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Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad

April 12, 2024

The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad (reporting mark SLR)[1] was a rail company in California, Nevada, and Utah in the United States, that completed and operated a railway line between its namesake cities (Salt Lake City, Utah, and Los Angeles, California), via Las Vegas, Nevada. Incorporated in Utah in 1901 as the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, the line was largely the brainchild of William Andrews Clark, a Montana mining baron and United States Senator. Clark enlisted the help of Utah's U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns, mining magnate and newspaper man, to ensure the success of the line through Utah.[2] Construction of the railroad's main line was completed in 1905. Company shareholders adopted the LA&SL name in 1916. The railway was also known by its official nickname, "The Salt Lake Route", and was sometimes informally referred to as "The Clark Road". The tracks are still in use by the modern Union Pacific Railroad, as the Cima, Caliente, Sharp, and Lynndyl Subdivisions.

Original corporate logo of the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad
SPLA&SL railroad workers, early 1900s in the Tintic Mining District, Utah

History edit

 
San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad locomotive#32, early 1900s

The development of the railway line that became the LA&SL began in 1871 when the Utah Southern Railroad began laying track southward from Salt Lake City. The Utah Southern, controlled by the larger Union Pacific Railroad (UP), built a line to a station known as Juab, Utah, in 1879. From there a second UP subsidiary known as the Utah Southern Railroad Extension took up the work, completing trackage as far as Milford, Utah, in 1880.[3] By the end of the century, these and other lines had been absorbed into the Oregon Short Line Railroad, a far larger UP subsidiary.

Work on extending the Milford line southward began by 1889, but no tracks were actually laid due to financial issues. Construction resumed in 1899 when the route was completed as far as the Utah–Nevada border. Grading work extended into Nevada, and the UP's stated intent was to continue the line all the way to southern California.

Another player entered the scene in 1900, when William Andrews Clark acquired the struggling Los Angeles Terminal Railway with an eye to extending the line northeast to Salt Lake.[4] The railroad was reincorporated in 1901 as the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, and Clark announced plans to construct a line between Salt Lake and southern California. Clark assembled political and financial supporters to assist in the project, both in California and Utah. The competing Union Pacific Railroad and its formidable leader E. H. Harriman stood in opposition to Clark's plan.

 
Newspaper ad with a map of the system, 1904.
 
Advertisement from 1906

Clark's forces began construction work in Nevada, along the existing UP grade, and a brief "railroad war" ensued before Clark and the UP called a truce in 1903. Their agreement called for Clark's railroad to acquire the existing UP trackage south of Salt Lake City. In turn, the UP received a 50% interest in Clark's railroad.[5] Construction of the remaining line proceeded rapidly to Daggett, California, where it connected to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF), and the complete Salt Lake–Los Angeles line was opened on May 1, 1905. In California, Clark negotiated a trackage rights agreement from Daggett to Riverside, California, allowing his new line to use the existing ATSF route over Cajon Pass, in lieu of constructing its own tracks across the pass.[6]

 
Riverside depot of the Los Angeles and Salt, photo postcard published by Brück & Sohn [de] c. 1906

On April 16, 1916, the railroad’s stockholders voted to remove "San Pedro" from the corporation's name. The former town of San Pedro had been consolidated within Los Angeles in 1909. The LA&SL operated independently until April 27, 1921, when the UP agreed to acquire Clark's half-interest in the railroad. After 1921 the LA&SL lines were operated as part of the UP system, although the LA&SL corporation continued to exist on paper until January 1, 1988.[7] The former LA&SL main line remains part of the UP network today as the Caliente and Lynndyl subdivisions.

In 1925, LA&SL reported 1,158 million ton-miles of revenue freight and 192 million passenger-miles. At the end of that year it operated 1,208 miles (1,944 km) of road and 1,970 miles (3,170 km) of track.

Originally, the LA&SL tracks through Utah were the approximate boundary between the Pacific Time Zone and the Mountain Time Zone. However, in April 1969, the time zone boundary was moved such that all of Utah was in the Mountain Time Zone.[8]

Route and stations edit

 
LA&SL depot in Kelso, California, December 2004
 
The Caliente Depot, in Caliente, Nevada, January 2007

Following standard railroad practice, the LA&SL designated a series of locations along its route as "division points"—bases for the railroad's operational and maintenance activities. Traveling southwestward from Salt Lake, the railroad's division point towns were Lynndyl and Milford in Utah; Caliente and Las Vegas in Nevada; and Yermo and San Bernardino in California.[9] The railway also maintained a substantial presence in the remote town of Kelso, California. Nearly the entire route of the railroad traversed rugged and largely unpopulated desert terrain. There were no major population centers between the railroad's endpoints until the city of Las Vegas began its rapid growth in the mid-twentieth century.

