Heber Valley Railroad Equipment

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on July 25, 2024.

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Steam Locomotives

(listed in numerical order)

Sacramento Valley & Eastern No. 2

Yosemite Lumber Company Shay No. 4

On February 26, 2013, the Sierra Nevada Loogging Museum returned the Shay to operation. The museum had a web page about the Shay returning to operation, but that page has been removed.

(Read a PDF of the removed web page about the Shay returning to operation, courtesy of Archive.org)

The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum also had a web page about how the Shay survived. The web page has since been removed.

(Read a PDF of the removed web page about the Shay at the Sierra Nevada Logging Museum, courtesy of Archive.org)

State Belt No. 4

(not moved to Heber)

Pacific Lumber Company No. 35

Jeff Terry wrote on January 3, 2010:

The 35 was the second locomotive the Wasatch Mountain Railway (A.K.A. the "Heber Creeper") acquired back in 1971. It had been sold to a private owner in 1967-1968 and stored in California after the Pacific Lumber Company stopped using it. He sold it to the Wasatch Railway Museum & Foundation in 1971, and after a trip via flatcar to Provo and unloading at Olmstead, it ran to Heber City under its own power hauling ex-Rayonier 2-6-6-2T 110 dead in tow. That was the last train over the line before the connection with the D&RGW was severed.

No. 35 was painted up the first season (1971) in a red and white paint scheme, and then for 1972 it was painted yellow--like you see now--thanks to General Manager Ed McLaughlin; the train was painted up the same way. The tender logos were originally plywood--later painted on.

Some of the guys at Heber, especially Doug Brown, have told me some great stories about this locomotive. They used to put the current year in the number boards , and it wore "1776" in 1976.

Doug was the last to run it, and it was quite worn out when he parked it in 1977. I climbed on it as a kid, and was sorry to see it go in 1993 -- that's the year that the Wasatch Mountain Railway sold its equipment to the Nevada State Railroad Museum. The current Heber Valley Railroad tried to buy it, and made an offer, which was later accepted, but only after 35 had been trucked all the way to Boulder City. "No thanks, it'll be too expensive to bring back" was the response.

Note that it's an oil burner. The principal person behind the Wasatch Mountain Railway also owned a Conoco dealership in Heber City, and gave himself a kickback (or so I've been told) on the oil they burned in 35. As such it was the preferred power on the ‘Creeper in the 1970s, over coal-burning ex-UP 618. She was parked after the White Mountain Scenic engines arrived and never turned a wheel at Heber after that.

Sierra Railroad No. 36

Great Western No. 75

As far as number 75 goes, she is going through an extensive 1472-day inspection. In addition the the boiler work, she is getting a brand new tender. The cab is having more than half the steel replaced, only a little more than just the roof will be original (if you want to consider the cab as original - the current cab was built 100 percent new in the 1940's). The running gear is having some heavy attention as well. Boxes, crown brasses, journals, spring rigging pins and bushings, lead truck journals, new liner in bottom of smokebox, smokebox front door ring, and yes - we did cut the forward 18 inches off the smokebox, new tender wheels, completely new air brake system ... the list goes on. We would like to have the locomotive out running sometime in later 2006. The date is not cast in stone, you cannot ever predict what other "hot projects" may fall into your lap that need attention. (Michael Manwiller, posted to Railway Preservation News, November 30, 2005)

