22 Aug 2023 - Golden Spike National Historical Park

 

This morning Liberty seemed to be feeling better so we took her with us about 62 miles north and west to the Golden Spike National Historical Park.  It is at this location on 10 May 1869 at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake, where the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads met and the final ceremonial "Golden" spike was tapped into place followed by the final iron spike driven to signify the completion of the transcontinental railroad.  Central Pacific had laid 690 miles of track and the Union Pacific had laid 1086 miles.  All together they crossed 1776 miles of desert, rivers, and mountains to make the connection!

The transcontinental railroad was a game changer for America.  With over 31,000 miles of rail crisscrossing the eastern United States there was extensive trade but, with exception of muletrain, riverboats and covered wagon,  most of it stopped at the Missouri River.  A transcontinental railroad would open a pathway for emigrants and significantly boost trade all the way to the Pacific coast.

In 1862 there was an initiative in California to create the Central Pacific Railroad and Congress approved funding for them to start building east from Sacramento.  That same year they authorized the Union Pacific Railroad to start building west from Omaha.  It was not until 1864 at the end of the Civil War when labor and supplies became available that construction really commenced.   Work continued year round until it was finally completed on 10 May 1869.  

Thankfully our Alliance friend Alicia Parham mentioned something about this park as it was not on our radar for this trip.  The drive up this morning was quiet after we turned west from I-15.  West of Corinne, Utah we passed a couple interesting sights.  The first one was an antenna site like we had when I served on Air Force active duty in Maine, with a high frequency (HF) steerable log periodic antenna and what looked like an HF omni-directional antenna.  A little Internet search revealed they are apparently part of a northern Utah WebSDR (software-defined radio) receiver that is connected to the internet. Multiple users can tune in and listen to the frequency of their choice simultaneously, and they previously were used for HF propagation research.  

What appears to be an HF log period antenna

What looks like an HF omni-directional antenna (the wires are hard to see)

We also passed a massive secure complex with a sign out front that said something about Northrop Grumman Space Systems and the Space Launch rocket test facility.  I guessed a tour would be out of the question, so we continued on!!   

We arrived at the Golden Spike National Historical Park and checked in at the Visitor Center.  Each day replicas of the Union Pacific No. 119 engine and the Central Pacific Jupiter engines arrive on the tracks, nose to nose as they did back in 1869.  Today only No. 119 was working as Jupiter was receiving a "boiler wash".

The Visitor Center with the actual, original monument out front to the right

So it was minutes before 1000 hrs and Doreen, Liberty and I hustled to the tracks out in front of the Visitor Center to listen to the park ranger talk and witness the arrival of No. 119. 

 

Looking west

Looking east where No. 119 will be arriving

The last ceremonial pine railroad tie that was placed and the final spikes driven

The park ranger telling us anything and everything about 

the history of this location and the spike ceremony

Video of the arrival of No. 119

No. 119 replica rolling coal, literally!  What a beautiful engine!

We were not able to board the engine but there is a platform on the back side where you can climb up, take pictures, talk to the engineer, etc.  

Talking with the engineer

The controls

We finished up outside and then heading into the Visitor Center to watch the movie and visit the museum area.  

The original sign

Finally, the original stone monument signifying completion of the transcontinental railroad and a monument commemoration the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad on 10 May 2019

We are so glad we made the drive up here.  This is such a historic place and a historic event in America's past.  So a few trivia facts about the "Golden Spike". The golden spike is the ceremonial 17.6-karat gold final spike used in the ceremony.  The spike is now displayed in the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University.  The last laurel tie was destroyed in the fires caused by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.  There are actually three other spikes, one of which was recently auctioned off.  One was lesser quality gold, one was silver and was was a mix of gold, silver and iron.  Each was engraved with various dignitaries names, dates, etc.  

That is it for today.  Tomorrow I have a 0945 hrs appointment at the RAM dealer to look at my elusive engine leak.  We plan to visit the mine on Thursday and we also would like to visit the aviation museum here at Hill AFB.  Friday we head east to our next stop.