The LA&SL was known for its depot buildings, many of which were imposing structures in the Mission Revival architectural style.[10] The largest such depot, at Milford, was razed in 1981 and replaced with a smaller rail office, which remains in use today.[11] The landmark LA&SL stations in Caliente and Kelso survive today. Several smaller Mission Revival depots erected by the railroad still exist in southern California. At least two of the railroad's smaller stations, at Lund and Black Rock in Utah, were designed by the noted architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood. The Salt Lake City depot was built in the French Renaissance style and is a landmark in that city.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Railway Equipment and Publication Company (June 1917). The Official Railway Equipment Register. p. 635.
  2. ^ Malmquist, O.N. (1971). The First Hundred Years: A History of The Salt Lake Tribune 1871–1971. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society. p. 209.
  3. ^ Signor, John R. (1988). The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company: Union Pacific's Historic Salt Lake Route. San Marino, California: Golden West Books. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-87095-101-7.
  4. ^ Signor (1988), pp. 22–26.
  5. ^ Signor (1988), p. 34.
  6. ^ Signor (1988), p. 37.
  7. ^ Signor (1988), p. 223.
  8. ^ U.S. Department of Transportation (1970). Standard Time in the United States. pp. 5, 21.
  9. ^ Signor (1988), p. 42.
  10. ^ Signor (1988), p. 40.
  11. ^ Strack, Don (October 19, 2018). "Union Pacific In Utah, 1900–1996". UtahRails.net. Retrieved November 28, 2018.

Additional reading edit

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.
  • UtahRails.net: Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad chronology and historical data
  • "Salt Lake Route". Los Angeles Herald. 6 May 1903. Retrieved 15 November 2016.


