Utah Central Rail Road (1869-1881)

This page was last updated on July 7, 2024.

(Return to Utah Central Railroad page)

Overview

Utah Central Railroad of 1869, controlled by Union Pacific after 1878, merged to form Utah Central Railway in 1881.

Locomotives

Utah Central Railroad 4-4-0 -- 1 locomotive

UCRR
Number		 First
Number		 Second
Number		 Date To
UCRR		 Builder Builder
Number		 Date
Built		 1881 UCRy
Number		 1889 OSL&UN
Number		 Notes
UCRR 1 UPRR 21 (1st) UPRR 15 12 Oct 1869 Hinkley & Williams 788 Oct 1866 UCRy 1 OSL&UN 312 1

Description:

  • Drive Wheel Diameter: 60 inches (later 63 inches)
  • Cylinders: 14x22 inches (later 15x24 inches)
  • Weight: 54,000 pounds

Notes:

  1. UCRR 1 was built as UPRR 21 (1st) in 1866; to UPRR 15 in 1867; to Utah Central RR 1 in 1869; to Utah Central Ry 1 in 1881; to OSL&UN 312 (2nd) in 1889; vacated in 1897 (assigned OSL 312, not renumbered); scrapped by OSL in October 1898, tender used as water tank at Lima, Montana
  2. Contrary to previous published information, Utah Central No. 1 was *not* the former UPRR No. 6, also known as "Black Hawk." In a letter dated October 25, 1869, from Brigham Young to C. G. Hammond, General Superintendent Union Pacific Railroad, Young specifically mentions "Engine No. 15" as the locomotive being sent by UPRR to Utah as part payment for the money owed to Brigham Young as partial payment on the Union Pacific grading contract. The locomotive was sent to Utah as part payment on the $599,460.00 owed to Young by UPRR.
  3. (Read more about the locomotive named "Black Hawk")

 

Utah Central Railroad 4-4-0 -- 4 locomotives

UCRR
Number		 Date To
UCRR		 Builder Builder
Number		 Date
Built		 1881 UCRy
Number		 1889 OSL&UN
Number		 Notes
UCRR 2 Jan 1870 Schenectady 609 Jan 1870 UCRy. 2 OSL&UN 316 1
UCRR 3 7 Feb 1870 Schenectady 610 Jan 1870 UCRy 3 OSL&UN 317 2
UCRR 4 7 Feb 1870 Schenectady 611 Jan 1870 UCRy 4 OSL&UN 318 3
UCRR 5 Apr 1871 Schenectady 680 Apr 1871 UCRy 5 OSL&UN 319 4

Description:

  • Drive Wheel Diameter: 60 inches
  • Cylinders: 15x24 inches
  • Weight: 54,000 pounds

Notes:

  1. Built as Utah Central RR 2 in 1870; to Utah Central Ry 2 in 1881; to OSL&UN 316 in 1889; vacated between 1894 and 1897; out of service and stored at Shoshone, Idaho until moved to Pocatello in late April 1898 and scrapped
  2. Built as Utah Central RR 3 in 1870; to Utah Central Ry 3 in 1881; to OSL&UN 317 in 1889; vacated in 1896
  3. Built as Utah Central RR 4 in 1870; to Utah Central Ry 4 in 1881; to OSL&UN 318 in 1889; vacated in 1896
  4. Built as Utah Central RR 5 in 1871; to Utah Central Ry 5 in 1881; to OSL&UN 319 in 1889; vacated in 1897; scrapped by OSL in October 1898, tender used as water tank at Glenns Ferry, Idaho

 

Utah Central Railroad 4-4-0 -- 1 locomotive

UCRR
Number		 Date To
UCRR		 Builder Builder
Number		 Date
Built		 1881 UCRy
Number		 1889 OSL&UN
Number		 Notes
UCRR 6 Nov 1872 Hinkley & Williams 1120 Oct 1872 UCRy 6 OSL&UN 434 1

November 9, 1872
An item repeating one in the Deseret News [daily edition], regarding the recently arrived Utah Central Railroad engine No. 6, from Hinkley & Williams, which also repeats the builder's number of the engine, 1120. This item notes the engine weighs 31 tons, or five tons more than any of the other engines of the U. C. (Salt Lake Herald, November 9, 1872)

November 13, 1872
"A Splendid Locomotive. -- A very fine locomotive, weighing thirty-one tons, has just been received by the U. C. R. R. Company, from the manufactory of Hinkley and Williams, Boston, Mass. It has a cylinder of 16 x 24 inches. The engineer's cab is of beautifully polished black walnut, and on the whole it presents to the view as fine a looking piece of mechanism as a person need wish to see. It is engine number six of the Utah Central company, and Hinkley & Williams' number on it is 1120. This magnificent engine cost, at the factory in Boston, $14,000. The new steam horse makes its first trip under the auspices of the U. C. company on their line tomorrow." (Deseret Evening News, November 13, 1872; weekly edition)

The Hinkley construction record, as published in R&LHS Bulletin #142, Spring 1980, does not suggest any Utah Central or other UP affiliate locomotives were built by them between construction numbers 900 and 1463, the time frame May 1869 thru Dec 1881. These records show that Hinkley builder number 1120 falls within the group occupied by Cayuga Lake, Lake Ontario Shore and Toledo, Canada Southern & Detroit (RR) locomotives.

Description:

  • Drive Wheel Diameter: 60 inches
  • Cylinders: 16x24 inches
  • Weight: 62,000 pounds

Notes:

  1. John Sharp to Brigham Young, June 26, 1872 -- "Knowing the great need of a locomotive for the U. S. I must get one started before I leave if possible. I have ordered one of Hinkley & Williams for the U. C. but will not be ready till next October and will cost $14,000." (Additional locomotives for Utah Southern did not arrive until 1873. They were second-hand from Union Pacific.)
  2. Built as Utah Central RR 6 in 1872; to Utah Central Ry 6 in 1881; to OSL&UN 434 (2nd) in 1889; to OSL 434 in 1897; vacated after 1897 (not shown in OSL 1900 list)

###