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Show Pace MARCH THE JOURNAL 12 Bamberger Has Railroad Become Vital portation compelled the company to sell its three highway cruisers to a Texas company for military transportation. To meet the heavy upsurge in traffic the company pressed into use every available piece of rolling stock and purchased new equipment wherever available. Due to overload on the electrical supply den, but a depression in 1907 caused the railway to abandon the plan Julian Bamberger has been general manager of the Bamberger railroad since 1917. Linking Salt Lake City and Ogden, the Bamberger Railroad company provides the transportation system that serves Davis county, schedule of 2 with its week-da- y and buses trains, running north and south. The Bamberger practically grew up with Davis countv, and through its years of dependable and courteous service has become intimately blended into the over-a- ll day to day pattern of life and activity in the county. Like the telephone, electric lights and the U. S. mail the Bamberger is regarded as one of those basic necessities that must go on. In achieving this status the Bamberger has had to surmount nearly everv calamity that man or nature can devise, during the course of its existence. Struck staggering blows by fire, depression and other factors, the Bamberger Railroad company, one of Utahs early transportation industries, has weathered each storm, played significant roles in peace and two world wars and looks confidently to the future. The line, originally known as the Salt Lake and Hot Springs railin way, had its humble beginning four-mil- e a 1891, at first serving only stretch from the capital city ' to Becks Hot Springs resort. With tiny steam dummy engines providing the motive power the trains made good time and soon the company was doing a lively business, which encouraged them to extend the rails further northward. Their early plan was ambitious, contemplating a line to point near Ogden and from there in a southeasterly direction through Weber canyon to Coalville, to tap rich coal mines. Reached Farmington The line reached Farmington, where financial difficulties intervened to halt construction. The line meantime had become known as Salt Lake and Ogden railroad. Although the line halted temporarily 15 to build through Weber canyon. From the beginning the engineering. policy was wide sweeping curves and very gentle grades which added to construction expense, but this decree sternly laid down by founder Simon Bamberger paid great dividends later .by increasing handling capacity of locomotives. Another important milestone was reached in 1910 when the company decided to electrify its motive power. This necessitated changes in repair facilities and was followed by further improvement of terminals. Ready for'War In 1917 the railroad had thoroughly broken in its cars and employes to electrical operation and was ready to do its part in the first World war. The same year Simon Bamberger moved into the capitol as governor of the state and relinquished the railroads helm to his son, Julian. It was during that year the name was changed to Bamberger Electric railroad. Probably the railroads darkest hour was reached on May 7, 1918, when flames consumed the Ogden carbarn and substation and all cars within the barn comprising more than half the roads coaches. It took several years for the company to recover from this $500, 000 blow since materials were difficult to obtain at that period. The decade from 1920 to 1930 was notable for four events. All inter-urba- n n cars were changed to bus a operation; subsidiary company was set up; the attractive Salt Lake terminal was built and freight interchange was inaugurated with steam f v ; t - "T- jfV r 'i - Part of Davis another enterprise which subse-became one of the most ' quently in the state. The resorts popular area which was once a large swamp is known as Lagoon. The rails crawled forward to Og accomplished and contempt company is confident it J'i with any sort of new develop It is better to bind . K- V-- 1 "'. v ' . vV s ' A cvJ motor-generate- Simon Bamberger was founder of the Bamberger Railroad, and president of the company from 1896 to 1917. as most. In 1933 the company was forced into receivership which lasted until -- 19397 Ironically Julian Bamberger claimed that if the subsequent reorganization could have been postponed six months the financial structure could have been e rehabilitated due to army traffic and other wartime freight. During reorganization the name was changed to Bamberger railroad. lines. But there was a silver lining to the Disastrous Flood dark cloud of the thirties. As paA of the memory tronage slacked off, Bamberger oftwenties is the disastrous flood of ficials scouted far and ' wide for f THERE IS STILL TIME TO ARRANGE FOR NEW LISTINGS OR ADVERTISING IN THE one-ma- long-plann- lend-leas- HEW TELEPHONE DIRECTORY ed not-so-pleas- CALL OUR BUSINESS file omoo nome duoraiGCD i oco As one farmer put it: "After considering all the costs for six yean of operation, I find has cost me less to & pump to electrically say nothing material benefits to my of the disposition happiness." This peculiar looking gimmick was the first engine to serve the Bamberger route between Salt Lake and Ogden. which caused several deaths good buys in second-han- d equipThey succeeded in buying washed away' long segments of five streamlined lightweight highBamberger tracks at Rosedale, speed cars which could operate on Becks, Centerville and Lagoon. Bambergers current. The twenties also brought other Impact Staggering woes including increasing costs of The impact of the second World operation and rapid growth in use was upon Bamberger railroad was of the private automobile. The staggering. From $413,000 annual twenties bowed out with a major business in 1939 it zoomed to G91 in 1942. To make matters depression and the Bamberger Electric railroad was as hard hit worse the office of defense trans- 1923 and among other heavy damage, ment. 3 0raft (38 6od $3,-27- 3, X . ,, your system, Diesel equipment was add- to you by respect and genjS and than by fear. d ed. Later new 1UV' " S Court other devices boosted th. of current. End of the war caused ciable drop in revenue but improvements in facilities and . at Farmington, the railway started . 18( 1 ftfoiti:' ' A 4 V.V.ASVW.TO.Vt In comparison vith the above 'locomotive" is this modern electric engine. typical of those now serving the Bamberger line. X UTAH POWER A LIGHT CO. Home Ownerihip -A TAX PAYING.COMPANY - local ci |