Central Corridor (Union Pacific Railroad)
Encyclopedia
The Central Corridor is a rail line operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
from near Winnemucca, Nevada
to Denver, Colorado
in the western United States
. The line is in use for freight, and provides the route of the California Zephyr
. The BNSF Railway
has trackage rights
on the entire line. The Utah Railway
has trackage rights from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction, Colorado
. The line was created after the merger with the Southern Pacific Transportation Company by combining portions of lines built by former competitors. No portion of the line was originally built by the Union Pacific; in fact, some portions were built specifically to compete with the Union Pacific's Overland Route
.
, the route follows the Humboldt River
, in a directional running setup with the Overland Route
until Wells, Nevada
. From Wells to Salt Lake, the route, known as the Shafter Subdivision
, loosely follows the historical route of the Hastings Cutoff
across the Great Salt Lake Desert
to Salt Lake. The route tunnels underneath the Pequop Mountains
and crosses the Toano Range
via Silver Zone Pass. The eastern aproach to Silver Zone Pass features a near 360 degree horseshoe curve
known as the Arnold loop.
and crosses the Great Salt Lake Desert
and the Bonneville Salt Flats en route to the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake
and Salt Lake City. Upon reaching Salt Lake City, the line turns south and follows the Jordan River
through Point of the Mountain towards Spanish Fork
.
The highest point on the line is the Moffat Tunnel
, aside from Tennessee Pass
, this is the highest point on the Union Pacific System.
was originally part of the Feather River Route
, built by the Western Pacific Railroad
, acquired by the Union Pacific in 1983. The portion from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction, Colorado
is the former Utah Division
of the Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RGW). From Grand Junction to Dotsero, Colorado
was part of the Tennessee Pass
Line, also built by the D&RGW. From Dotsero to Denver, Colorado
used the Moffat Tunnel
Route, built by the Denver and Salt Lake Railroad. The portion east of Salt Lake City came under the Union Pacific's control from the 1996 acquisition of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. The Western Pacific and D&RGW portions of the line were part of the Gould transcontinental system
.
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
from near Winnemucca, Nevada
Winnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
in the western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
. The line is in use for freight, and provides the route of the California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
. The BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
has trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
on the entire line. The Utah Railway
Utah Railway
The Utah Railway is a class III railroad operating in Utah and Colorado, and owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.-History:The Utah Railway Company was incorporated on January 24, 1912, with the name of Utah Coal Railway, shortened to Utah Railway in May of the same year...
has trackage rights from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
. The line was created after the merger with the Southern Pacific Transportation Company by combining portions of lines built by former competitors. No portion of the line was originally built by the Union Pacific; in fact, some portions were built specifically to compete with the Union Pacific's Overland Route
Overland Route (Union Pacific Railroad)
The Overland Route was a train route operated jointly by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad / Southern Pacific Railroad, between Council Bluffs, Iowa / Omaha, Nebraska, and San Francisco, California over the grade of the First Transcontinental Railroad which had been...
.
Nevada
Proceeding east out of WinnemuccaWinnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
, the route follows the Humboldt River
Humboldt River
The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. At approximately long it is the second longest river in the Great Basin, after the Bear River. It has no outlet to the ocean, but instead empties into the Humboldt Sink...
, in a directional running setup with the Overland Route
Overland Route (Union Pacific Railroad)
The Overland Route was a train route operated jointly by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad / Southern Pacific Railroad, between Council Bluffs, Iowa / Omaha, Nebraska, and San Francisco, California over the grade of the First Transcontinental Railroad which had been...
until Wells, Nevada
Wells, Nevada
Wells is a city in Elko County, in northeast Nevada in the western United States. The population was 1,346 at the 2000 census. Wells is located at the junction of U.S. Route 93 and Interstate 80, approximately east of Elko and is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:The site...
. From Wells to Salt Lake, the route, known as the Shafter Subdivision
Shafter Subdivision
The Shafter Subdivision is a rail line owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad as part of the Central Corridor in the U.S. states of Nevada and Utah. The line begins in Elko, and travels east to the rail siding of Smelter in Utah, at the junction with the Lynndyl Subdivision of the former...
, loosely follows the historical route of the Hastings Cutoff
Hastings Cutoff
The Hastings Cutoff was an alternate route for emigrants to travel to California, as proposed by Lansford Hastings.In 1845, Hastings published a guide entitled The Emigrant's Guide to Oregon and California...
across the Great Salt Lake Desert
Great Salt Lake Desert
The Great Salt Lake Desert is a large dry lake in northern Utah between the Great Salt Lake and the Nevada border which is noted for white sand from evaporite Lake Bonneville salt deposits...
to Salt Lake. The route tunnels underneath the Pequop Mountains
Pequop Mountains
The Pequop Mountains are located in eastern Elko County, in northeastern Nevada in the western United States. The range runs generally north-south for approximately 51 miles...
and crosses the Toano Range
Toano Range
The Toano Range is a group of mountains located in the eastern part of Elko County, in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the Great Basin region of the western United States. The highest point in the range reaches ....
via Silver Zone Pass. The eastern aproach to Silver Zone Pass features a near 360 degree horseshoe curve
Horseshoe curve
Horseshoe Curve may refer to:* Horseshoe curve , track layout used to reduce the gradient a train must travel uphill* Horseshoe Curve , National Historic Landmark* The Horseshoe Curve, an album by Trey Anastasio...
known as the Arnold loop.
