Western Railroad Discussion > Baby It's Cold Outside

One of the least photographed railroads in the west is the Deseret Railway; formerly the Deseret Western Railway. This line is the closest line to my home in eastern Utah; about 50 miles away. The fully electrified line connects the Deserado mine in Colorado with the Bonanza Power Plant in eastern Utah. It does not connect with any other railroad. Here is a shot I took today of their coal train leaving the plant after unloading. Power is 3 General Electric E60's. All were formerly National of Mexico Units, but the 3rd unit has not been repainted yet. It was 6 degrees above zero, fully overcast and a little foggy when I took this shot. Just typical winter weather in the Uintah Basin of Utah.

Dick
Roosevelt, Utah

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Is this railway owned by the LDS Church?

No. Its owned by the Deseret Power Electric Cooperative. The electric co-op that serves the town I live in and also the Rangeley, Colorado area owns a part of the plant. Most of the plant's output is sold to southern California.

Dick
Roosevelt, Utah

I understand all of Deseret's equipment was hauled via truck from Rifle (on the ex-D&RGW) to Deserado, Colorado. That would be quite a move!

James

Wasn't this known as the Black Mesa & Lake Powell for a number of years?

No, the BM&LP is in Arizona. This road was originally called the Deseret Western Ry., but later changed it's name to Deseret Ry.

Dick
Roosevelt, Utah

James asked: "I understand all of Deseret's equipment was hauled via truck from Rifle (on the ex-D&RGW) to Deserado, Colorado. That would be quite a move!"

The original equipment was, due to a through truss bridge at Maybelle, Colorado. There is a wild story related to the first two engines. Now that bridge has been replaced with a new bridge, so stuff goes to Craig, then by truck to the mine. The three Mexican engines went via Craig.

KK

2ebright Wrote:
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> No. Its owned by the Deseret Power Electric
> Cooperative. The electric co-op that serves the
> town I live in and also the Rangeley, Colorado
> area owns a part of the plant. Most of the plant's
> output is sold to southern California.
>
> Dick
> Roosevelt, Utah

Interesting as to how California will BUY electricity produced from a coal-fired power plant in another state, but the politicians and NIMBY's won't allow for a coal-fired power plant to be built here.

I don't know if it's true now, but a few years ago I know that a lot of the Bonanza plant's output was sold to the city of Anaheim, CA. One of the largest coal fired power plants in the west is the Intermountain Power Project(IPP) located near Delta, Utah. It is largely owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. It's coal comes from eastern Utah. Some by way of the Utah Ry., and some by the UP.

Dick
Roosevelt, Utah

I may be wrong but it is probably cheaper to buy the power than transport trainloads of coal into California to fuel a plant!

I think his point is more along the lines of "it's fine for Utah to smother its residents with toxic fumes, just don't build one here" as the SoCalites gobble up cheap energy from coal while wringing their hands over greenhouse gas emissions...

You are correct....except it AIN'T CHEAP!

Thanks for posting this picture, and the info along with it. I learned something new today----never heard of this railroad, and I sure didn't know there was an electrified and isolated railroad in Utah....