Santa Maria Valley No. 100

Rayonier No. 110

"Rayonier 110 was the reason the Heber line was saved in the first place! Here's a condensed history. Two Utah railfans, Charles "Chick" Nielson and Rodney Edwards bought the 110 back in the late 1960s. They needed a place to run it, and the D&RGW had just abandoned the Provo Canyon Branch. Chick told me that the Heber line was perfect for a recreational railroad, and soon they got the Promontory Chapter NRHS involved (they were both members) and several businessmen from Heber, including Lowe Ashton, who owned a lumberyard adjacent to the Heber depot and wye. There was a battle to save the right-of-way (it had been purchased by the state to relocate US 189), but the train buffs prevailed in 1970. UP 618, which was on display at the state fair grounds in Salt Lake was transferred to the custody of the Promontory Chapter NRHS, and was refurbished with minimal effort in November 1970. Unfortunately, the 110 never ran there, after 618 and Pacific Lumber 35 were acquired. The "old heads" at Heber (many employees of the Bingham & Garfield) said it was in terrible shape - too bad to ever restore - but they were fortunately proved wrong, and after restoration it's now living the good life on the Black Hills Central." (Jeff Terry, posted to Trainorders.com on March 22, 2010)

UP No. 264

Columbia Steel Corporation No. 300

(View a photo and article at SteamLocomotive.info)

UP (OSL) No. 618

U.P. 618 was nearing the end of her 1472 service days. After the current 1472 service days were consumed, the locomotive was required by federal law (CFR part 230) to be fully inspected. (Michael Manwiller, posted to Railway Preservation News, November 30, 2005)

"The 618 worked the last public steam runs for the 2009 season on August 7-8. August 8, 2009 was Doug Brown's last day as engineer of the 618. He has been an engineer on the Heber line for about 34 years." (Stan Jennings, email dated, August 10, 2009)

SP No. 1744

A tender from a former Great Northern steam locomotive was seen at the Lake Point truck stop on June 1, 2022. The truck driver said it was bound for Heber in trade for a passenger car that had already been moved earlier by the same truck to a loctaion in the Pacific Northwest. (Doug Jolley, Facebook, Rails Through The Wasatch, June 1, 2022) (This the tender of the former Great Northern No. 1246, 2-8-0, Baldwin 1907, C/N 32297, which had been in the Fred Kepner collection at Merrill, Oregon.)

Diesel Locomotives

(listed in numerical order)

RPCX 52

(RPCX = a temporary reporting mark to allow movement on national rail network)

(See HVRR 5926, below)

RPCX 72

(RPCX = a temporary reporting mark to allow movement on national rail network)

RPCX 77

(RPCX = a temporary reporting mark to allow movement on national rail network)

UP GP9 296

(Watch the YouTube video unloading the locomotive at Heber; 3 minutes)

UP NW2 No. 1000 (WP 607)

UP NW2 No. 1011

Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe NW2 No. 1043

U. S. Army 44 ton No. 1218

U. S. Army MRS-1 No. 1813

U. S. Army RS4TC No. 4028

(Read more about RS4TC locomotives)

HVRR 5926

RPCX 6300

Passenger Cars

Passenger Car Timeline

May 1972
Heber Creeper received four commuter cars from Arcata & Mad River Railroad in northern California. The cars were decorated in the "Gay 90's" style, and could carry 74 passengers each. They were in excellent condition, and were to put into immediate service the following Saturday on the line's opening run for the 1972 season. The cars were shipped from Roseville to Ogden via SP, then by UP from Ogden to Park City, then trucked from Park City to Heber City. In addition, a former GM&O diner previously stored at Milford, Utah, was on its way, and was to arrive within a couple days. (Deseret News, May 25, 1972) (Since 1993 they've been at Boulder City, Nevada. They painted them blue. -- Jeff Terry, November 14, 2017)

Kyle Wyatt shared the histories of these four arch-roof cars from Arcata & Mad River. All four were sold by Deer Creek Scenic Railway to Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1992 and moved to Boulder in 1993:

The Heber Valley Railroad has two D&RGW 1006-1010 series modernized heavyweight coaches. (Steven Seguine, email to D&RGW group at YahooGroups, May 20, 2007)

December 1989
Five large passenger cars were sold to Tarantula Corporation in Texas at the same time as SP 1744, in December 1989.

