Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railway was a railroad that operated in northern Colorado
in the United States
during the 1880s. Founded with heavy backing with the Union Pacific Railroad
, it was controlled by the Union Pacific from its inception, but was incorporated into the new Colorado and Southern Railway
in 1898, becoming part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
in 1908.
that would pass through northern Colorado, connecting westward from the former Denver Pacific Railroad line at Greeley
, as well a narrow gauge line west of Boulder
to the gold mining area above that city. The railroad received financial backing from the Union Pacific, which was concerned about plans by its rival, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
, to extend its line westward from the South Platte River
valley over the Rocky Mountains
to Salt Lake City
. The GSLPRR constructed a line between Greeley and Fort Collins, as well as several spurs, one which went up into the foothills to the stone quarries
at Stout
at the present site of Horsetooth Reservoir
. The GSLPRR was the second railroad to arrive in Fort Collins, coming five years after the arrival of the Colorado Central Railroad
. The line skirted the Cache la Poudre River
in Fort Collins, along the current Willow Street. Eminent domain was used by the (then) Town of Fort Collns to obtain property for the line. The line is still part of the Union Pacific system.
The narrow gauge line penetrated the foothills west of Boulder by following Boulder Canyon to Four Mile Canyon to the town of Sunset. a line was surveyed further westward, but no track was ever laid by this company. The GSLPRR owned no narrow gauge equipment, and the line was actually operated by the Colorado Central Railroad
using their own equipment and later by the Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway
. The line was badly damaged by flooding in the spring of 1894, and was subsequently abandoned. The Colorado and Northwestern Railway was built along this same route, starting in 1897.
The towns of Timnath
and Windsor
were both founded in the early 1880s along the line between Greeley and Fort Collins.
Although the Union Pacific sponsored surveying
expeditions up the Poudre Canyon
, with the intention of possibly extending the line over Cameron Pass
, the parent railroad lost interest in the project after the abandonment of the similar plans by its rival, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the 1880s. Founded with heavy backing with the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, it was controlled by the Union Pacific from its inception, but was incorporated into the new Colorado and Southern Railway
Colorado and Southern Railway
The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the...
in 1898, becoming part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
in 1908.
History
The railroad company was organized by investors in northern Colorado on January 17, 1881 with the intention of starting a southern branch of the transcontinental railroadTranscontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
that would pass through northern Colorado, connecting westward from the former Denver Pacific Railroad line at Greeley
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Weld County, Colorado, United States. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Greeley is situated north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the...
, as well a narrow gauge line west of Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
to the gold mining area above that city. The railroad received financial backing from the Union Pacific, which was concerned about plans by its rival, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
, to extend its line westward from the South Platte River
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
valley over the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. The GSLPRR constructed a line between Greeley and Fort Collins, as well as several spurs, one which went up into the foothills to the stone quarries
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
at Stout
Stout, Colorado
Stout is a former town in southern Larimer County, Colorado in the United States. The town was located in foothills southwest of Fort Collins, just west of the Dakota Hogback. It was established in the 1880s as a camp for workers at the nearby stone quarries in the area...
at the present site of Horsetooth Reservoir
Horsetooth Reservoir
Horsetooth Reservoir is a large reservoir in southern Larimer County, Colorado just west of the city of Fort Collins, Colorado. The reservoir sits in the foothills above the town on the western side of the Dakota Hogback, which contains the reservoir along its eastern side...
. The GSLPRR was the second railroad to arrive in Fort Collins, coming five years after the arrival of the Colorado Central Railroad
Colorado Central Railroad
The Colorado Central Railroad was a U.S. railroad company that operated in Colorado and southeastern Wyoming in the late 19th century. Originally founded in the Colorado Territory in the wake of the Colorado Gold Rush to ship gold from the mountains, it eventually expanded from its initial...
. The line skirted the Cache la Poudre River
Cache La Poudre River
The Cache la Poudre River is in the state of Colorado in the United States.Its headwaters are in the Front Range in Larimer County, in the northern part of Rocky Mountain National Park. The river descends eastward in the mountains through the Roosevelt National Forest in Poudre Canyon...
in Fort Collins, along the current Willow Street. Eminent domain was used by the (then) Town of Fort Collns to obtain property for the line. The line is still part of the Union Pacific system.
The narrow gauge line penetrated the foothills west of Boulder by following Boulder Canyon to Four Mile Canyon to the town of Sunset. a line was surveyed further westward, but no track was ever laid by this company. The GSLPRR owned no narrow gauge equipment, and the line was actually operated by the Colorado Central Railroad
Colorado Central Railroad
The Colorado Central Railroad was a U.S. railroad company that operated in Colorado and southeastern Wyoming in the late 19th century. Originally founded in the Colorado Territory in the wake of the Colorado Gold Rush to ship gold from the mountains, it eventually expanded from its initial...
using their own equipment and later by the Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway
Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway
The Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway was a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad created from what was the Colorado Central Railroad in 1890. It operated lines from Denver, Colorado through Cheyenne, Wyoming to Wendover, Wyoming and a route from Denver to Golden, Colorado...
. The line was badly damaged by flooding in the spring of 1894, and was subsequently abandoned. The Colorado and Northwestern Railway was built along this same route, starting in 1897.
The towns of Timnath
Timnath, Colorado
The Town of Timnath is a Statutory Town located in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1882, Timnath is a small agricultural/farming community located southeast of Fort Collins, Colorado, approximately one-half mile east of the Harmony Road/Interstate 25 interchange, on a small...
and Windsor
Windsor, Colorado
The Town of Windsor is a Home Rule Municipality in Larimer and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town was 18,644. Windsor is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Windsor is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in...
were both founded in the early 1880s along the line between Greeley and Fort Collins.
Although the Union Pacific sponsored surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
expeditions up the Poudre Canyon
Poudre Canyon
The Poudre Canyon is a narrow verdant canyon, approximately 40 mi long, on the upper Cache la Poudre River in Larimer County, Colorado in the United States...
, with the intention of possibly extending the line over Cameron Pass
Cameron Pass (Colorado)
Cameron Pass is a elevation mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains in north central Colorado in the United States. The pass is a gap between the south end of the Medicine Bow Mountains and the north end of the Never Summer Mountains. It sits on the border between Jackson County and Larimer County,...
, the parent railroad lost interest in the project after the abandonment of the similar plans by its rival, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy.