Western Railroad Discussion > Lehi, Utah Area Railroad Question

What's the status of the original Union Pacific line through Lehi, Utah?

I believe that all through traffic now takes the ex-D&RGW line which is to the west of the UP line. In addition to that, it appears that the Frontrunner commuter rail service will use a new track built adjacent to the D&RGW line.

Thanks.

Stan Praisewater

sagehen Wrote:
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> What's the status of the original Union Pacific
> line through Lehi, Utah?
>

Rails in place, but line is derelict and grade crossing signals are removed. Possible candidate for extension of Light Rail (which absorbed the same line closer to SLC).

Best regards,

Rob L.

sagehen Wrote:
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> What's the status of the original Union Pacific
> line through Lehi, Utah?

Hello Stan,

The old Provo Subdivision (now the Provo Industrial Lead) sees service via the Provo Switcher on Friday mornings. They service the team track at Lehi, the concrete pipe plant at Pleasant Grove, and several industries at Hardy (Lindon). That's about it for now. UTA may build light rail on the right of way one day, but that's not even in the planning stages right now.

Beyond Lehi to the north is Cutler siding where a large refractories plant once used rail service but switched to trucks about 10 years ago. Front there it's a mainline to nowhere (Point of the Mountain). UTA owns the line from the Salt Lake County line northward.

GG

The TRAX/freight use thing might get interesting as the line seems to be attracting new business.
There's a large steel fabricator who actually roofed his unloading area and takes multiple cars per
week, not exactly a friendly neighbor for light rail.

GrandeGold Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sagehen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What's the status of the original Union Pacific
> > line through Lehi, Utah?
>
> Hello Stan,
>
> The old Provo Subdivision (now the Provo
> Industrial Lead) sees service via the Provo
> Switcher on Friday mornings. They service the team
> track at Lehi, the concrete pipe plant at Pleasant
> Grove, and several industries at Hardy (Lindon).
> That's about it for now. UTA may build light rail
> on the right of way one day, but that's not even
> in the planning stages right now.
>
> Beyond Lehi to the north is Cutler siding where a
> large refractories plant once used rail service
> but switched to trucks about 10 years ago. Front
> there it's a mainline to nowhere (Point of the
> Mountain). UTA owns the line from the Salt Lake
> County line northward.
>
> GG


Took one of my boys to chase the Provo Switcher yesterday. In addition to the industries James mentioned, there's a paint place in American Fork that gets tank cars and a mill (I think) in downtown American Fork that gets pressurized hoppers once in a while.

The Trax extension to/thru Draper ended up in Court because the plan is to use the old UP line which loops thru a residential area and the residents are not happy. They wanted it to go down State St instead. So Trax will only go as far as Draper for now, though I've seen maps that show Trax going all the way to Orem at some point.

Nathan

For an abandoned rail line, they sure built a pretty bridge for the undercrossing into the new Cabela's at the Alpine/Thanksgiving Point exit. I think it is wide enough for double track, although the UP never had double track at that location.

http://tinyurl.com/6bzfxy

Along the same line, GG's mention of Cutler brings to mind UP's old Boulter Branch that left the UP line at Cutler, and headed west under D&RGW's line at Mesa. Here is a Google map centered on Mesa:

http://tinyurl.com/6qovgc

You can see the abandoned UP Boulter Branch along the "N Frontage Road" and along "W 2400 N". I've asked what UTA and UP plan to do with the bridges on the D&RGW line at Mesa, making note of the historical nature of both of them (UP Boulter Branch and Salt Lake & Utah interurban line), but as yet, no response.

Don Strack

donstrack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For an abandoned rail line, they sure built a
> pretty bridge for the undercrossing into the new
> Cabela's at the Alpine/Thanksgiving Point exit. I
> think it is wide enough for double track, although
> the UP never had double track at that location.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/6bzfxy
>
> Along the same line, GG's mention of Cutler brings
> to mind UP's old Boulter Branch that left the UP
> line at Cutler, and headed west under D&RGW's line
> at Mesa. Here is a Google map centered on Mesa:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/6qovgc
>
> You can see the abandoned UP Boulter Branch along
> the "N Frontage Road" and along "W 2400 N". I've
> asked what UTA and UP plan to do with the bridges
> on the D&RGW line at Mesa, making note of the
> historical nature of both of them (UP Boulter
> Branch and Salt Lake & Utah interurban line), but
> as yet, no response.
>
> Don Strack


Thanks for history Don, I always wondered why those little bridges were there as I drive my son to preschool and that makes sense now. Hard to tell on the google map but it looks like it makes a large curve south on the other side of the Jordan River but then I lose it. Found some more info on your website about the branch, didn't realize how many railroads used to be here in Lehi.

Nathan