Western Railroad Discussion > Wahsatch Tank?

This tank sits up at the top of Echo Canyon.  Maybe those in the know have a more exacting name for this place?  There is a long spur (I don't think it tied in at the West end) with all, or nearly all, rail dated 1918!
If rail could talk, right?
SR

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It looks identical to the SP tanks. Harriman Standard?

That's kinda what I thought too- but I'm leaving it to any UPRR experts to give a shout out here. I'm not wise in the ways of Uncle P.
SR

Same Wahsatch tank that was in the
Steinheimer pic in the DeGolyer book?

That is the water tank at Wahsatch. Wahsatch had a center siding to remove the helpers up the grade and allow them to return west and the tank was there for water. This location was always spelled different from the mountain range to the west.
On the section of the UP from Ogden up through Weber and Echo canyons, helpers were placed ahead of the caboose so I was told at Wahsatch the helpers were uncoupled and a drop was made on the caboose with the helper going into the center siding and the caboose down the main to the eastbound train. Also there is a 350 gallon water tank at Wamsutter, WY along with several other locations along the railroad.
Also for those interested, a slight detour off of I-80 to Bitter Creek will get you a look at a Water Softening tower along with the concrete water tank base.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

BoilingMan Wrote:
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> This tank sits up at the top of Echo Canyon. 
> Maybe those in the know have a more exacting name
> for this place?  There is a long spur (I don't
> think it tied in at the West end) with all, or
> nearly all, rail dated 1918!
> If rail could talk, right?
> SR

Thanks for posting your photos, it's an interesting place. As others mentioned, the station name is Wahsatch. The spur track that you photographed was originally a helper "escape track" that ran west to a wye then connected to the westward main track. Now it's just a dead-end spur. If you get up there again, follow the spur a few hundred yards to the west and you'll find an abandoned tunnel. The tunnel was used for the EB main track from the time it was constructed in 1916 until 1943 when it was by-passed with a cut.

Take care,

Mark



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/17 19:53 by mamfahr.

Bob3985 Wrote:
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> That is the water tank at Wahsatch. Wahsatch had a
> center siding to remove the helpers up the grade
> and allow them to return west and the tank was
> there for water. This location was always spelled
> different from the mountain range to the west.
> On the section of the UP from Ogden up through
> Weber and Echo canyons, helpers were placed ahead
> of the caboose so I was told at Wahsatch the
> helpers were uncoupled and a drop was made on the
> caboose with the helper going into the center
> siding and the caboose down the main to the
> eastbound train. Also there is a 350 gallon water
> tank at Wamsutter, WY along with several other
> locations along the railroad.
> Also for those interested, a slight detour off of
> I-80 to Bitter Creek will get you a look at a
> Water Softening tower along with the concrete
> water tank base.

I have an old Video Rails tape with color footage shot by Hank Griffiths that shows a late Challenger being cut off of a train it had just helped upgrade. The locomotive had been cut in ahead of the caboose and they used what they called a 'flying switch' to remove the helper at the top of the hill and couple the caboose all in one maneuver. I think the footage was shot at Wahsatch.

Scott Griggs
Louisville, KY