Early 1990s
Two former DL&W cars (trailers) came to Heber in the early 1990s from Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. (S. C. Lewis)

1999
There were four passenger cars that came to Heber as part of the "Movie Train" that came at the same time as Great Western no. 75 in 1999. The numbers on Heber Valley were 7503 (ex C&S baggage), 7504 (ex C&S baggage), 7508 (ex D&RGW coach), and 7510 (ex D&RGW coach). (Daland Spiers, email dated May 20, 2007)

2005
Former Delaware Lackawanna & Western 2568, 2571, 2593 (3 cars) built in 1930-1931; to Erie-Lackawanna 3568, 3571, 3593 in 1961; to Conrail (same numbers) in 1976; to New Jersey Transit (same numbers) in 1979; to Knox & Kane Railroad in (?); to Heber Valley Railroad (Heber City, Utah) in 2005.

HVRX was used for the three ex-DL&W motors (3571, 3568 and 3593) that shipped from the Knox & Kane in 2005. It required significant effort to register Heber Valley Railroad and the cars in the UMLER system at that time. In 2019 it was simpler and less costly to utilize the RPCX marking for the movement of the former VIA FP9 6300. (Craig Lacey)

Heber also had two of the four remaining Salt Lake Garfield & Western open-air passenger cars. These four cars were part of a group of 13 cars built by SLG&W in 1922. In 1993, the car marked as SLG&W 306 went to the Western Railway Museum, Rio Vista Junction, California. The other car remained in Heber until its condition was reported as beyond restoration; the car was burned (date?) and the metal parts sold for scrap.

Numerical Listing

B&G 100 (Coach-Observation; wood; 51') -- Purchased in April 1911 secondhand by Bingham & Garfield, and numbered as B&G 100. passenger service on B&G ended in 1921, after which the car was used moving company officials to and from Bingham and the Magna mills. It was then transferred to the mine railroad and was used to transport shovel and train crews to and from their work sites in the Bingham open pit mine. Kennecott Copper, as the successor to Utah Copper, used the car until it was donated to the Sons of the Utah Pioneers and the car was displayed in Salt Lake City for a short time. In May 1962 the car was moved to the Corinne Railroad Village Museum in time for the museum's seasonal opening on May 9, 1962. In 1981 all of the Corinne museum collection was moved to Heber City, Utah, as a part of the Heber Creeper railroad. The car was displayed in Heber City from 1981 to 1993, when it was sold to a private party in San Diego. The car was later moved to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, Campo, California. PSRM offered the car to other museums beginning in July 2004, and in winter 2004 sold the car to Sumpter Valley Railway, Baker, Oregon. It was moved in April 2005 to Baker, Oregon, and is currently in service as SVRY 100 "Leviathan."

(Read more about B&G 100)

HVRR 100 -- Heber Valley RR 100 was built by Pullman in 1912 as Chicago Rock Island & Pacific business car no. 1858, named "Indiana" (Lot 4058, Plan 2678); sold to Western Pacific in 1916 and named "Nomad." Modified May 1922 at D&RGW's Burnham shops for D&RGW receiver J. H. Young. D&RGW purchased the car from WP on April 1, 1925, renumbered it as No. 100 (1st); assigned to D&RGW President. The interior was remodeled by D&RGW at Burnham in February 1929; air conditioning added in August 1937. Renumbered to D&RGW 107 (2nd) in August, 1951, to make the 100 number available for the newly acquired lightweight streamlined D&RGW 100 (2nd) "Wilson McCarthy". D&RGW 107 (2nd) was modernized in February 1954 and assigned to the Vice President of Traffic. Retired by D&RGW in October 1965 and sold to Dr. James R. Arneill, Jr.; displayed at the Forney museum in Denver. D&RGW 107 (2nd) was sold to Delaware-Ostego Corp. in August 1987 and was numbered as New York Susquehanna & Western number 510, named "Otto Kuhler" (Amtrak no. 800227). Although listed as being for sale as early as 2007, NYS&W 510 was still in service as of December 2011. Sold to Heber Valley Railroad Foundation on October 4, 2016; arrived at Heber on September 2, 2017.

