EXHIBITS
The Utah-Idaho Central Railroad: Northern Utah’s Interurban Experience: Downfall of the Interurban - Impacts of the Great Depression and World War II
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Downfall of the Interurban - Impacts of the Great Depression and World War II
The optimism and hope of the Roaring Twenties disappeared with the onset of the Great Depression in 1929. Businesses and people across the nation were affected by the crash of the stock market and the downturn of the economy. The U.I.C. was not spared from these effects, and it would never recover from the Depression. The railroad operated at a loss from 1929 throughout the 30s and had little hope for improvement. In 1939 the company experienced receivership[1] once more, with only a loan from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (established by the federal government as part of the New Deal) keeping it afloat.[2] With the outbreak of World War II, U.I.C. leadership would have likely expected profits to return as the nation mobilized for war and the need for transportation services increased dramatically. However, Sorensen writes that some limitations prevented the U.I.C. from gaining any expected revenue.[3] Thus, the U.I.C. was forced to rely on less profitable freight such as coal and sugar beets as the main source of income; both were unreliable, especially with the start of coal strikes in the early 40s.[4] Ambrious Larsen gave his opinion of the fall of the U.I.C.: “I don't think they [northern Utah] had the business for the two trains. I think one company could handle all the freight, and I think it was just a matter of one having to go out, and UIC was the one that went out.”[5]
In addition to competition from outside railroad companies, a decline in the number of paying passengers also contributed greatly to the decline of the U.I.C. This situation resulted from a combination of a small population base within the region of operation and the increase in the use of automobiles and buses.[6] The improvement and greater use of automobiles led to the improvement of roads, especially the U.S. Highway 89 between Brigham City and Wellsville. Lawrence Cantwell discussed the implications that the road through this canyon had on the U.I.C. “But Sardine was a much closer road—It was rather steep in places. They had to make dug ways through it, and with better power and equipment, steam shovels and so forth, the road was improved so that automobiles could make the trip down into Brigham much faster.”[7] The U.I.C. Railroad was no longer the most efficient or reliable means of transportation between Preston and Ogden and could not survive without the support of the communities it serviced.
Having lost its role as a transportation service for both freight and passengers, the railroad could no longer maintain its lines, fund its employees, or pay taxes and interest on the loans it had needed during the Great Depression. “On December 20, 1946, UIC asked the Interstate Commerce Commission for authority to abandon its entire line.” At the time of this application, the company was only able to operate one train on the entire route, without maintenance or upkeep.[8] The application was granted and plans were made for the selling of all U.I.C. equipment, real estate, and other property. On March 18, 1947, a final train car made a ceremonial trip from Ogden to Preston and back, stopping at every station and filling the air with its whistle for the last time.[9] The possessions and property of the railroad were then auctioned off starting in August of 1947.[10] The tracks, ties, and electric wire were scrapped or used in other railroads, stations and right-of-ways were purchased by property owners or businesses, and an external bus company took over operation of the bus services.[11] All that remained of the train after forty-seven years of service were traces of railroad grades, memories, some high-quality railroad stations, and the collection of company records and documents that survived.
Selected Images of the U.I.C. During the 1930s & 1940s
Efforts to Save the Railroad
Correspondence between Herschel Bullen, the director of the Logan Chamber of Commerce at the time, and attorneys, Union Pacific Representatives, and others demonstrates the reluctance of local leadership in allowing the U.I.C. to abandon its lines and services. Bullen recognized the impact that abandoning the U.I.C. would have on local industry and agricultural interests, and he sought for a way to keep the U.I.C. in operation or to replace it with a similar service for the good of the Cache Valley economy. Some examples of his correspondence can be viewed here. Despite his best efforts, the U.I.C. could not recover and maintain their equipment.
Frederick Champ, as a prominent banker and board member with extensive financial experience, assisted the United States Chamber of Commerce in renewing chamber memberships for many companies in Utah. This correspondence below between Champ, representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and corporate leaders within Utah demonstrates the failing financial situation of the U.I.C. towards the mid to late 40s. The letter from Donald Marcellus to R. E. Titus indicates the benefits of renewing chamber memberships in the recovering economy.
