Utah Central Railway (1992)
Encyclopedia
The Utah Central Railway is a shortline railroad
serving Ogden, Utah
and surrounding areas. It interchange
s with the Union Pacific Railroad
(UP), as well as with BNSF Railway
trains running over the UP via trackage rights
. The company began operations in 1992 as a private switching railroad, and became a common carrier
in 1995. It expanded operations in 2001 and 2004, and the Patriot Rail Corporation
gained control in January 2008.
. In October 1995 it began common carrier service on industrial trackage in Ogden, which it acquired from the city. Here too it interchanged with both the UP and Rio Grande, the former on its old line next to Midland Drive. In 2001, UCRY leased a number of Ogden-area branch lines from the UP, which had absorbed the Rio Grande; this included the remnants of the old UP and Rio Grande main lines west of downtown Ogden. Finally, in 2004, UCRY acquired the trackage serving Business Depot Ogden from a UP connection.
At one point the UCRY leased a 44-ton GE diesel and class CA-11 caboose from the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden, Utah. Both the locomotive and caboose were repainted in UCRY colors. When returned to the museum, the locomotive sat idle for several years. Water collected in the fuel tank and parts slowly disappeared. Currently the Golden Spike Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society is undertaking the restoration of the engine to operation.
For many years, the Business Depot was served by an ex-Air Force Fairbanks-Morse
H-12-44. In July 2010, the UCRY repainted their ex-Rarus Railway GP9
black with a large "Utah Central" in gold across the engine compartment, and moved it to BDO to replace the FM locomotive. Reason for this replacement is unknown; according to a Utah Central employee, the H-12-44 had only 100 running hours in 2009.
In September 2010, two GP-15 diesel locomotives 1418 and 1401, refurbished from LTEX were delivered to the UCRY's headquarters at the old sugar factory. They are painted in the distinctive Patriot Rail corporate scheme (red overall with a blue stripe highlighted by gold pin stripes down the middle).
High-Clearance GP-39 locomotive originally used in the Bingham Canyon copper pit (RARW 1010) and an ex-Rarus Railway chop-nose GP9 (UCRY 201).
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
serving Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
and surrounding areas. It interchange
Interchange (freight rail)
In freight rail transport, interchange is the practice of railroads conveying freight cars from other companies over their lines...
s 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....
(UP), as well as with BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
trains running over the UP via trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
. The company began operations in 1992 as a private switching railroad, and became a common carrier
Common carrier
A common carrier in common-law countries is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport...
in 1995. It expanded operations in 2001 and 2004, and the Patriot Rail Corporation
Patriot Rail Corporation
Patriot Rail Corporation is a holding company for a number of shortline railroads across the United States, including one contract operation in North Carolina. The company was started in 2006 by RailAmerica co-founder Gary Marino and is headquartered at Boca Raton, Florida...
gained control in January 2008.
History
UCRY's first operations, which began in September 1992, were under contract to Westinghouse Electric, switching cars at the Western Zirconium Plant west of Ogden for interchange with UP and the Denver and Rio Grande Western RailroadDenver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...
. In October 1995 it began common carrier service on industrial trackage in Ogden, which it acquired from the city. Here too it interchanged with both the UP and Rio Grande, the former on its old line next to Midland Drive. In 2001, UCRY leased a number of Ogden-area branch lines from the UP, which had absorbed the Rio Grande; this included the remnants of the old UP and Rio Grande main lines west of downtown Ogden. Finally, in 2004, UCRY acquired the trackage serving Business Depot Ogden from a UP connection.
At one point the UCRY leased a 44-ton GE diesel and class CA-11 caboose from the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden, Utah. Both the locomotive and caboose were repainted in UCRY colors. When returned to the museum, the locomotive sat idle for several years. Water collected in the fuel tank and parts slowly disappeared. Currently the Golden Spike Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society is undertaking the restoration of the engine to operation.
For many years, the Business Depot was served by an ex-Air Force Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks Morse and Company was a manufacturing company in the late 19th and early 20th century. Originally a weighing scale manufacturer, it later diversified into pumps, engines, windmills, locomotives and industrial supplies until it was merged in 1958...
H-12-44. In July 2010, the UCRY repainted their ex-Rarus Railway GP9
EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
black with a large "Utah Central" in gold across the engine compartment, and moved it to BDO to replace the FM locomotive. Reason for this replacement is unknown; according to a Utah Central employee, the H-12-44 had only 100 running hours in 2009.
In September 2010, two GP-15 diesel locomotives 1418 and 1401, refurbished from LTEX were delivered to the UCRY's headquarters at the old sugar factory. They are painted in the distinctive Patriot Rail corporate scheme (red overall with a blue stripe highlighted by gold pin stripes down the middle).
Locomotives
The Utah Central is known for its eclectic mix of second-hand locomotives. No two are painted alike (excepting nos. 1418 and 1401). The two most notable that are currently in its roster are an ex-KennecottKennecott Utah Copper
Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation , a division of Rio Tinto Group, is a mining, smelting, and refining company. Its corporate headquarters are located in South Jordan, Utah, USA. Kennecott operates one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world in Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake County, Utah. ...
High-Clearance GP-39 locomotive originally used in the Bingham Canyon copper pit (RARW 1010) and an ex-Rarus Railway chop-nose GP9 (UCRY 201).