Western Pacific Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I
railroad in the United States
. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad
had on rail service into northern California. WP's Feather River Route
directly competed with SP's portion of the Overland Route
for rail traffic between Salt Lake City/Ogden, Utah
and Oakland, California
for nearly 80 years. In 1983, the Western Pacific was acquired by the Union Pacific Railroad
. The Western Pacific was one of the original operators of the California Zephyr
, a passenger train today operated by Amtrak
.
The original Western Pacific Railroad
was established in 1865 to build the western-most portion of the Transcontinental Railroad
between San Jose, California
(later Oakland, California
), and Sacramento, California
. This company was absorbed into the Central Pacific Railroad
in 1870.
Founded in 1903, the second company to use the name Western Pacific Railroad was part of the Gould
family's efforts to create a transcontinental railroad in the late 19th and early 20th century.
One of the American West’s most popular railroads, the WP attracted rail enthusiasts
from around the world. From 1910 to 1982, its diverse route provided scenic views of the San Francisco Bay Area
, the mountain communities of the Feather River Route
, and the deserts of Nevada
and Utah
. The Western Pacific originated in 1900 as the Alameda and San Joaquin Railroad
. The railroad which would become the Western Pacific was financed and built by the
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
, under the direction of George Jay Gould I
, to provide a standard gauge
track connection to the Pacific Coast
. In 1909, it became the last railroad completed into California
.
In 1931, WP opened a main line north from the Feather River Canyon to the Great Northern Railway in northern California. This route, the "Highline", joined the Oakland – Salt Lake City main line at the Keddie Wye
, a unique combination of two steel trestle
s and a tunnel
forming a triangle of intersecting track
.
One of the more well-known aspects of the Western Pacific was its operation of the California Zephyr
passenger train, in conjunction with the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
. The WP handled the "Silver Lady" from Oakland, California, to Salt Lake City, Utah from 1949–1970. The Western Pacific owned several connecting short-line railroads. The largest and most well-known was the Sacramento Northern Railway
, which at one time reached from San Francisco to Chico, California. Others included the Tidewater Southern Railway
, the Central California Traction
, the Indian Valley Railroad
and the Deep Creek Railroad
.
The Western Pacific was acquired in 1983 by Union Pacific Corporation, which would eventually purchase its long-time rival, the Southern Pacific Railroad
, in 1996. In July 2005, Union Pacific unveiled a brand new EMD SD70ACe locomotive, Union Pacific 1983
, painted as an homage to the Western Pacific as part of a new heritage program.
, the WP became a company known both for its innovation and for wringing every dollar out of an investment. It was the first large railroad in the West to eliminate steam locomotive
s in favor of diesels
, then kept some of these early diesels running in regular service long after they had been retired elsewhere. WP also rebuilt many well worn diesels (30) by sending them to Salt Lake City rebuilder Morrison Knudson (M_K Rebuild). It embraced computerized dispatching, concrete railroad ties and innovative equipment to protect customer shipments. The WP purchased new cabooses in the 1960s to replace older wood type cabooses which they scrapped or sent to subsidiaries Sacramento Northern or Tidewater Southern. The WP also purchased new freight cars of the following: autoparts boxcars, covered hopper
s, various types of single- and double-door boxcar
s, bulkhead flatcars, centerbeam flatcars, and also rebuilding outmoded freight cars (such as 40-foot open gondolas
for chip-hauling and service). These freight cars were bought to meet its shippers' requirements. WP was one of the first to run solid trains of COFC (Container On Flat Car) traffic from Oakland APL American Presidents lines to points east via Union Pacific. WP had autoparts on special trains to Milpitas, CA (Ford Plant) with a connection from DRGW or UP at Salt Lake City. The WP yards were located in Stockton, Milpitas, Oroville, Portola, Elko, Oakland, Keddie, Winnemucca, and Salt Lake City.
was the Western Pacific's most famous and popular passenger train the railroad also operated a modest fleet of named trains. These include:
Class I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
railroad in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
had on rail service into northern California. WP's Feather River Route
Feather River Route
The Feather River Route is a rail line that was built and operated by the Western Pacific Railroad. It was constructed between 1906 and 1909, and connects the cities of Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah...
directly competed with SP's portion of the Overland Route
Overland Route (Union Pacific Railroad)
The Overland Route was a train route operated jointly by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad / Southern Pacific Railroad, between Council Bluffs, Iowa / Omaha, Nebraska, and San Francisco, California over the grade of the First Transcontinental Railroad which had been...
for rail traffic between Salt Lake City/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 Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
for nearly 80 years. In 1983, the Western Pacific was acquired by 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....
