Utah Railway
Encyclopedia
The Utah Railway is a class III railroad
operating in Utah
and Colorado
, and owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
The Utah Railway Company was incorporated on January 24, 1912, with the name of Utah Coal Railway, shortened to Utah Railway in May of the same year. It was founded to haul coal from the company's mines to Provo, Utah
, in reaction to company disappointment in the service and route of the existing Denver and Rio Grande Railroad nearby. It was known for owning the most modern equipment; when built, its large "Mountain" (2-10-2) and "Mallet" (2-6-6-2) steam locomotives had automatic stokers, a new invention at the time, and a convenience that drew many firemen from the D&RGW's Utah Division
to the Utah Railway in 1917 when that line opened. In addition, the Utah Railway was the first to equip its air brakes with fourteen-pound tension springs instead of the standard seven-pound springs. The company was one of the earliest coal hauling railroads to employ diesel locomotives, and was early to adopt automation technologies, including the use of flashing rear end devices instead of caboose
s. The Utah Railway's freight car roster consisted of fifteen flatcars and about 2,000 drop-bottom gondolas jointly owned with the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake (later LA&SL) Railroad, painted with "Utah Coal Route" lettering and UCR reporting marks. These gondolas were known to the railroad's employees as "Battleships". Parent company Mueller Industries, a manufacturer of copper products, sold the Utah Railway in 2002 to Genesee & Wyoming Inc., a railroad holding company
.
, Colorado
, and Provo
, Utah
, of which 45 miles (72.4 km) are owned, and the remainder operated under agreements with BNSF Railway
and Union Pacific. The company still hauls a significant amount of coal; of the 90,000 carloads hauled each year, over two thirds are coal. The Utah Railway also owns a subsidiary railroad, the Salt Lake City Southern Railroad
, serving over 30 customers on over 25 miles (40.2 km) of track between Salt Lake City and Draper
, Utah. In addition, switching services are provided in Ogden and elsewhere.
The Utah Railway Company gained minor fame in April 2010 when a freight train ran over a stray Shih Tzu
twice in one day; the dog survived both encounters.
, which is also the Utah state symbol. Normally, GWI alters the corporate logos of its acquisitions to match the parent company's logo, but in a nod to tradition, the beehive was retained within a logo similar to the parent company's design.
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
operating in 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...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
History
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, in reaction to company disappointment in the service and route of the existing Denver and Rio Grande Railroad nearby. It was known for owning the most modern equipment; when built, its large "Mountain" (2-10-2) and "Mallet" (2-6-6-2) steam locomotives had automatic stokers, a new invention at the time, and a convenience that drew many firemen from the D&RGW's Utah Division
Utah Division (D&RGW)
The Utah Division of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad is a rail line that connects Grand Junction, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah in the Western United States. It is now incorporated into the Union Pacific Railroad system as its Green River and Provo Subdivisions, forming a...
to the Utah Railway in 1917 when that line opened. In addition, the Utah Railway was the first to equip its air brakes with fourteen-pound tension springs instead of the standard seven-pound springs. The company was one of the earliest coal hauling railroads to employ diesel locomotives, and was early to adopt automation technologies, including the use of flashing rear end devices instead of caboose
Caboose
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.-Function:The caboose provided the...
s. The Utah Railway's freight car roster consisted of fifteen flatcars and about 2,000 drop-bottom gondolas jointly owned with the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake (later LA&SL) Railroad, painted with "Utah Coal Route" lettering and UCR reporting marks. These gondolas were known to the railroad's employees as "Battleships". Parent company Mueller Industries, a manufacturer of copper products, sold the Utah Railway in 2002 to Genesee & Wyoming Inc., a railroad holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
.
Current operations
Today's Utah Railway operates over 423 miles (680.8 km) of track between Grand JunctionGrand Junction
Grand Junction is the name of several places:United States*Grand Junction, Colorado*Grand Junction, Iowa*Grand Junction, Michigan*Grand Junction, Tennessee*The Grand Junction Railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts areaUnited Kingdom...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, 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...
, of which 45 miles (72.4 km) are owned, and the remainder operated under agreements with BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
and Union Pacific. The company still hauls a significant amount of coal; of the 90,000 carloads hauled each year, over two thirds are coal. The Utah Railway also owns a subsidiary railroad, the Salt Lake City Southern Railroad
Salt Lake City Southern Railroad
The Salt Lake City Southern Railroad is a 25-mile shortline operating between Salt Lake City, Utah and Murray, Utah. The SL began operating on April 19, 1993 as a RailTex subsidiary. Today the SL is a subsidiary of the Utah Railway and is owned by the Genesee & Wyoming Inc.-History:The line was...
, serving over 30 customers on over 25 miles (40.2 km) of track between Salt Lake City and Draper
Draper
Draper is the now largely obsolete term for a wholesaler, or especially retailer, of cloth, mainly for clothing, or one who works in a draper's shop. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. The drapers were an important trade guild...
, Utah. In addition, switching services are provided in Ogden and elsewhere.
The Utah Railway Company gained minor fame in April 2010 when a freight train ran over a stray Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu is a breed of dog weighing with long silky hair. The breed originated in China and is among the earliest breeds. Shih Tzu were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969...
twice in one day; the dog survived both encounters.
Logo
The earliest logo was simply the words "Utah Railway Company", spelled out on the locomotives and cabooses, and "Utah Coal Route" on the drop-bottom gondolas. On paper, however, the logo for many years was a black circle with a white background. The wording and image in these circular logos changed over the years. The 1948 logo included the words "Utah Railway" surrounding a gondola with the initials "U.C.R.". The 1999 logo was an oval with an image of an SD diesel locomotive and the words "Utah Railway: Since 1912". In later years the symbol of the Utah Railway Company was the beehiveBeehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
, which is also the Utah state symbol. Normally, GWI alters the corporate logos of its acquisitions to match the parent company's logo, but in a nod to tradition, the beehive was retained within a logo similar to the parent company's design.