Bamberger 403 -- Bamberger Coach-Trailer 403, the last wooden interurban car in Utah and one of only two surviving Bamberger coach-type cars, was moved to the Black Hills Central Railroad on May 16, 2012. The car was built in 1910 as Salt Lake & Ogden no. 305. In 1923 it was converted from a powered car to an unpowered trailer and renumbered as Bamberger's second 403. It had come to Heber by way of Sons of Utah Pioneers, who had first displayed it at Pioneer Village in Salt Lake City, then at the relocated museum in Corinne. It was moved in 1979 along with the rest of the collection, and was restored in 1994 to its original Bamberger appearance. (based on a report by Stan Jennings in the May-June 2012 newsletter of the Golden Spike Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society)

UP 414 (Chair; 79'-3") -- UP 414 was built in 1922; retired by UP in October 1957; donated to Sons of Utah Pioneers and in place for display at the opening of the Corinne Railroad Village Museum, at Corinne, Utah, on May 9, 1959; moved to Heber, Utah, in 1981 along with the entire SUP collection; sold to Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1992, moved to Boulder City, Nevada in February 1993. (As of December 8, 2016, UP 414 is at Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City, Nevada, being evaluated for rehabilitation and possible operation.)

HVRR 800 -- Heber Valley RR 800 was an ex U. S. Army kitchen car obtained from Kennecott Copper at some time before 1989, when it replaced ex UP 2700 as the snack car. Stored on former Heber Creeper property after Heber Creeper operation was closed in 1991; new owner of the former Heber Creeper property sold the car to Heber Valley Railroad in 1999. (Craig Lacey, email dated October 7, 2009)

RPCX 850 -- Pullman-Standard 54-seat Coach; built as part of a group of 25 cars in November 1949 to January 1950, numbered as Atlantic Coast Line 237; to Seaboard Coast Line 5459 in 1968; sold to Amtrak 5459 in February 1973; sold to C. A. Jones in 1981; sold to New Georgia Railroad (NGRX) in 1987 as 1508 (Amtrak number 800397); rebuilt as a lounge car before 1988; renumbered to NGRX 100, named "Coca Cola"; sold to Western Maryland Scenic Railway 850 (RPCX 850) still on WMSR and included as part of financing security agreement dated April 11, 2016; sold to Heber Valley Railroad (date?), painted in D&RGW Aspen Gold paint scheme.

UP 1006 (Observation) -- UP 1006 was built as UP Observation 820 in 1914; to UP Cafe Observation 1521 in 1915; to UP Cafe Observation 1506 in 1932; to UP Chair Observation 1006 (2nd) in 1943; to Diesel Instruction Car 03163 (1st) in 1949; to Diesel Instruction Car 207 in 1955; retired in 1973; to Promontory Chapter-NRHS (Salt Lake City, Utah) in 1974; to private party, displayed at Independence Hall, a private office building in Murray, Utah, painted dark green; sold to Heber Valley Railroad, Heber, Utah in July 2007.

OSL 2314 (Baggage Postal; 72'-5") -- OSL 2314 was built in December 1911 as OSL Baggage Postal 524; renumbered to OSL 2314 in April 1915; retired by UP in October 1957; donated to Sons of Utah Pioneers and in place for display at the opening of the Corinne Railroad Village Museum at Corinne, Utah, on May 9, 1959; moved to Heber, Utah, in 1981 along with the entire SUP collection; sold to Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1992, moved to Boulder City, Nevada in February 1993. (As of December 8, 2016, OSL 2314 is displayed at Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City, Nevada.)

UP 2700 (Baggage Chair) -- UP 2700 was built as UP Chair 670 in 1910; to UP Chair 1069 in 1915; converted to Baggage Chair in 1931; renumbered to UP Baggage Chair in 1935; vacated in 1970; donated in December 1970 to Promontory Chapter NRHS; moved to Heber City, Utah, as part of Heber Creeper collection; sold to Heber Valley Railroad in July 1992. (Previously shown in error as being donated to Stuhr Museum at Grand Island, Nebraska.)

