Nostalgia & History > UP Train 31, August 1947, Ogden

Maybe someone here on Trainorders can help with identifying UP's Train 31.

This is an Emil Albrecht photo of a UP train in Ogden, Utah, in August 1947. The locomotive is UP 4-6-2 3119, and the number board shows Train 31. But I can't find a reference to a Train 31 that would be operating through Ogden.

The train is headed north, after traveling from Salt Lake City, by way of the balloon track at Bridge Junction. Meaning that the train appears to be a Salt Lake City to Pocatello, or Butte train.

Or the number board is wrong and simply shows the '31' from the engine number.

The attached map shows the balloon track, which allowed Salt Lake City passenger trains bound for points north of Ogden access to Ogden Union Station. Trains from Salt Lake City entered Ogden from the west (top of map), and exited north (right side of map) after departing the depot (lower right).

Don Strack

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According to the February, 1951 Official Guide, trains 31 and 32 "The Idahoan" ran from Salt Lake City to Pocatello 
 thru Ogden. Arrival and depature times for 31 as 6:35 to 7:00 PM.  Lists 2 sleepers, coaches, and a dining car for
  equipment.













 

     

 

Just wondering... Is that Ed's grandfather sticking out of the cab?

John.

sfsnake Wrote:
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> According to the February, 1951 Official Guide,
> trains 31 and 32 "The Idahoan" ran from Salt Lake
> City to Pocatello 
>  thru Ogden. Arrival and depature times for 31 as
> 6:35 to 7:00 PM.  Lists 2 sleepers, coaches, and
> a dining car for
>   equipment.

Thanks for the reminder to check the Official Guide. I was looking at other material. Here is a screen capture from the July 1948 Official Guide. It looks like Train 31 was the Salt Lake City-Pocatello connection with Train 11, The Portland Rose.

Don Strack

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Thats the pretty much the same consist in the 51' Guide except it shows a
  diner instead of the cafe-lounge. Very nice photo!!
 

Looks to me like #11 is the "Idahoan", not the Portland Rose.....typically nos 17/18.

It's always a good day when Mr Strack makes one of his posts.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

The Portland Rose was No. 17 and No. 11 originated at Green River and also ran as the Idahoan with a connection with No. 3 the Utahn from Omaha. In its last years of operation No. 11 was an un-named mail train.

jkh2cpu Wrote:
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> Just wondering... Is that Ed's grandfather
> sticking out of the cab?
>
> John.

Why don't we just conclude that "Ed" is just following tradition/ancient operating practices?  I'm not an Ed fan, but this is getting really old.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

I'll be darned, it must be hereditary ???  Who'd have thunk??

   Ross Rowland

Don,

As a side note.... look at the cylinder jacket in the picture. The jacket is not black, it is grey (most likely). If you look at black and white photos long enough you start to pick out grey scale items like this. Comparing the boiler jacket to the cylinder jacket, they definitely are not the same color.

- John E. Rimmasch

Posted from iPhone

The gray is probably "Russian Iron" as it was called.
Go

Wasatch-RR-Cont Wrote:
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> Don,
>
> As a side note.... look at the cylinder jacket in
> the picture. The jacket is not black, it is grey
> (most likely). If you look at black and white
> photos long enough you start to pick out grey
> scale items like this. Comparing the boiler
> jacket to the cylinder jacket, they definitely are
> not the same color.
>
> - John E. Rimmasch

The same photo was used on page 68 of Emil's "Union Pacific Small Steam Power" book, and Train 31 is identified as the Butte Express. 

A closer examination of the original photo shows that UP 3119 is painted in two-tone gray, with light-colored ("Silver Gray," or "Striping Gray") horizontal striping. UP 3119 was one of 14 4-6-2 Pacific types that received two-tone gray. More information about UP's two-tone gray Pacifics can be found on this web page. 

http://utahrails.net/up/ttg-pacifics.php

Don Strack
http://utahrails.net/