News & Reviews News Wire Union Pacific donates $1 million to Utah’s 150th celebration of the Gold Spike NEWSWIRE

Union Pacific donates $1 million to Utah’s 150th celebration of the Gold Spike NEWSWIRE

By Angela Cotey | August 17, 2018

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

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Promontory
UP will support the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad with a $1 million matching donation to the state of Utah.
Trains: Jim Wrinn
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Union Pacific said Thursday it will match the $1 million Utah is spending to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad next May 10.

“This is going to help us have a party and celebrate like it’s 1869,” Gov. Gary Herbert said at an event that the Salt Lake Tribune covered.

Union Pacific confirmed Friday that its contribution will help fund the celebration. Activities mentioned Thursday include educational programs in public schools, a cultural celebration the evening of May 10 at the Latter Day Saints Conference Center in Salt Lake City, and a special symphony performance. Starting in late January and going through May, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts will host an exhibit of more than 200 photos and stereographs of the construction work made by famed early railroad photographers A.J. Russell and Alfred A. Hart.

The National Park Service plans to re-enact the driving of the golden spike on May 10 at Promontory Summit, and UP has said it plans to bring 4-8-4 No. 844 and newly restored Big Boy 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 to Ogden for the celebration.

Trains magazine is creating special coverage in its regular editions for the first half of 2019 and will publish a special issue, Journey to Promontory, in January. A PBS video, Journey to Promontory, will be available late this year.

7 thoughts on “Union Pacific donates $1 million to Utah’s 150th celebration of the Gold Spike NEWSWIRE

  1. Give me a break boys. What is a cool million compared to the millions that the Wall Street bubbas paid Hee Haw Hunter to ruin both service to freight customers and F employees big time. If that wasn’t enuff, the self proclaimed Bully took the money and then up and died* on the job.

    *Poetic Justice….ah, so sweet!

  2. 1. Al Dicenso – Amen, brother. 2. If the exhibit can’t come east, I am more than willing to purchase a high-end book of those Russell and Hart photos. 3. I know it’s a giant corporation, but why does UP consistently make me feel good about my lifelong interest in this industry, head and shoulders above the other class-ones? Yes, NS and BNSF have had their moments. The others, not so much.

  3. All of the cost cutting in order to get to the holy grail 55 OR, but yet they have a Mil to drop on this.

  4. Thank you Union Pacific! At least dirty DC politics won’t derail this historic event. Would be great if UP brings back the “Big Then…Bigger Now” slogan. It still fits the railroad!

  5. While guaranteed to be overshadowed by the Big Boy, will the 6936 also be there? While the 6900 that attended the centennial is all but out of the question, it seems only appropriate to have the last operating member of the class that was named in honor of the the last major anniversary celebration of the golden spike, in attendance.

  6. @AL . Well according to Barry Sotero, it wasn’t cuomo’s ‘Murica to say it’s not that great in the first place.

    I swear, demorat logic could drive a Vulcan insane.

    Back to the story at hand, I would love to be a part of this celebration. It would be worth the price of admission just to see the steam locomotives.

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