UP 2700 was traded in May 2022 to the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad at Garabaldi, Oregon, in exhange for the tender from the former GN 2-8-0 1246. The GN engine had been stored as part of the Fred Kepner collection at Merrill, Oregon, and the entire collection passed to the Oregon Scenic Railroad upon Kepner's death.

(View a photo of UP 2700 in 2017)   (View another photo of UP 2700 in 2017)

UP 4056 (Dining) -- UP 4056 was built in 1914 as UP Diner 356; renumbered to UP Cafe Lounge 2456 in May 1941; renumbered to UP Diner 4056 in November 1942; retired and changed to maintenance of way service as UP 04379 in October 1956; renumbered to UP 904379 in March 1959; retired by UP in February 1981; donated (as UP 904379) to Deer Creek Scenic Railroad (Heber City, Utah) in 1984; sold to Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1993, moved to Boulder City, Nevada in 1993; rebuilt as open car, numbered as NSRM 503.

UP 4813 (Dining) -- UP 4813 was built in 1949 by ACF as one of a group of 17 dining cars needed for UP's Streamliner passenger trains when they were changed to a daily schedule. UP 4813 was stored at Milford, Utah, when it was retired in December 1971, sold to Heber Creeper, and moved to Heber. Used in tourist and excursion service until 1989; sold to Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1992; displayed at Boulder City, Nevada.

Craig Lacey wrote about UP 4813 on October 7, 2009:

Craig Drury once told me that the 4813 was in storage at Milford, Utah when the Creeper began operations. The car's steam equipment was in use during the early years, requiring a double- or triple-switch at Vivian Park, to keep it next to the steam locomotive. This was before Bridal Veil Falls had a runaround track. The 4813 was later "married" to a power car (a converted snowplow, now at the Ogden Museum) containing a large Isuzu generator, when electric baseboard heat was installed in the car. The 4813 also had an electric motor-generator set to power the air conditioning. It was a very nice car, but it's length caused it to rock 'n roll on the 33' jointed 75-lb. rail just outside of Heber City. (Craig Lacey, "History of the Train in Heber City, Utah" Facebook page, December 19, 2015)

UP 5340 (Chair) -- UP 5340 was built as UP Lightweight Chair 5340 in 1942; retired by UP in December 1966; donated to Promontory Chapter NRHS (date?), used in Chapter excursions during the 1960s on Salt Lake Garfield & Western, including during the Centennial in 1969; sold to Heber Valley Railroad in 1998; severely damaged in a collision in May 2005. The car was sold in 2007 to a private individual and moved in mid August 2009 to his ranch in Alamo, Nevada. (Craig Lacey, email dated October 7, 2009; Mason McAllister, photos posted to Facebook showing car loaded ready to move.)

UP 6100 (Dormitory Club) -- UP 6100 was retired by UP in September 1970, and sold to R. Sperry (Los Angeles) in 1972; it was sold in 1985 to Deer Creek Scenic Railroad for operation at Heber City, Utah, but was never moved to Heber; stored at Salt Lake City, pending movement to Heber City, receiving extensive vandalism (stripped of components and interior burned); the car remained stored in Salt Lake City from 1985 until 1992-1993 when it was sold to Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1992 along with other equipment owned by Deer Creek Scenic Railroad; moved to Boulder City, Nevada in February 1993; as of December 2016, the car was still at Boulder City, used for storage.

British Columbia Chapter NRHS Equipment

In May 2019 the Heber Valley Railroad purchased the entire collection of 23 passenger cars and one locomotive, and spare parts, of the British Columbia Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

(Read more about the Heber Valley purchase of the former BC Chapter of NRHS equipment)

Freight Cars

The Heber Valley Railroad has several pieces of ex D&RGW rolling stock, two 70 ton three bay hoppers painted Rio Grande, and a 70 ton GS gondola in Rio Grande paint with a road number for a 50 ton car. (Steven Seguine, email to D&RGW group at YahooGroups, May 20, 2007)

Heber Valley has two former Conoco tank cars painted as Sinclair oil company

Heber Valley has five former U. S. Army PS-1 boxcars, received from Hill Air Force Base. One has been repainted as Western Maryland; others will be repainted for other railroads that owned similar PS-1 boxcars.

