The new Sherman Hill line in 1953 was Union Pacific’s latest improvement over the massive undertaking of building and maintaining a transcontinental railroad begun about 90 years earlier. Since the first surveyors ventured into the uplands west of Cheyenne in 1865, the Union Pacific has been waging intermittent war against the geography of southeastern Wyoming. […]
Train Topic: Transcontinental Railroad
Sherman Hill: the first Rocky Mountain railroad pass
Sherman Hill is one of the landmarks on the transcontinental railroad. It was the first major obstacle for the railroad as it headed west. It’s the highest point on the first transcontinental railroad with the original summit topping out at 8,247 feet above sea level. A 1901 line change shaved over 200 feet off the […]
‘San Francisco Overland’
‘San Francisco Overland’ Dressed in two-tone gray, FEF-1 816 and FEF-2 824 make 55 mph up Sherman Hill near Otto, Wyo., on October 21, 1949. Green flags and “1-27” in the 4-8-4s’ train indicator boxes tell that at least one other section of the San Francisco Overland is following. Ross B. Grenard Jr. photo […]
Echo Canyon, Utah
Perched high on a hillside on a lonely but breathtakingly beautiful stretch of Interstate 80 just outside of Echo, Utah, must be the best rest stop in America – for railfans. With a sweeping view of the rough, red, sandstone cliffs of Echo Canyon, frequent trains on Union Pacific’s original transcontinental route, and convenient benches […]
Annual Golden Spike celebration cancelled NEWSWIRE
The annual celebration marking the driving of the Golden Spike has been cancelled because of the coronavirus. Shown is the 150th anniversary celebration in May 2019. TRAINS: Steve Sweeney Wednesday morning COVID-19-related rail news: — One year after a huge celebration of the 150th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike, there will be […]
Trains Top 10 stories for 2019, No. 10: The Transcontinental Railroad Anniversary NEWSWIRE
Cast members from the musical “As One” gather for a group photo on a stage at the Golden Spike National Historic Park on May 10, 2019. The musical was the main educational and entertainment event during ceremonies marking the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. Trains Staff Other anniversaries will come and […]
Visitors increase at Golden Spike, Steamtown NEWSWIRE
‘Jupiter’ and No. 119 replicas recreate the 1869 ceremony at the Golden Spike National Historic Park in Utah. Jim Wrinn PROMONTORY, Utah – More than 38,000 people made the pilgrimage to the Utah desert in three days in May to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the driving of the golden spike that completed the First […]
Illinois museum honors Golden Spike ceremony with recreation NEWSWIRE
Monticello (Ill.) Railway Museum volunteers pose with two steam locomotives in an attempt to re-create the famed Champagne Photo of the original Transcontinental Railroad ceremony from May 10, 1869. Steve Smedley MONTICELLO, Ill. — Monticello Railway Museum in central Illinois gave a nod to history at the end of Saturday and Sunday runs of Southern […]
Musical responses to the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike NEWSWIRE
OMAHA, Neb. — There have been all kinds of celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad this May – from ceremonies at Promontory Summit, Utah, to the Big Boy steaming to and from Ogden, Utah’s, Union Station, to special exhibitions at museums all along the original route — but the […]
Golden Spike commemoration draws huge crowd for hours of ceremonies NEWSWIRE
PROMONTORY SUMMIT, Utah — For one day on Friday, lonely, windswept Promontory Summit filled with thousands of visitors eager to celebrate the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago today. The morning began with positioning steam locomotive replicas Jupiter and No. 119, representing the Central Pacific and Union Pacific, respectively. Soon afterward, a […]
Promontory speaker says Transcontinental railroad offers hope in modern times NEWSWIRE
Cast members from the musical “As One” gather for a group photo on a stage at the Golden Spike National Historic Park on Friday. The musical was the main educational and entertainment event during ceremonies marking the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. TRAINS: Steve Sweeney A sign near a re-enactors’ encampment […]
Smithsonian to open new displays on transcontinental railroad NEWSWIRE
This and other historic images from the building of the Transcontinental Railroad will be part of a new exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. National Museum of American History WASHINGTON — The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will mark the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad by opening […]
