Hey guys, I have been trying to research things on the Wind River canyon, and I was asked about the history of it. When was the line built? When was it sold to the BN (Or the preceeding CB&Q?) Any information will help greatly....
RJ
"Something hidden, Go and find it. Go and look behind the ranges, Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go." The Explorers - Rudyard Kipling
http://sweetwater-photography.com/
I was hoping you'd get some good responses to this, it is a line I'd like to learn more about.
I believe the line was built by the CB&Q, and was finished between Montana and Casper in 1914.
There are three tunnels in the canyon south of Thermopolis. Because of the building of Boysen Dam, a 12 mile line relocation took place, which opened in 1950. This included a 4th tunnel, which at 7130' was the longest on the CB&Q. THere is a former CB&Q tunnel in use inside the dam, and it appears there is a daylighted tunnel just south of Thermopolis.
http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.com./Main%20Page.htm
The CB&Q had 3 more tunnels in eastern Wyoming between Wendover and Guernsey, but the middle one (Sunset Tunnel) was daylighted in 1998.
The Laurel - Orin Jcn. "High Tonnage Line" was completed in late 1914 by CB&Q proper. CB&Q had the Billings Gateway connection with NP up and running by 1894 (via Guernsey), coming over from Guernsey/Sheridan/Gillette. CB&Q almost bought NP twice between 1894 and 1900, then thought better of it. In 1901, the "Q" built into Cody via an arcing line to the south and west from the NP connection at Billings as a branch line. The new "high tonnage" Wind River line connected to the old branch south of the MT/WY state line at Frannie and hopped back off at Warren, north of the border, less than 10 miles.
The Q's location engineers had been busy looking towards the west coast between 1886 and 1890 as an alternative to NP. By the time everybody recovered from the Panic of 1893, no further expansion happened, Laurel and Billings were as far west as it got. (The Q borged the C&S by 1903 and consolidated their hold on those old UP properties by 1908 after major threat UP was on shaky ground. Perkins was pre-occupied with CM, the Hill Empire and other issues.)
Thanks for the info MC!
Dale,
I tried to do some of my own research on it, and all I could find was that website, which I thought was wrong becasue I was almost certian that the C&NW built that line but I think I was wrong in thinking that now. But I did contact the C&NW Historical Society who is in the process of finding some info, including a cpoy of thier plans for westward expanstion past Lander. I think I may contact the CB&Q HS (if there is one) to see what they can tell me.
Basically, what I am trying to do actually, is kind of compile a complete Railroad history of Wyoming and maybe write a paper on it. I have started to look into a small line a friend of mine is interested in (that actually never even entered Wyoming) called the Montana, Wyoming, & Southern and oddly enough I seem to keep uncovering more lines that I have never even heard of. Just tonight I found one called the Northern and Southern RR that ran from Miles City, Montana via Sheridan to Salt Creek (just south of Midwest) before it was abandoned in 1935, never making its destination of Casper. It is becoming truely fascinating.......
Mini:
Ever seen F.C. Overton's book "Burlington Route" on the CB&Q that took it to about 1964-65?
Ever spent some time in the public records room of the local BLM office looking at MT plats? (and the serial case files tied to them?)
Was through Rock Springs less than 10 days ago headed to SLC. With all the road construction, whay don't they just move the whole town while they're at it?
mudchicken wrote:Mini:Ever seen F.C. Overton's book "Burlington Route" on the CB&Q that took it to about 1964-65?Ever spent some time in the public records room of the local BLM office looking at MT plats? (and the serial case files tied to them?)Was through Rock Springs less than 10 days ago headed to SLC. With all the road construction, whay don't they just move the whole town while they're at it?
I KNOW!!! They just started tearing up the other lanes of Dewar Drive after finally finishing the first half. The exit there should be done soon which will end the big interstate projects through Rock Springs. Exit 107 has taken WAAAAAYYYYYY too long and is in its second year as well. But when they finish the whole thing it will be nice.
I will have to head out to the BLM office in the next couple weeks to see what I can dig up...... I never even thought of that. And I will have to see if I can't find that book as well.....
miniwyo wrote: mudchicken wrote:Mini:Ever seen F.C. Overton's book "Burlington Route" on the CB&Q that took it to about 1964-65?Ever spent some time in the public records room of the local BLM office looking at MT plats? (and the serial case files tied to them?)Was through Rock Springs less than 10 days ago headed to SLC. With all the road construction, whay don't they just move the whole town while they're at it? I KNOW!!! They just started tearing up the other lanes of Dewar Drive after finally finishing the first half. The exit there should be done soon which will end the big interstate projects through Rock Springs. Exit 107 has taken WAAAAAYYYYYY too long and is in its second year as well. But when they finish the whole thing it will be nice. I will have to head out to the BLM office in the next couple weeks to see what I can dig up...... I never even thought of that. And I will have to see if I can't find that book as well.....
An MT plat is a "Master Title" plat for a given township (6 miles square, sections 1 through 36) and is a key to how title passed from the government (GLO/BLM) to the first owner (Patent Deed, per se....showing Cash Entry or Homestead exemption usually)...look for the graphical symbol for railroad lines and get the little number attached to that symbol (serial case file #), then get the number and ask for it over the file room counter by filling out the appropriate "pull" order. You also might look at the HI cards (Historical Index) and look for railroad filings by name and serial case #........OG Plats (Oil & Gas) won't help you much for what you are looking for. The main office for BLM in WY is in Cheyenne which handles WY and western NE and is the main repository, the satellite offices have less, but will requisition files from Cheyenne on request. Pick a key location by Township, Range and Principal Meridian and have at it. You are either in the 1875 Wind River Principal Meridian for a small part of Western WY or more likely in the 1855 6th Principal Meridian which also includes CO, NE & KS...
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