Cabooses

BN 12300

Wide vision steel cupola caboose; acquired from Boulder Valley Railroad Historical Society at the same time as UP GP9 296, in December 2015; as of April 2016, undergoing refurbishment and awaiting sand blasting prior to being painted as a traditional red caboose and lettered as Heber Valley. As of November 22, 2016, BN 12300 is lettered as Heber Valley 12300, and painted red. It returned to service on November 22, 2016 on the North Pole Express.

From the Boulder Valley Railroad Historical Society web page:

Built in 1980 by International Car Company, this caboose was based in Longmont and used in local freight service from 1994 to 2001. Donated in July 2001 by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. Involved in a wreck/derailment in July 2001 that turned the caboose on it side, bending grab irons and damaging steps. Wreck damage repaired after donation.

C&S 10593

Wooden cupola caboose. No markings, ex-Great Western 7593. From Hudson, Colorado; as of April 2016, in service as UP 3270, as a simulation of UP's only end-cupola wooden caboose.

Missouri Pacific 13754

Steel caboose. As Heber Valley Railroad 3754.

In August 1992, Heber Valley Railroad received several pieces of track maintenance equipment from Kennecott Copper, along with a Kennecott caboose, and the former MP 13754. (Salt Lake Tribune, August 7, 1992; September 3, 1992, with photo)

Craig Lacey wrote on December 6, 2020:

When the new depot was dedicated in 2001, the caboose was put into train service and was especially useful as cast headquarters and a shoving platform during Haunted Canyon trains. After being damaged in a yard collision, the caboose was rebuilt to Buffalo & Western specifications and traded to Utah Railway for a Jordan Spreader and a Utah Railway (former Union Pacific) caboose.

Nevada Northern 25

Steel caboose. As Kennecott Copper 420, Nevada Northern Railway, steel, cupola; donated by Kennecott Copper in August 1992; stored with refurbishment awaiting completion of other projects.

UP Wooden Caboose

Wooden cupola caboose. History unknown. Ex Oregon Short Line (UP). No trucks, from Strawberry Reservoir, Utah.

UP 3505

Wooden cupola caboose, 30 feet long. Arrived at Heber as part of the first train of preserved equipment in December 1970. UP caboose 3505 was used for two seasons (1971 and 1972), operating as "the little red caboose" on the end of Heber Creeper excursion trains. Then in May 1973 it was moved for display on a short piece of track on the corner Main Street and the turnoff for the Heber Creeper. The caboose was sold to Nevada State Railroad Museum in February 1993 and moved to Boulder City, Nevada in 1994.

(Read more about UP caboose 3505)

UP 3769/25069

Steel cupola caboose. Built in June 1942 as UP 3769 (Class CA-3); renumbered to UP 25069 in January 1959; retired by UP in August 1982; UP records show donated to State of Utah in August 1982; to Promontory Chapter of National Railway Historical Society (date not known).

Heber Valley Railroad purchased UP 25069 in May 1992 from the Promontory Chapter of National Railway Historical Society for $500.

UP caboose 25069 was moved from Salt Lake City to Heber on Monday May 18, 1992. Due to clearance problems in Parleys Canyon, the caboose was moved by truck from Salt Lake City north to Weber Canyon, through Echo and south to Heber City.

The caboose was later repainted and placed in service as Heber Valley Railroad 3700. It was later removed from service.

As of April 2016, the caboose was out of service, having been partially refurbished, painted in dark red-brown, with windows removed, stored pending completion of other projects.

Sold to Riverside Motel in Helper, Utah, moved from Heber to Helper by truck on September 8, 2023.

UP 3950/25250

Steel cupola caboose. Displayed as UP 3950.

