pass through downtown Salt Lake City at 40 mph, rather than 10 mph, enhancing the fluidity of the railroad and improving efficiency and convenience for Salt Lake City residents." (Union Pacific press release, November 1, 2007)

Upon completion of the Grant Tower Realignment Project, Union Pacific transferred ownership of the 900 South Line to Salt Lake City. The tracks were removed during the summer of 2008. (Read more about UP's 900 South Line)

City Creek Realignment and Folsom Trail

City Creek is to be brought to the surface just west of the UP/Frontrunner tracks at about 750 West, then flow along a short new alignment until it meets the abandoned Western Pacific passenger line along Folsom Avenue, about a half block south of the rebuilt UP line west from Grant Tower. From that point, at about 750 West, it will flow due west to the Jordan River along the alignment of Folsom Avenue, which itself is the former WP line. Plans include an open stream, and a bike/walking trail that will form a spur of the Jordan River Parkway.

In 1910 about three miles of the creek were channelized in an underground aqueduct beneath the alignment of North Temple Street, west from West Temple Street to about 450 West where it continued under the various railroad tracks, and continued west to about 1100 West where the creek flows into Jordan River. The Grant Tower project, with the realignment of UP tracks along South Temple Street west of Interstate 15, would allow part of City Creek to be realigned along a portion of the abandoned UP right of way, opening the creek as part of a parkway and trail system. (The Salt Lake Tribune, April 30, 2006)

Additional plans for the development of the City Creek along the abandoned UP (ex WP) right-of-way include a more specific location along the former Western Pacific line about a half block south of the existing UP mainline along South Temple Street. This alignment is often known as Folsom Avenue, and was completed as WP's mainline into Salt Lake City in 1906-1907. The eastern portion of WP's tracks east of 700 West, usually known as WP's Passenger Main, was removed after Union Pacific took control of Western Pacific in 1983. The western portion has remained in place as a connection, via a new track alignment completed in 1983-1984, that allowed UP to make use of the double track between Grant Tower and Smelter, 16 miles to the west.

The realigned creek is planned to be about 10 feet wide and three feet deep, meandering along the 80- to 100-feet wide abandoned railroad right-of-way. The "daylighted" creek will come to the surface at the intersection of 500 West Street and South Temple Street. The project will provide at least 12 acres of revitalized habitat consisting of about 8900 feet of restored creekbed. (Urban Rivers Restoration Pilot Fact Sheet, City Creek/Gateway District, Utah, EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers)

The City Creek realignment is part of what Salt Lake City's Department of Public Utilities calls "The City Creek Flood Control and Folsom Avenue Parkway Project." Construction of Phase One began in 2007 and was completed as part of the Grant's Tower Railroad Realignment Project. This involved the construction of a 54-inch reinforced concrete pipe extending from the City Creek diversion structure at 500 West to 800 West and South Temple. This pipe will divert part of the flows from the City Creek storm water conduit to the Jordan River during occasional high flows. This phase will not be operational until the entire project is completed. Phase Two of the City Creek storm water conduit realignment and rehabilitation was begun in 2009. This phase will connect the conduit segment at 800 West and South Temple with the Jordan River outfall, running within the corridor vacated by the abandonment of the Union Pacific Grant's Tower rail section. Construction of this phase offers opportunities for public enhancements, including the potential day-lighting of City Creek and the construction of a pedestrian parkway.

(Daylighting Salt Lake City's City Creek, published by the Golden Gate University Law Review)

October 24, 2022
"Salt Lake City trail meets a milestone" -- An article in the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper about developing the Folsom Trail, and plans for the area along City Creek between Grant Tower and the Jordan River.

(Read the Salt Lake Tribune article from October 24, 2022)

American Barrel Site

Included within the boundaries of the Grant Tower area was what became known as the "American Barrel Site," a name given to the site by the Environmental Protection Agency as part of its environmental cleanup of the site. The site encompasses a parcel of land along the northwest side of the Union Pacific and UTA Frontrunner tracks, with those tracks forming the southeast edge of the site. The site is bordered on the north by the western approach to the North Temple street viaduct. The parcel is bordered along the west by private homes and businesses that front on 600 West.

The American Barrel site was first used by a coal gasification plant (1873-1908), then as an equipment and material storage yard (1909-1927), then as a pole creosoting and treatment plant (1927-1958), then finally as a storage yard for empty 55-gallon drums awaiting refurbishment at a nearby facility (1958-1987).

Beginning 1873, the site was first used for a coal gasification plant, with underground storage of the gas, and the associated tar residue.

