Steam & Excursion > Wahsatch or Wasatch

I understand the UP's original intention was to call the Big Boys the Wahsatch or Wasatch class, but the "big boy" chalked on one of the engines at the builder apparently just caught on, or something like tht.  The top of the grade east from Ogden is the station of Wahsatch, but the mountain range creating the grade is the Wasatch, which spelling was the UP planning to use?   Not important, but an interesting footnote in history and I'm curious.

JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/19 20:46 by jbwest.

It was going to be Wasatch Class per early company documents.

GMUP

The Big Boy class was named the Wahsatch, to denote the top of the grade west out of Ogden, UT. east of Evanston, WY.  Not far from the location named Wahsatch is Wasatch County.  Wasatch County is the home of the Heber Valley Railroad.  Also, the first home of my wife and I who started Wasatch Railroad Contractors.   The greater Salt Lake Valley is generally known as the Wasatch Front (Front Runner, UTA).  There are a number of companies in the Wasatch Front with the name Wasatch in their business name.  My younger children would often ask me if the Wasatch companies were part of my Wasatch Railroad Contractors.   When naming Wasatch Railroad Contractors I played with the idea of using the word Wahsatch, rather than Wasatch.  I have more personal ties to the word Wasatch.  Our first two sons were born in Wasatch County.    Two words, three general locations.  Wahsatch was the locomotive name.  The Wahsatch Type.   A number of us, mostly directed by our son Wesley is working a new company in the Wasatch family, Wahsatch Model Trains, which is a break off of the Wahsatch & Union Pacific Railroad (an N scale model depicting Weber Canyon, Ogden, Green River and Laramie (to name a few)).   Needless to say we are fond of the word Wasatch/Wahsatch. 

Kindly,

John E. Rimmasch
Wasatch Railroad Contractors
Wasatch Railcar Repair Contractors
Wahsatch Model Trains.

OK, that clears things up!  What do you do when the respected experts disagree!  

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/19 13:32 by jbwest.

i figured you named after the big boy 

An expert is an expert because that person does something professionally. Being an expert or professional doesn’t mean that you do it right. Bubba Watson is a lefty in a sport generally dominated by right handed people. Doesn’t make his winnings any less valuable. Though he hasn’t won as much as Arnold Palmer, doesn’t mean that he isn’t a winner or a professional or an expert.

Generally, there are a few TO experts I don’t agree with. Sure, they have experience. I have experience that is different from others on this page. Some think I’m left handed. Often I feel like the “experts “ of the page are left handed.

What do I do? I shrug it off as just being a person (expert) that walked down a path a different way than I did and rather than engaging in a time wasting debate, I just quietly go my way. If any of you want to know how I specifically feel about an issue or question, just ask me. I get a lot of back door questions related to the “experts” of the page. I see no good in calling out differences publicly. I wasn’t asked, so generally I don’t respond.

Our industry is over loaded with individuals who want to be heard, but that don’t necessarily want to listen to anybody. If certain people don’t want to hear a left handed way of doing something, then why offer it.

If you want to ask me something I’ll do everything in my power to give a good answer based on my professional, expert experience in life and steam railroading. Otherwise, I’ll try to mind my own.

Kindly,

- John E. Rimmasch

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