| Show GOES WAY OF NICKEL BEER Passing of U U-I Railroad Grieves Timers Old-Timers D By WILLIAM ILLIA F. F I EA Abandonment of the year old Utah-Idaho Utah Central railroad last Sunday brought sentiment sentiment- c n t I men t- t streaked memories and heart tugs to many an time old Utah railroad railroad railroad rail rail- road man as u they reflected on the slow disappearance of nearly allor all of or the sturdy short line railroads which h has taken place during re reCent recent recent re- re cent years of at the times Sign maybe mused one gruff engineer now retired but still eyed clear-eyed and tan leather-tan from tram years spent leanIng leaning lean lean- I ing log out of engine cabs oblivious to sun and wind The worlds world's running past the time old short hort lines lInc he reflected Like nickel beer and 25 cent haircuts haircuts hair hair- cuts cut they're part of at the good old days Behind the sentiment and colorful colorful color color- ful iii history of at Utah's short lines lies the hard inescapable economic factor aided by 19 broad highways highways high high- ways swift i motor freight transport transport transport trans trans- port and private automobiles which is forcing the short line railroad railroad railroad rail rail- road system into the Valhalla of all good railroads Originally built to bring Utah's many famed scenic and resort attractions attractions at attractions at- at tractions as near as their railroad ticket offices to tourists and native native native na na- na- na tive Ul the lines have bowed to family cars buses and the general general general gen gen- eral streamlined modern way of life liCe Some others built to haul coal and ore also have made way for modern advances The suspend d operations order Issued last week in United States district court sounded the death knell knoll for tor the Utah-Idaho Utah Central line with a sad record of ot a consistent consistent consistent con con- year four-year loss amounting to S. S J. J Quinney receiver receiver re re- re- re celver said the firm currently has hasa a deficit in working capital of ot Back in in Pin the horse and buggy days recalled with fondness by oldsters as they skim over the highways in sleek new cars the first short line originated by bythe bythe bythe the Salt Lake streetcar system was hailed R as the gateway to Utah's natural bf beauties when it chugged its first breath In 1872 Another shortie the old Ogden n t k Hot Hot Springs Railroad and Health Resort Co carrying a name al almost almost almost al- al most a as long as i Its ran from the northern city limits of at Ogden to North Ogden PleasantVIew PleasantView Pleasant PleasantView View and Utah Hot Springs back In 1890 Steam locomotives were ere used The line was purchased by the David Eccles Interests In I 1890 and the name changed to Ogden den Northwestern Railroad Railroad Rail Rail- road rond Co One of at the Utah short line pioneer plo pio neer builders Joe H H. Young had hada a line running up Emigration canyon canyon can can- yon on to Pinecrest Inn Salt Lake railroaders recalled First used to haul stones down do from the cany canyOn n it was later developed Into a tourist tourist tourist tour line Other short hort lines long since only a memory include the Eureka Hill Railroad Co the Goshen Valley Railroad Co the narrow-gauge narrow line which operated up Little Cottonwood Cottonwood Cottonwood Cot- Cot canyon to Alta and the historic Garfield Beach railroad which operated In the early days I from tram Salt Lake to FaIrfield One of the few remaining short lines is the Bamberger Salt Lake- Lake to Ogden electric line born 56 years ago and still in thriving condition Others still sUJI operating in addition to the Bamberger are the Salt Lake Garfield Western Vestern running to Saltair resort the Tooele Valley Railroad Co and operated by the International Smelting and Refining Co a line through Parleys Parley's canyon to Park City owned by Denver Rio Grande Western Vestern the Carbon County Railroad Co and the Bingham Bingham Bing- Bing ham fe Garfield line operated by bythe bythe bythe the Copper Co Short lines railroad fans agree are fast tast losing their rightful place o of honor lost in the scramble for faster longer trains complete with movies and snack bars Like dollar dol dol- Jar lar shirts and two for cigars they're part of at history |