Preceded by
Gardner's Ranch
 Nevada Historical Markers
195 		Succeeded by

April 12, 2024
angeles, salt, lake, railroad, reporting, mark, rail, company, california, nevada, utah, united, states, that, completed, operated, railway, line, between, namesake, cities, salt, lake, city, utah, angeles, california, vegas, nevada, incorporated, utah, 1901, . The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad reporting mark SLR 1 was a rail company in California Nevada and Utah in the United States that completed and operated a railway line between its namesake cities Salt Lake City Utah and Los Angeles California via Las Vegas Nevada Incorporated in Utah in 1901 as the San Pedro Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad the line was largely the brainchild of William Andrews Clark a Montana mining baron and United States Senator Clark enlisted the help of Utah s U S Senator Thomas Kearns mining magnate and newspaper man to ensure the success of the line through Utah 2 Construction of the railroad s main line was completed in 1905 Company shareholders adopted the LA amp SL name in 1916 The railway was also known by its official nickname The Salt Lake Route and was sometimes informally referred to as The Clark Road The tracks are still in use by the modern Union Pacific Railroad as the Cima Caliente Sharp and Lynndyl Subdivisions Original corporate logo of the San Pedro Los Angeles amp Salt Lake RailroadSPLA amp SL railroad workers early 1900s in the Tintic Mining District Utah Contents 1 History 2 Route and stations 3 See also 4 References 5 Additional reading 6 External linksHistory edit nbsp San Pedro Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad locomotive 32 early 1900sThe development of the railway line that became the LA amp SL began in 1871 when the Utah Southern Railroad began laying track southward from Salt Lake City The Utah Southern controlled by the larger Union Pacific Railroad UP built a line to a station known as Juab Utah in 1879 From there a second UP subsidiary known as the Utah Southern Railroad Extension took up the work completing trackage as far as Milford Utah in 1880 3 By the end of the century these and other lines had been absorbed into the Oregon Short Line Railroad a far larger UP subsidiary Work on extending the Milford line southward began by 1889 but no tracks were actually laid due to financial issues Construction resumed in 1899 when the route was completed as far as the Utah Nevada border Grading work extended into Nevada and the UP s stated intent was to continue the line all the way to southern California Another player entered the scene in 1900 when William Andrews Clark acquired the struggling Los Angeles Terminal Railway with an eye to extending the line northeast to Salt Lake 4 The railroad was reincorporated in 1901 as the San Pedro Los Angeles amp Salt Lake Railroad and Clark announced plans to construct a line between Salt Lake and southern California Clark assembled political and financial supporters to assist in the project both in California and Utah The competing Union Pacific Railroad and its formidable leader E H Harriman stood in opposition to Clark s plan nbsp Newspaper ad with a map of the system 1904 nbsp Advertisement from 1906Clark s forces began construction work in Nevada along the existing UP grade and a brief railroad war ensued before Clark and the UP called a truce in 1903 Their agreement called for Clark s railroad to acquire the existing UP trackage south of Salt Lake City In turn the UP received a 50 interest in Clark s railroad 5 Construction of the remaining line proceeded rapidly to Daggett California where it connected to the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ATSF and the complete Salt Lake Los Angeles line was opened on May 1 1905 In California Clark negotiated a trackage rights agreement from Daggett to Riverside California allowing his new line to use the existing ATSF route over Cajon Pass in lieu of constructing its own tracks across the pass 6 nbsp Riverside depot of the Los Angeles and Salt photo postcard published by Bruck amp Sohn de c 1906On April 16 1916 the railroad s stockholders voted to remove San Pedro from the corporation s name The former town of San Pedro had been consolidated within Los Angeles in 1909 The LA amp SL operated independently until April 27 1921 when the UP agreed to acquire Clark s half interest in the railroad After 1921 the LA amp SL lines were operated as part of the UP system although the LA amp SL corporation continued to exist on paper until January 1 1988 7 The former LA amp SL main line remains part of the UP network today as the Caliente and Lynndyl subdivisions In 1925 LA amp SL reported 1 158 million ton miles of revenue freight and 192 million passenger miles At the end of that year it operated 1 208 miles 1 944 km of road and 1 970 miles 3 170 km of track Originally the LA amp SL tracks through Utah were the approximate boundary between the Pacific Time Zone and the Mountain Time Zone However in April 1969 the time zone boundary was moved such that all of Utah was in the Mountain Time Zone 8 Route and stations edit nbsp LA amp SL depot in Kelso California December 2004 nbsp The Caliente Depot in Caliente Nevada January 2007Following standard railroad practice the LA amp SL designated a series of locations along its route as division points bases for the railroad s operational and maintenance activities Traveling southwestward from Salt Lake the railroad s division point towns were Lynndyl and Milford in Utah Caliente and Las Vegas in Nevada and Yermo and San Bernardino in California 9 The railway also maintained a substantial presence in the remote town of Kelso California Nearly the entire route of the railroad traversed rugged and largely unpopulated desert terrain There were no major population centers between the railroad s endpoints until the city of Las Vegas began its rapid growth in the mid twentieth century The LA amp SL was known for its depot buildings many of which were imposing structures in the Mission Revival architectural style 10 The largest such depot at Milford was razed in 1981 and replaced with a smaller rail office which remains in use today 11 The landmark LA amp SL stations in Caliente and Kelso survive today Several smaller Mission Revival depots erected by the railroad still exist in southern California At least two of the railroad s smaller stations at Lund and Black Rock in Utah were designed by the noted architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood The Salt Lake City depot was built in the French Renaissance style and is a landmark in that city See also edit nbsp Trains portalRailroad Cottage Historic District Las Vegas Salt Lake Station Los AngelesReferences edit Railway Equipment and Publication Company June 1917 The Official Railway Equipment Register p 635 Malmquist O N 1971 The First Hundred Years A History of The Salt Lake Tribune 1871 1971 Salt Lake City Utah State Historical Society p 209 Signor John R 1988 The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company Union Pacific s Historic Salt Lake Route San Marino California Golden West Books pp 12 13 ISBN 0 87095 101 7 Signor 1988 pp 22 26 Signor 1988 p 34 Signor 1988 p 37 Signor 1988 p 223 U S Department of Transportation 1970 Standard Time in the United States pp 5 21 Signor 1988 p 42 Signor 1988 p 40 Strack Don October 19 2018 Union Pacific In Utah 1900 1996 UtahRails net Retrieved November 28 2018 Additional reading editMyrick David F 1962 Railroads Of Nevada and Eastern California Volume 2 Berkeley Howell North Books ISBN 978 0 87417 194 5 Strother French January 1906 Swinging The March of Empire Southwestward The World s Work A History of Our Time XI 7072 7078 Retrieved 2009 07 10 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad UtahRails net Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad chronology and historical data Salt Lake Route Los Angeles Herald 6 May 1903 Retrieved 15 November 2016 Preceded byGardner s Ranch Nevada Historical Markers195 Succeeded byCarson City Mint Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad amp oldid 1213930312, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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