Utah
The route enters Utah at WendoverWendover, Utah
Wendover is a city in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,537 at the 2000 census, with a 2006 estimated population of 1,632....
and crosses the Great Salt Lake Desert
Great Salt Lake Desert
The Great Salt Lake Desert is a large dry lake in northern Utah between the Great Salt Lake and the Nevada border which is noted for white sand from evaporite Lake Bonneville salt deposits...
and the Bonneville Salt Flats en route to the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around , but the lake's size fluctuates substantially due to its...
and Salt Lake City. Upon reaching Salt Lake City, the line turns south and follows the Jordan River
Jordan River (Utah)
The Jordan River in the U.S. state of Utah is a river about long. Regulated by pumps at its headwaters at Utah Lake, it flows northward through the Salt Lake Valley and empties into the Great Salt Lake. Four of Utah's five largest cities—Salt Lake City, West Valley City, West Jordan and...
through Point of the Mountain towards Spanish Fork
Spanish Fork, Utah
Spanish Fork is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 31,497 as of the 2008 census estimate.-History:Spanish Fork was settled by LDS pioneers in 1851...
.
- Wasatch Plateau
- Soldier Summit
- Price RiverPrice RiverThe Price River is a river in the state of Utah, in the United States. The river originates in the Wasatch Plateau in central Utah and flows southeastward through Price Canyon, alongside U.S. Route 6, to the cities of Helper and Price...
- Book CliffsBook CliffsThe Book Cliffs are a series of mountains and cliffs in western Colorado and eastern Utah, in the western United States. They are so named because many of them have the triangular appearance of a book that has been opened up, then turned on its sides and set to rest on the open sides of the book,...
- Ruby CanyonRuby CanyonRuby Canyon is a roughly 25 mile long canyon on the Colorado River located on the Colorado-Utah border in the western United States, and is a popular destination for rafting...
Colorado
- Debeque Canyon
- Glenwood CanyonGlenwood CanyonGlenwood Canyon is a rugged scenic canyon on the Colorado River in western Colorado in the United States. Its canyon walls climb as high as above the Colorado River. It is the largest such canyon on the Upper Colorado...
- Gore CanyonGore CanyonGore Canyon is a short isolated canyon on the upper Colorado River in southwestern Grand County, Colorado in the United States. The steep and rugged canyon, approximately 3 miles long, was carved by the river as it passed the northern end of the Gore Range southwest of Kremmling...
- Fraser RiverFraser River (Colorado)The Fraser River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in north central Colorado in the United States. It drains large portion of the Middle Park basin in Grand County in the Rocky Mountains west of Boulder and southwest of Rocky Mountain National Park. It rises at the...
- Moffat TunnelMoffat TunnelThe Moffat Tunnel is a railroad and water tunnel that cuts through the Continental Divide in north-central Colorado. Named after Colorado railroad pioneer David Moffat, the tunnel's first railroad traffic passed through in February 1928....
- Tunnel DistrictDenver and Salt Lake RailwayThe Denver, Northwestern and Pacific Railway was a U.S. railroad company incorporated on July 18, 1902, by David H. Moffat, Walter S. Cheesman, William Gray Evans, Charles J. Hughes, Jr., George E. Ross-Lewin, S.M. Perry and Frank P. Gibson...
(33 tunnels on the eastern ascent of the Rocky MountainsRocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
) - Front RangeFront RangeThe Front Range is a mountain range of the Southern Rocky Mountains of North America located in the north-central portion of the U.S. State of Colorado and southeastern portion of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is the first mountain range encountered moving west along the 40th parallel north across...
The highest point on the line is the Moffat Tunnel
Moffat Tunnel
The Moffat Tunnel is a railroad and water tunnel that cuts through the Continental Divide in north-central Colorado. Named after Colorado railroad pioneer David Moffat, the tunnel's first railroad traffic passed through in February 1928....
, aside from Tennessee Pass
Tennessee Pass (Colorado)
Tennessee Pass elevation is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.The pass traverses the continental divide north of Leadville in a gap between the northern end of the Sawatch Range to the west and the northern end of the Mosquito Range to the east...
, this is the highest point on the Union Pacific System.
History
All of the Central Corridor was built by former competitors to the Union Pacific. The portion from Winnemucca to Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
was originally part of the Feather River Route
Feather River Route
The Feather River Route is a rail line that was built and operated by the Western Pacific Railroad. It was constructed between 1906 and 1909, and connects the cities of Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah...
, built by the Western Pacific Railroad
Western Pacific Railroad
The Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
, acquired by the Union Pacific in 1983. The portion from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
is the former Utah Division
Utah Division (D&RGW)
The Utah Division of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad is a rail line that connects Grand Junction, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah in the Western United States. It is now incorporated into the Union Pacific Railroad system as its Green River and Provo Subdivisions, forming a...
of the Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RGW). From Grand Junction to Dotsero, Colorado
Dotsero, Colorado
- Volcano :Dotsero is built at the base of Colorado's most recently active volcano, the Dotsero Crater, which, according to the United States Geological Survey, erupted 4,140 years ago....
was part of the Tennessee Pass
Tennessee Pass (Colorado)
Tennessee Pass elevation is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.The pass traverses the continental divide north of Leadville in a gap between the northern end of the Sawatch Range to the west and the northern end of the Mosquito Range to the east...
Line, also built by the D&RGW. From Dotsero to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
used the Moffat Tunnel
Moffat Tunnel
The Moffat Tunnel is a railroad and water tunnel that cuts through the Continental Divide in north-central Colorado. Named after Colorado railroad pioneer David Moffat, the tunnel's first railroad traffic passed through in February 1928....
Route, built by the Denver and Salt Lake Railroad. The portion east of Salt Lake City came under the Union Pacific's control from the 1996 acquisition of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. The Western Pacific and D&RGW portions of the line were part of the Gould transcontinental system
Gould transcontinental system
The Gould transcontinental system was a system of railroads assembled by George Jay Gould I in the early 1900s. This was Gould's attempt to fulfill a goal of his late father, financier Jay Gould...
.