Corrine to Umbria Junction - Southern Pacific

Thanks to Mike Palmer and Jeffrey Basford for the information and pictures on this page.

Part of the original Transcontinental Railroad around the Great Salt Lake.  The end of the track at Corrine looking to the W.  Down the former ROW is the Promontory National Historic Site.  Photo by Mike Palmer.

 
The original Transcontinental Railroad was completed around the north shore of Great Salt Lake, Utah, in May 1869 at Promontory.  The line was part of the Central Pacific, which became the Southern Pacific.  This route was a main line until around 1904 when Southern Pacific's Lucin Cutoff was completed across Great Salt Lake.  The original line, between Umbria Jct. (Lucin) and Corinne, Utah was downgraded to "secondary" status, and was abandoned in 1942 (World War II) as the rails were needed for military base trackage on the Pacific Coast.
 
The area is high desert/range area so much of the old right of way is still intact, though it does cross private property.
 
Technically, the part of the line east of Promontory was part of the UP but transferred to the Central Pacific/Southern Pacific around 1870 when the 'transfer point' was moved from Promontory to Brigham City, Utah.  Brigham City was a better location for servicing trains).  With the UP's acquisition of SP it reverted back to UP after almost 130 years.
 
Towns and locations along this former ROW are:  Corrine to Quarry, Balfour, Conner, Lampo (Blue Creek), Surbon, Promontory, Rozel, Lake, Kosmo, Monument, Nella, Kelton, Peplin, Ombrey, Matlin, Terrace, Watercress, Bovine and to Umbria Junction on the SP/UP.  Between Promontory and Rozel, a record 10 miles of track was laid on April 28, 1868.  Track has been reinstalled on some of the ROW around the Promontory National Historic Site.

Discussion of photos above (photos by Mike Palmer): 
 
     These photos are from mid-November 2002 also, from the Golden Spike historic site.  Both are facing East and were taken about 2-3 miles west of the Promontory Visitors Center.
     The "10 Miles" sign is a replica; the original (worse for wear) is inside the Visitors Center.
     The two grades show the Central Pacific (Southern Pacific) (ranch maintenance road) in the foreground, and the UP off to the right in the distance.  The UP can be hiked but not driven. The CP was abandoned in 1942; the UP was abandoned in 1870, shortly after the line was opened.  This is the part that qualifies as one of the oldest abandoned grades that is still clearly visible!
   The UP and CP paralleled each other in this region, as they were both under contract with the US Government and were reimbursed for mileage built.  It wasn't until after the construction crews passed each other (working in opposite directions) that the meeting point was established.  The "winner" was the CP in this area; the "loser" UP was abandoned less than a year after the Golden Spike was driven in 1869.

The following information and pictures are from Jeffrey Basford from his abandoned railroading trip on this famous line:

The original Salt Lake Division of the CPRR operated from 1869 until 1942.  It was the primary mainline for the overland route until 1902, when the Lucin Cutoff was constructed across the Salt Lake, reducing mileage and grades from this original route through the Promontory Mtns.  This route was used only for passenger traffic after 1902, and was closed completely and the rails pulled in 1942 for the war effort.  The grade is maintained now by the BLM as a national Backcountry Byway, and is therefore in excellent condition.  For about 100 miles or so west of Ogden, and particularly in the completely deserted area west of Promontory, the never-used UP grade is clearly visible parallel to the maintained CP grade.  The scenery is spectacular, in two days we only saw one other vehicle, and you eventually end up where the new line merges with this old grade near the town of Wendover, NV. where you can pick up I-80 for a relatively short drive back to Salt Lake.  The BLM has done a nice job of marking the historic sites along the entire route of approximately 90 miles.

The ROW and discarded ties can be seen in this photograph.  (Photo by Jeffrey Basford)

Chinese dugouts near Kelton ghost town.  (Photo by Jeffrey Basford)

Cut 10 miles to the west of Promontory.   (Photo by Jeffrey Basford)

Close-up of a large cut.   (Photo by Jeffrey Basford)

Distant shot of the large cut shown in the close-up above.   (Photo by Jeffrey Basford)