Lynndyl Subdivision
Encyclopedia
The Lynndyl Subdivision is a rail line owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
in the U.S. state
of Utah
, running from Salt Lake City southwest to Milford, where the Caliente Subdivision continues towards Los Angeles. It was formerly part of the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad
.
in 1871 to build a standard gauge
line from Salt Lake City south to Payson
. It was built by the construction company Grover, McCune & Read, a firm owned by Alfred W. McCune
and two other Utah businessmen. It was completed to that city and beyond to York (south of Santaquin
) in 1875, and bought by the Union Pacific Railroad
later that year. The UP organized the Utah Southern Railroad Extension in 1879, and completed the line to Frisco
in 1880. Both companies merged with the Utah Central Railroad (Salt Lake City-Ogden
) to form the UP-controlled Utah Central Railway in 1881, and in 1889 it was merged with the Utah and Northern Railway
and other companies to form the Oregon Short Line and Utah Northern Railway, which was reorganized as the Oregon Short Line Railroad
in 1897.
The Salt Lake, Sevier Valley and Pioche Railroad was incorporated in 1872 to build west from Salt Lake City, and the Utah Western Railway, organized in 1874, acquired its unfinished roadbed and completed the narrow gauge
line to a point near Stockton
in 1877. The company was reorganized in 1881 as the Utah and Nevada Railway, and the UP gained control later that year, merging it into the Oregon Short Line and Utah Northern Railway in 1889. The Oregon Short Line later widened the gauge and extended the line south to the old Utah Southern at Lynndyl
, west of Leamington
. This new Leamington Cut-off, completed in 1903, had better grades and alignment than the old route through Payson, which became a secondary route (and is now, where still in use, the Sharp Subdivision). The San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, half-owned by the OSL, bought the OSL's lines south and west of Salt Lake City later that year, and completed the line to Los Angeles in 1905. The short piece of the old line from Milford
, where the new Los Angeles line left, west to Frisco became the Frisco Branch, and was abandoned in 1943. After the UP bought the Western Pacific Railroad
in 1983, the two parallel lines between Salt Lake City and Garfield, where the ex-WP Shafter Subdivision
now begins, were converted to a directional running setup.
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, running from Salt Lake City southwest to Milford, where the Caliente Subdivision continues towards Los Angeles. It was formerly part of the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad
Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad
The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad was a rail company that completed and operated a railway line between its namesake cities, via Las Vegas, Nevada. Incorporated in Utah in 1901 as the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, the line was largely the brainchild of William Andrews Clark,...
.
History
Mormon businessmen incorporated the Utah Southern RailroadUtah Southern Railroad (1871–1881)
The Utah Southern Railroad was built by the Mormons between Salt Lake City and York , and acquired by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1875.-External links:* , Utah History Encyclopedia, University of Utah...
in 1871 to build a standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
line from Salt Lake City south to Payson
Payson, Utah
Payson is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,716 at the 2000 census. The current mayor is Rick Moore, who in the 2009 election was the first write-in candidate ever to defeat an incumbent mayor in...
. It was built by the construction company Grover, McCune & Read, a firm owned by Alfred W. McCune
Alfred W. McCune
Alfred William McCune was an American railroad builder, mine operator, and politician from the state of Utah. Owner of several retail and construction businesses, he helped build the Montana Central Railway in Montana and a portion of the Utah Southern Railroad in Utah, founded the Utah and...
and two other Utah businessmen. It was completed to that city and beyond to York (south of Santaquin
Santaquin, Utah
Santaquin is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,834 at the 2000 census, while the 2008 estimates placed it at 8,400.-Geography:...
) in 1875, and bought by the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
later that year. The UP organized the Utah Southern Railroad Extension in 1879, and completed the line to Frisco
Frisco, Utah
Frisco is a ghost town in Beaver County, Utah, USA. It was an active mining camp from 1879 to 1929.-History:Frisco developed as the post office and commercial center for the San Francisco Mining District, and was the terminus of the Utah Southern Railroad extension from Milford. The Horn Silver...
in 1880. Both companies merged with the Utah Central Railroad (Salt Lake City-Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
) to form the UP-controlled Utah Central Railway in 1881, and in 1889 it was merged with the Utah and Northern Railway
Utah and Northern Railway
The Utah and Northern Railway is a defunct railroad that was operated in the Utah Territory and later in the Idaho Territory and Montana Territory in the western United States during the 1870s and 1880s. It was the first railroad in Idaho and in Montana....
and other companies to form the Oregon Short Line and Utah Northern Railway, which was reorganized as the Oregon Short Line Railroad
Oregon Short Line Railroad
The Oregon Short Line Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Oregon. The line was as organized the Oregon Short Line Railway in 1881 as a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railway. Union Pacific intended the line to be the shortest route from Wyoming to Oregon...
in 1897.
The Salt Lake, Sevier Valley and Pioche Railroad was incorporated in 1872 to build west from Salt Lake City, and the Utah Western Railway, organized in 1874, acquired its unfinished roadbed and completed the narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
line to a point near Stockton
Stockton, Utah
Stockton is a town in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 616 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Stockton is located at ....
in 1877. The company was reorganized in 1881 as the Utah and Nevada Railway, and the UP gained control later that year, merging it into the Oregon Short Line and Utah Northern Railway in 1889. The Oregon Short Line later widened the gauge and extended the line south to the old Utah Southern at Lynndyl
Lynndyl, Utah
Lynndyl is a town in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 134 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lynndyl is located at ....
, west of Leamington
Leamington, Utah
Leamington is a town in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 217 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Leamington is located at ....
. This new Leamington Cut-off, completed in 1903, had better grades and alignment than the old route through Payson, which became a secondary route (and is now, where still in use, the Sharp Subdivision). The San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, half-owned by the OSL, bought the OSL's lines south and west of Salt Lake City later that year, and completed the line to Los Angeles in 1905. The short piece of the old line from Milford
Milford, Utah
Milford is a city in Beaver County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,420 at the 2010 census.-History:Although there were ranches in the area in the 1870s, Milford did not come into being until the arrival of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad in 1880.-Milford Flat...
, where the new Los Angeles line left, west to Frisco became the Frisco Branch, and was abandoned in 1943. After the UP bought the Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
in 1983, the two parallel lines between Salt Lake City and Garfield, where the ex-WP Shafter Subdivision
Shafter Subdivision
The Shafter Subdivision is a rail line owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad as part of the Central Corridor in the U.S. states of Nevada and Utah. The line begins in Elko, and travels east to the rail siding of Smelter in Utah, at the junction with the Lynndyl Subdivision of the former...
now begins, were converted to a directional running setup.