Denver and Salt Lake Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | July 1902 |
| Founder | David H. Moffat, Walter S. Cheesman, William Gray Evans, Charles J. Hughes, Jr., George E. Ross-Lewin, S.M. Perry, Frank P. Gibson |
| Defunct | 1947 |
| Fate | Acquired by Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad |
| Headquarters | Denver , United States |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The Denver and Salt Lake Railway (D&SL) was a railroad enterprise headquartered in Colorado, United States. Established in 1902 under the name Denver, Northwestern and Pacific (DN&P) Railway, its primary objective was to link Denver with Salt Lake City, Utah. Despite undergoing several restructurings prompted by financial difficulties, by 1931 the railway had only extended as far west as Craig, Colorado. That year marked its acquisition by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW), which absorbed the eastern portion to form a more efficient route into Denver, while the western section was relegated to a branch line. Presently, segments of the former D&SL are incorporated into Union Pacific Railroad's Moffat Tunnel Subdivision within its Central Corridor, with Amtrak's California Zephyr operating along the corridor between Denver and Bond, Colorado.
History
Founded in July 1902 by David H. Moffat along with prominent figures including Walter S. Cheesman, William Gray Evans, Charles J. Hughes, Jr., George E. Ross-Lewin, S.M. Perry, and Frank P. Gibson, the DN&P aimed to create a direct rail link from Denver to Salt Lake City. This initiative emerged as a response to Denver’s exclusion from key rail networks dominated by competitors like Union Pacific Railroad and Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW). Under Moffat’s leadership as CEO, the company embarked on an ambitious expansion plan designed to secure a foothold in transcontinental rail transportation.
Front Range
Construction commenced in December 1902, pushing westward from Denver before turning north along the Front Range of the Rockies toward Boulder. The line then veered west at South Boulder Canyon. Chief Engineer H.A. Sumner engineered the path to maintain a consistent 2% grade, ascending through features such as the Big Ten Curve and eight tunnels. This alignment provided passengers with striking views of Denver and its surrounding landscape.
Continental Divide
By 1903, the railway reached Tolland, situated near the Continental Divide. The subsequent engineering challenge involved crossing Rollins Pass, which stands at an elevation of . Although plans included constructing a tunnel beneath the pass, financial constraints prevented this. Instead, the DN&P employed switchbacks with a steep 4% grade, alongside tunnels and sweeping loops to navigate this terrain. At that time, it was recognized as North America’s highest mainline railroad route; Rollins Pass later earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 due to its engineering importance. Small stations at Corona and Arrow served as rest and dining stops for crews maintaining operations during severe winter conditions, although heavy snowfall frequently caused train delays lasting several days.
Middle Park
By spring of 1905, tracks had extended westward to Fraser and continued through Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs, and Byers Canyon before reaching Sumner’s engineering masterpiece: a three-mile passage through Gore Canyon. Constructed along steep canyon walls, this segment remains the sole rail corridor through Gore Canyon and was hailed as a "monumental achievement" upon completion. The line proceeded westward to State Bridge before turning north toward Steamboat Springs, arriving there by winter 1909. By 1913, it had reached its ultimate western terminus at Craig in Moffat County, Colorado.
Moffat Tunnel
The difficulties associated with rail travel over Rollins Pass were overcome in 1927 through the completion of the Moffat Tunnel, a passage bored beneath the Continental Divide beneath James Peak, positioned at an elevation of 9,239 feet. Situated approximately fifty miles west of Denver, construction concluded on July 7, 1927, with the tunnel officially transferred to railroad operations on February 26, 1928. Bearing the name of David Moffat, the railroad’s founder who passed away in 1911 during fundraising efforts for the project, this tunnel greatly improved the railroad’s operational capabilities and expanded its market reach.
Dotsero Cutoff
After David Moffat’s passing, the railroad entered receivership in 1912 and was reorganized as the Denver and Salt Lake Railroad (DS&L) in 1913. It was renamed Denver & Salt Lake Railway in 1926 and subsequently acquired by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) in 1931, along with the Denver & Salt Lake Western Railroad, which held rights to a vital 40-mile connector. Construction on the Dotsero Cutoff commenced in 1932 and was completed by 1934, creating a direct rail connection between Denver and Salt Lake City. This strategic expansion significantly enhanced market share and revenue streams. The DS&L was fully integrated into D&RGW by 1947; D&RGW later merged into Southern Pacific in 1988 and eventually became part of Union Pacific Railroad in 1996. Apart from Rollins Pass, most of the original DS&L lines remain in active service today.
Unfinished route
The uncompleted portion of the Denver and Salt Lake Railroad within Utah was intended to traverse the Uinta Basin, an area abundant in oil shale reserves. Since 1915, numerous public and private initiatives have sought to connect this basin to the national rail system to leverage its energy potential. In 1984, the Deseret Power Railroad was built to transport coal from a Colorado mine to a power plant in Utah, partially following the proposed D&SL alignment but remaining isolated from broader national rail networks.
A 2015 assessment conducted by the Utah Department of Transportation emphasized establishing a freight rail corridor to serve the Uinta Basin to ease highway congestion and lower transportation expenses compared to other oil-producing areas with existing rail access. Several routes were considered, including those resembling the original D&SL plan; however, priority was given to a corridor through Indian Canyon connecting with Union Pacific’s Central Corridor near Soldier Summit—underscoring continued strategic efforts to enhance rail infrastructure for regional economic development.
External links
- Defunct Colorado railroads
- Former Class I railroads in the United States
- Predecessors of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
- Companies based in Denver
- Railway companies established in 1926
- Railway companies disestablished in 1947
- American companies established in 1926
- American companies established in 1912
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment