Presented to James K. Knudson Administrator Defense Transport Administration – By – Robert M. Gilmore — From No. 1678, One of the oldest locomotives on the Southern Pacific system, which was built in April 1900 by the Cooke Locomotive and Machine Company of Patterson, New Jersey. During the 52 years it was in operation, the locomotive gave approximately one million miles of service over the various districts of the Southern Pacific. After many years in freight service in this country it was transferred to the Southern Pacific of Mexico in 1946 and operated between Nogales and Guadalajara, Mexico in freight and passenger service until December 1951 when it was returned to this country and retired in 1952.
This bell given to Park Valley, by Cam Harmon, Brigham City, Utah. Erected at Park Valley October, 1969
A large Neo-Mission type depot built in 1923, serving not only as Division Offices of the Union Pacific Railroad, but also as a hotel as well as a civic Center. Today it remains the most imposing structure in Caliente. The City of Caliente has taken it over in order to prevent its destruction In order to justify its cost, a City Hall complex and civic center is being constructed within the building. The exterior of the building is being left in its original form. Wherever possible the original wood, etc. is being left in the interior.
Caliente was founded by a railroad whose operations were based on steam motive power. It became U.P.’s best equipped steam facility between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. For many years Caliente was a division point between Las Vegas and Milford, Utah. Engine and trail crews changed here. in the days of steam locomotives, Caliente also was the center of a helper district – the terminal for locomotives and crews that assisted trails upgrade between Carp and Caliente, Caliente and Crestline, and Modena and Crestline. During World War II, 17 helper crews were assigned here and about 150 were employed in the locomotive, car, and agents departments.
The interior has extensive oak paneling, ornate doors, vaulted ceilings, and tile floors. The City is retaining all original paneling and tile and interior changes are being kept to a minimum.
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Located at 100 Depot Avenue in Caliente, Nevada and added to the National Register of Historic Places (#74001146) March 5, 1974.
The building is 54 feet by 341 feet (18,414 sq. ft.), white, with a red tile roof. Railroad tracks immediately adjacent to the depot have been removed and the City plans to landscape a portion of the 2.2 acres now under lease. A few years ago the rows of Lombardy poplars in the lawn on the south end of the building were cut.
The architectural style, generally known as the Mission Revival or the neo-Mission was used on the Union Pacific stations between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The Caliente depot is the only station of its type left in Nevada It was designed by the Los Angeles firm of John and Donald Parkinson, Architects. They also designed the Los Angeles depot. A styling note is the full arched openings on the lower floor, with a rectangular pattern around all openings on the second floor. Wrought iron guard rails protect upstairs door openings (fire escapes).
The second floor was originally used as a hotel for the overnight accommodation of train travelers and railroad officers. A separate adjacent dormitory (now removed) served layover train crews in the last years of the Age of Steam. The second floor facilities have been removed and there are no current plans for the use of the area although access has been maintained.
“Following the war Caliente’s importance as a railroad center began to decline. The diesel locomotives, which replaced the steam engines in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, could be run in multiples with one crew eliminating the need for helpers, nor did they require fuel, water, and servicing as frequently. Forces and facilities were gradually reduced as diesel power gained prominence.
Shop facilities were moved to Las Vegas in 1948. The roundhouse, water tank, and excess yard tracks were removed and the depot turned over to the City of Caliente on a long-term lease (10 years for $1) in 1970.” – Allen Krieg, Union Pacific Railroad
The leading area industry of the late 1800s and early 1900s was mining Gilsonite, a glossy black hydrocarbon-resin. Henry Ford used it to produce the lustrous black paint on his Model T, and Anheuser Busch lined beer barrels with the tar-like substance. Today it is used in inks, building products, and protective coatings. The Uinta Basin lays claim to the only commercial mining of this substance. This industry sparked the construction of a narrow gauge railroad in 1904 to ship Gilsonite to the world market.
In 1905 the Uintah Railway and Freight Company constructed its railroad station, directly across from you, for the purpose of housing a railroad depot, freight station, and telegraph office. Despite the fervent efforts of the community, the rails never reached Vernal. The freight station continued to ship produts such as local wool. Until the 1940s, when modern highways and the trucking industry took over, the freight station also provided service to and from the rail line, located 57 miles southeast of the now-deserted ghost town of Watson.
Freight and passengers were transported from Vernal to the railway on a daily basis in wagons and, later, in modern motor coaches. This building now serves as a warehouse.
This is #19 of the 21 stop history walking tour in downtown Vernal, Utah. See the other stops on this page:
Mark Requa’s Nevada Consolidated Copper Company laid 150-mile of track from Cobre, on the Southern Pacific line, to Ely in 1905-06 to haul ore from the Copper Flat mines west of Ely.
Ore was loaded into railroad gondolas at Copper Flat for the trip to the smelter at McGill, over a double-track trestle that was 1720 feet long. The trestle burned in 1922 and was replaced with an earth-fill span.
Passenger service and the “school train” carrying McGill youth to Ely High School ended in 1941. With the closing of local copper mines in 1983, the railroad ceased operations. Currently, part of the line serves the Nevada Northern Railway Museum for live steam rides. The East Ely shop complex for the Railway was listed as a National Historic Landmark District in 2006.
This is Nevada State Historical Marker #100 located at the White Pine Public Museum at 2000 East Aultman Street in Ely, Nevada.
Located in a mini-park near the Railroad Depot is a historical rail with a monument that reads:
Historical Rail
The first transcontinental railroad that tied the west to the east with bands of steel was completed with the driving of the golden spike at Promontory, Utah, 33 miles west of here May 10, 1869. The railroad was abandoned with the ceremonial pulling of the golden spike August 8, 1942. This is the rail which served in the same place as the original rail held by the golden spike. The other rails were used to help relieve the steel shortage during the second world war.
The Junior Chamber of Commerce of Brigham City secured this rail from the Union Pacific Railroad and presented it to Box Elder County.
Dedicated December 22, 1943 by Governor Herbert B. Maw.
Located at 815 West Forest St in Brigham City, Utah
This rail car was moved to Ophir by Leo Ault to represent the St. John & Ophir Railroad that carried ore and passengers to the main Union Pacific line in Rush Valley. It contains old pictures and documents of significance to Ophir, the State of Utah, and the United States.
The depot served thousands of train passengers over the years. The trains also handled shipments of coal, locally grown produce, and mail.
During World War II a track was installed between the depot and Brigham City’s Bushnell Military Hospital for transporting wounded servicemen and medical supplies.
Looking toward the immediate completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad, Corinne Townsite was laid out in the Spring of 1869. Railroad Financiers, Real Estate Promoters, Businessmen & Gambling Sharks, launched a boom to make Corinne the shipping, trading & amusement center of the Rocky Mts.
Although Congress had planned the junction of the Union Pacific & Central Pacific Railroads at or near Ogden, the Union Pacific designated Corinne as the Freight Junction for the rich mines of Montana & the communities of Idaho & northern Utah. This decision was made after the Engineers declared that the town lay in the center of the Rocky Mountain Area & that the Bear River was navigable by Steamboat, making it possible for freight to be transported from Corinne via Bear River, the Great Salt Lake, & the Jordan River to Salt Lake City.
For a time the town flourished to the fullest expectation of its promoters, supporting a newspaper, many businesses & more than 100 saloons & Gambling Houses. In its prime, Corinne was one of Utah’s busiest cities, many times, over 500 freight wagons were congregated here.
