Home
A Short History
A longer history
Uintah Railway Photos
Uintah Railway Paintings
Existing Rolling Stock
Restoration Program
Current Photos
Rio Grande Chapter
References and Links
Tour the Uintah
Interactive Map

                    Uintah Home Page

                                                                                                                                   Coker painting, courtesy Dick Ebright

The narrow gauge Uintah Railway was built in 1904 to haul Gilsonite (a coal like mineral) from the mines in Eastern Utah to Mack, Colorado where it was transferred to the standard gauge Rio Grande Western Railway.  It featured 65 degree curves (88' radius), a 7.5% grade, and traversed a 8,437 foot mountain divide. In comparison, the D&RGW & RGS sharpest curves were only 24 degrees (238' radius) and steepest grades were only 5%. The Uintah also had two locomotives with 42,000 pounds tractive effort, where in comparison, the largest D&RGW narrow gauge locomotives (the K-37s) were rated at 37,100 pounds.

The railroad was shut down in 1939 because it became much cheaper to transport the Gilsonite by truck, and because an expensive extension would be required for a continuing source of Gilsonite.  Some of the remaining rolling stock is now being restored by the Rio Grande Chapter of the NRHS at the Cross Orchards Living History Farm at Grand Junction CO.

Click on the menu items, at the left, to learn more about the railroad and the restoration program.

NEWS
My new an interactive map has now been added it to this site. It uses the Microsoft Virtual Earth map system and has zooming and panning features as will as displaying the Uintah route. It also displays text when the mouse is held over the icon representing a location. Any comments on this new system would be greatly appreciated. 

 NEW  I just added an interactive map of the Little Bookcliff Railroad. Although not part of the Uintah, the LBC was narrow gauge and near the Uintah.

Have recently finished a site update This included updating several outdated links, adding information about trucks and couplers to the restoration section, the adding of several pictures, and many other minor changes and additions.

As previously mentioned, railroad artist John Coker is doing a painting of the Uintah #50 on commission. I attempted to get permission from the paintings owner to display it on this site, but permission was refused. 

As previously mentioned, our 2006 field trip was restricted to "Members Only" so that the crowd would be small enough for us to "walk the roadbed" to many of the old mines and washed out trestles Etc. The only problem was that it rained heavily for a week before, so we had to cancel the trip. You do NOT drive over Baxter Pass after a heavy rain. No plans have been made yet for out 2007 trip but an announcement will be posted on this page when we do.

Remember, the "Uintah Self Guided Tour" has been added it to this site.  There is a link to a PDF version to make it easier to print your own copy to use in the field.

Still making good progress on the caboose #3 interior. We are now finishing the last of four benches and are installing the pot bellied stove wall and floor insulation and are about to start making the seat cushions.. See the Restoration Program page. Have installed four cupola steps made by our local aluminum foundry and they look great.

Have obtained more information on how the Uintah couplers were installed and plan to redo the coupler installation on caboose #3 next spring. Uintah couplers were mounted without coupler pockets or cheek plates to allow more allowable swing then those on most narrow gauge railroads.