Built in July 1952 as UP 3950 (Class CA-5), renumbered to UP 25250 in June 1959; retired by UP in June 1970; sold to Utah Railway 63 in February 1971; donated to Heber Valley Railroad, Heber, Utah; moved to Heber on December 16, 2011; repainted as UP 3950 in November 2015.

Utah Railway caboose 63 was traded to Heber Valley Railroad, Heber, Utah; moved to Heber on December 16, 2011; repainted in November 2015 to its 1952 as-delivered UP 3950 number and paint. The caboose interior was in its original configuration, and was not changed or restored.

Heber Valley Railroad (HVRR) and the Genesee & Wyoming worked out a trade for Heber Valley's ex Mopac caboose. The ex MP caboose was refurbished and painted for the Buffalo & Pittsburgh, another of G&W's regional railroads. In return the Heber Valley would get the Utah Railway Jordan spreader and Utah Railway (ex UP) caboose 63. The ex MP caboose (MP 13754) was completed as B&P caboose 1004 on April 1, 2011, departed Heber for Buffalo & Pittsburgh on May 21, 2011, and was stored briefly at Utah Railway's Provo yard during June. It arrived on B&P rails in Butler, Pennsylvania by August 2011.

(Read more about Utah Railway steel cabooses)

Utah Ry. 53

Wooden cupola caboose. Built in June 1913.

Date to Heber not known, possibly as early as July 1973. Utah #53 had been stored at Utah Railway's yard in Martin, Utah, and was retired when the two ex UP steel cabooses arrived in 1971. Utah #53 in Martin, along with Utah #60 in Provo, as well as steam tender from Utah 2-8-8-0 #201, were sold to Elbert Lowdermilk (the E of H and E Lowdermilk Construction Co.) "because he liked trains." Utah #53 was moved to Heber in 1972 or 1973. Utah #60 remained in Provo until Lowdermilk moved it to his property near Helper.

Removed from service on the Heber railroad and displayed near the original D&RGW depot at Heber, which became private property after 1990. Still there as of April 2016.

Moved in February 2021.

(Read more about Utah Railway wooden cabooses)

Other Equipment

Kennecott Jordan Spreader -- On July 2, 1989 Kennecott Minerals Company Jordan Spreader No. 5 found a new home on the New London Railroad in Heber City in 1989. It was donated by Kennecott to the tourist railroad (among other equipment) including an air activated side dump car. (James Belmont, Facebook, January 27, 2018)

Heber Valley Railroad acquired two former D&RGW flangers in January 2024. The following comed from Justin Franz and Railfan & Railroad magazine.

January 17, 2024

Heber Valley Acquires Rio Grande Flangers

Railfan.com (includes photos)

By Justin Franz

Two century-old Denver & Rio Grande Western flangers have been acquired by the Heber Valley Railroad. The flangers will be used to help keep the Utah tourist line clear of snow in the winter months.

D&RGW flangers 052 and 062 arrived by truck in Heber City on Monday, January 15, from Colorado, where they had been owned by a private individual. They were last based in Alamosa, Colo., to clear snow on nearby LaVeta Pass.

Chief Mechanical Officer Mike Manwiller tells Railfan & Railroad, that the Heber Valley's winter schedule has grown in recent years and keeping the line clear of snow is important. That was especially obvious last winter when Utah received a deep snowpack. Manwiller said the railroad was often running its wedge plow once or twice a week. However, that wedge plow can't move snow out from between the rails, which is why these flangers are the perfect addition to the fleet. The fact that they will also be used on a former Rio Grande branch line is an added bonus (perhaps even behind Heber Valley's Rio Grande-painted GP9). The flangers will maintain their D&RGW appearance and identification.

The flangers arrived in Heber City on Monday and were unloaded that evening. Flanger 052 was quickly put into the shop where it is now being worked on. Manwiller said the hope is to have both flangers in service this winter. Because the railroad does not presently have a way to turn equipment, one flanger will face north and one will face south so they can plow in both directions.

The flangers are more than 100 years old, although, like any piece of maintenance-of-way equipment, they were heavily modified and changed over the decades.

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