. The Western Pacific was one of the original operators of the California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
, a passenger train today operated by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
.
History
Western Pacific Railroad (1862–1870)
The Western Pacific Railroad was formed in December, 1862, by a group led by Timothy Dame and including Charles McLaughlin and Peter Donahue, all associated with the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad, to build a railroad from San Jose north to Vallejo's Mills , east through Niles Canyon, north to...
was established in 1865 to build the western-most portion of the Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
between San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
(later Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
), and Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. This company was absorbed into the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
in 1870.
Founded in 1903, the second company to use the name Western Pacific Railroad was part of the Gould
Gould
-Places:* Gould , a lunar crater formation* The Gould Coast, AntarcticaUnited States* Gould, Arkansas* Gould, Colorado* Goulds, Florida* Gould, Oklahoma* Gould Township, Minnesota* Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine-Other uses:...
family's efforts to create a transcontinental railroad in the late 19th and early 20th century.
One of the American West’s most popular railroads, the WP attracted rail enthusiasts
Railfan
A railfan or rail buff , railway enthusiast or railway buff , or trainspotter , is a person interested in a recreational capacity in rail transport...
from around the world. From 1910 to 1982, its diverse route provided scenic views of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, the mountain communities of the Feather River Route
Feather River Route
The Feather River Route is a rail line that was built and operated by the Western Pacific Railroad. It was constructed between 1906 and 1909, and connects the cities of Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah...
, and the deserts of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The Western Pacific originated in 1900 as the Alameda and San Joaquin Railroad
Alameda and San Joaquin Railroad
The Alameda and San Joaquin Railroad was incorporated on May 1, 1895 to serve the coal mines of the San Francisco & San Joaquin Coal Company at Corral Hollow. The line ran from Tesla to Carbona just south of Tracy and then up to Lathrop and Stockton. The line was constructed in 1895...
. The railroad which would become the Western Pacific was financed and built by the
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Denver 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...
, under the direction of George Jay Gould I
George Jay Gould I
George Jay Gould I was a financier and the son of Jay Gould. He was himself a railroad executive, leading both the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and the Western Pacific Railroad ....
, to provide a standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
track connection to the Pacific Coast
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. In 1909, it became the last railroad completed into California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
In 1931, WP opened a main line north from the Feather River Canyon to the Great Northern Railway in northern California. This route, the "Highline", joined the Oakland – Salt Lake City main line at the Keddie Wye
Keddie Wye
The Keddie Wye is a favorite railfan spot at a wye along the Feather River Route, located at Keddie, California, named after Arthur Keddie. Mr. Keddie purchased the survey rights and the right to build a railroad through the Feather River Canyon from George Jay Gould I, the son of Jay Gould...
, a unique combination of two steel trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
s and a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
forming a triangle of intersecting track
Wye (railroad)
A wye or triangular junction, in rail terminology, is a triangular shaped arrangement of rail tracks with a switch or set of points at each corner. In mainline railroads, this can be used at a rail junction, where three rail lines join, in order to allow trains to pass from any line to any other...
.
One of the more well-known aspects of the Western Pacific was its operation of the California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
passenger train, in conjunction with the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and 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,...
. The WP handled the "Silver Lady" from Oakland, California, to Salt Lake City, Utah from 1949–1970. The Western Pacific owned several connecting short-line railroads. The largest and most well-known was the Sacramento Northern Railway
Sacramento Northern Railway
←The Sacramento Northern Railway was originally a electric interurban railway linking Chico in northern California to the California capitol of Sacramento The original name of the line was the Chico Electric Railway, or CERY. CERY was sold after a few months of operation to the Northern Electric...
, which at one time reached from San Francisco to Chico, California. Others included the Tidewater Southern Railway
Tidewater Southern Railway
The Tidewater Southern Railway was a short line railroad in Central California in the United States. For most of its history, it was a subsidiary of the Western Pacific Railroad...
, the Central California Traction
Central California Traction
The Central California Traction Company is a Class III short-line railroad operating in Northern California. It is owned jointly by the Union Pacific and BNSF Railway. The railroad extends from the Port of Stockton to Lodi, California...