The following comes from the EPA Record of Decision, July 1993, pages 4, 8, 9:

The coal gasification plant was first operated by the Salt Lake City Gas Company from approximately 1873 until 1893. This company merged with two other utility companies in 1893 and became the Salt Lake and Ogden Gas and Electric Light Company, which operated the plant until 1897. Another merger took place in 1897 forming the Union Light and Power Company, which took control of the coal gasification facility and operated it until 1899. That same year, Union Light and Power became Utah Light and Power Company which had control of the facility until 1904. The Company was then reorganized and merged with a railway company to become Utah Light and Railway Company. The plant was operated under this owner until 1908. (EPA, ROD, R08-93-073, July 1993, page 8)

Normal coal gasification procedures produced a variety of by-products having some commercial value. These included coke, ammonia, and lighter tars and sludges which were sold to refiners or to the public. Distillation by-products from the refinement of tars included toluene, naphthalene, anthracene, and phenols. By-products having no commercial value were also produced: ash, clinkers, heavy tars, sludges; lime sludges, spent iron oxides, liquid wastes, and steam condensates. These products were commonly disposed of in on-site pits and off-site landfills. Coal gasification operations ceased in 1908. (EPA, ROD, R08-93-073, July 1993, page 4)

From 1909 through 1929, the site was utilized as a storage yard for equipment, wood power poles, and other items. During this period the site was owned by Utah Light and Traction and leased by Utah Power and Light after 1917. (EPA, ROD, R08-93-073, July 1993, page 8)

A creosote pole-treating facility was in operation in 1927 until the late 1950s. UP&L was leasing the facility from Utah Light and Traction and became the owner after 1944. The Phoenix Utility Company operated the first pole-treating operation using a "hot-dip" process to treat utility poles. This process was continued until 1938 when the operations were taken over by UP&L, which used a "cold-dip" process until 1957. Pole treating operations ceased in 1958 and UP&L leased the crescent-shaped yard to American Barrel and Cooperage, Inc., which used the yard for the storage of 55-gallon drums awaiting refurbishing at a local facility. In 1987, Utah Power & Light notified American Barrel of their intention to deny the renewal of their lease (which was to expire in 1988) and required that they remove all barrels and debris from the yard. During the barrel removal it was apparent that barrel contents had leaked and spilled onto the ground. (EPA, ROD, R08-93-073, July 1993, page 9)

From 1927 until 1958, the site was used by Utah Light and Traction (later Utah Power and Light) to treat electrical poles with creosote. There was a variety of pole dipping tanks on the site, along with numerous structures used to produce the needed hot creosoting materials.

After the pole treating operations ended, the site was used by American Barrel to store as many as 50,000 empty 55-gallon steel drums.

Complaints to the Utah Department of Health, by local school children, local business leaders, and local community groups, from late 1986 through 1988, resulted in an investigation by both state and federal investigation teams to determine the extent of hazardous materials and wastes existing on the site. Investigation continued through to February 1988, and in May 1989, the 2.2-acre site was added to the National Priorities List, usually known as the "Superfund" list.

The long-term remedy included removal of 50,000 empty barrels; excavation and removal of 20,000 tons of contaminated soil; removal and disposal of 1,388 tons of non-hazardous debris; construction and operation of a soil vapor extraction and groundwater treatment system; and administrative controls for the continuous and long-term monitoring of the site. Actual removal activity took place between July 1994 and September 1996. The site was monitored until May 2007, when it was declared as "ready for redevelopment." A large portion of the 20,000 tons of contaminated soil was used as aggregate by asphalt-mixing plants. It was reported that 470 tons of buried "coal tar" were sent to an incinerator, and 4.6 tons of "lime waste" was sent to a municipal landfill. The site remains on the EPA National Priorities List as a "Superfund" site.

The site will likely remain undeveloped due to it being essentially "land-locked" by railroad tracks along its eastern and southern boundaries, and by the North Temple Street viaduct along its northern boundary, and by homes and apartment buildings along its western boundary. Surface access is solely by passing under the western end of North Temple viaduct.

As part of the Grant Tower Realignment Project, Salt Lake City's Redevelopment Agency purchased property adjacent to the American Barrel site from Union Pacific in December 2007.

Maps

Grant Tower Map -- A Google Map of tracks from Grant Tower to the Jordan River, including WP before 1967 line change.

View maps of the Grant Tower area before and after the track changes

Photos

Grant Tower photos -- A photo album showing trains and features in the Grant Tower area.

More Information

Railway Signaling & Communications trade magazine article from March 1954, that describes the function and details of the building, tracks, and signaling used in the then-new Grant Tower interlocking.

###