, the Indian Valley Railroad
Indian Valley Railroad
The Indian Valley Railroad was a shortline railroad that was constructed from the Engels Copper Mine to a connection with the Western Pacific Railroad at Paxton, in Plumas County, northeastern California.-Construction:...
and the Deep Creek Railroad
Deep Creek Railroad
The Deep Creek Railroad is a defunct railroad company that constructed and operated a line between Wendover and Gold Hill, Utah, a distance of about 45 miles...
.
The Western Pacific was acquired in 1983 by Union Pacific Corporation, which would eventually purchase its long-time rival, the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, in 1996. In July 2005, Union Pacific unveiled a brand new EMD SD70ACe locomotive, Union Pacific 1983
Union Pacific 1983
Union Pacific 1983 is an EMD SD70ACe locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad. It is one of UP's locomotives painted in the scheme of a predecessor railroad. UP 1983 is painted in Western Pacific Railroad colors...
, painted as an homage to the Western Pacific as part of a new heritage program.
Innovations and improvements
Since it competed directly with the long-entrenched and much larger Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, the WP became a company known both for its innovation and for wringing every dollar out of an investment. It was the first large railroad in the West to eliminate steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s in favor of diesels
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
, then kept some of these early diesels running in regular service long after they had been retired elsewhere. WP also rebuilt many well worn diesels (30) by sending them to Salt Lake City rebuilder Morrison Knudson (M_K Rebuild). It embraced computerized dispatching, concrete railroad ties and innovative equipment to protect customer shipments. The WP purchased new cabooses in the 1960s to replace older wood type cabooses which they scrapped or sent to subsidiaries Sacramento Northern or Tidewater Southern. The WP also purchased new freight cars of the following: autoparts boxcars, covered hopper
Covered hopper
A Covered Hopper is a railroad freight car. They are designed for carrying dry bulk loads, varying from grain to products such as sand and clay. The cover protects the loads from the weather - dried cement would be very hard to unload if mixed with water in transit, while grain would be liable to...
s, various types of single- and double-door boxcar
Boxcar
A boxcar is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry general freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is probably the most versatile, since it can carry most loads...
s, bulkhead flatcars, centerbeam flatcars, and also rebuilding outmoded freight cars (such as 40-foot open gondolas
Gondola (rail)
In railroad terminology, a gondola is an open-top type of rolling stock that is used for carrying loose bulk materials. Because of its low side walls, gondolas are used to carry either very dense material, such as steel plates or coils, or bulky items such as prefabricated pieces of rail...
for chip-hauling and service). These freight cars were bought to meet its shippers' requirements. WP was one of the first to run solid trains of COFC (Container On Flat Car) traffic from Oakland APL American Presidents lines to points east via Union Pacific. WP had autoparts on special trains to Milpitas, CA (Ford Plant) with a connection from DRGW or UP at Salt Lake City. The WP yards were located in Stockton, Milpitas, Oroville, Portola, Elko, Oakland, Keddie, Winnemucca, and Salt Lake City.
Passenger operations
While the California ZephyrCalifornia Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
was the Western Pacific's most famous and popular passenger train the railroad also operated a modest fleet of named trains. These include:
- Exposition Flyer (operated between Chicago and Oakland in conjunction with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RailroadChicago, Burlington and Quincy RailroadThe 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,...
and Denver and Rio Grande Western RailroadDenver and Rio Grande Western RailroadThe 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...
prior to the CZ and named after the Golden Gate International ExpositionGolden Gate International ExpositionThe Golden Gate International Exposition , held at San Francisco, California's Treasure Island, was a World's Fair that celebrated, among other things, the city's two newly-built bridges. The San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge was dedicated in 1936 and the Golden Gate Bridge was dedicated in 1937...
of 1939 and 1940) - Feather River Express (between Oakland and Portola, California)
- Royal Gorge (between Oakland and St. Louis)
- Scenic Limited (between Oakland and St. Louis)
- Zephyrette (between Oakland and Salt Lake City)
- California Zephyr ( between Chicago and Oakland)
See also
- California ZephyrCalifornia ZephyrThe California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
- Central Pacific RailroadCentral Pacific RailroadThe Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
- Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific RailroadThe Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
- Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
- Western Refrigerator LineWestern Refrigerator LineTwo distinct and separate railroad refrigerator car companies have operated under the name Western Refrigerator Line.The first, the Western Refrigerator Line was a refrigerator car leasing company founded by the Western Pacific Railroad on January 1, 1923 specifically to service the fruit and...
- Western Pacific Railroad MuseumWestern Pacific Railroad MuseumThe Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, formerly known as the Portola Railroad Museum before , is a heritage railroad that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is...