Union Pacific's Overland Route: the Rawlins and Evanston Subdivisions

Welcome to the final segment in Union Pacific's Overland Route: America's Original Superhighway, by the Thornapple River Rail Series.
In this miniseries, part of our Superhighway specials, we're touring the entire Union Pacific portion of the first Transcontinental Railroad, long known as the Overland Route, nearly a thousand miles of railroad spanning from the Missouri River at Omaha, Nebraska to the Great Salt Lake at Ogden, Utah.
An incredible railroad, the original Transcontinental Railroad is today a superhighway of commerce, featuring dozens of freight trains of all types through the American heartland. From the lush framlands of the Midwest to the deserts of Wyoming and Utah, the railroad is as incredible and unique as any other.
In this final segment, covering the Rawlins and Evanston Subdivisions, we begin near the continental divide, on the western fringes of Rawlins, Wyoming. Progressing across the high desert through the Great Divide Basin, the railroad passes through sparse terrain, before rolling into the oasis of Green River, a crew change point and the beginning of the Evanston Sub.
The Evanston Sub finishes the run across the Wyoming Desert before dropping down the famed Wahsatch Grade into the Great Salt Lake Basin. The grade, for which the Challengers, Big Boys and Gas Turbines were built, represents some of the best western scenery on the Union Pacific portion of the Overland Route: America's Original Superhighway.
Locations featured in this video:
Rawlins, WY
Wamsutter
Rock Springs
Green River
Granger
Evanston
Wyuta - Utah/Wyoming State Line
Wahsatch
Emory
Echo
Henefer
Sharps Hollow
Mountain Green
Ogden, UT
LINKS:
Part 1: the Omaha & Columbus Subs: • Union Pacific's Overla...
Part 2: the Kearney Sub: • Union Pacific's Overla...
Part 3: the North Platte and Sidney Subs: • Union Pacific's Overla...
Part 4: the Laramie Sub: • Union Pacific's Overla...
Part 5: the Rawlins and Evanston Subs: • Union Pacific's Overla...
Thanks for watching! Don’t forget to share this video, like and subscribe to Thornapple River Rail Series!
Like TRRS on Facebook! / thornappleriverproduct...
Videography Equipment:
-Primary: Sony HDR-PJ790V HD Camcorder
-Edited with: Cyberlink PowerDirector 13
Maps created using Google Maps base imagery, with additional annotations.
Track diagrams based on ATCS territory files.
Elevations based on a Union Pacific Passenger Timetable from 1969.
Copyright 2017 Thornapple River Rail Series by Alex Christmas, All Rights Reserved

[@iusetano]

I loved this series. Some of the best work seen. Excellent video Alex. I hope to see more of your fine videos.

[@e020443]

This is the fourth of your videos that I've watched, and you've set the standard, as far as I'm concerned,. The composition of the shots, the quality of the images, the historical notes, the maps and the audio all add up to a wonderful experience. I've travelled over the West for most of my life, partly as a long-haul trucker on I80, so can really appreciate the scenery -- good times. Thanks.

[@n-scaleunionpacificevansto6569]

A spectacular video! I especially appreciate it since I am trying to capture "the feel" of the Union Pacific Evanston Subdivision on my N-scale layout. ...Roy

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

That sounds like a fun layout! Going to be running Challengers, Big Boys, Turbines and DD40Xs? That seems to be required!

[@n-scaleunionpacificevansto6569]

I may eventually begin to run one of the Kato N-scale steam locomotives heading up an excursion train on my layout, but for now, my layout is populated with modern diesels, that is, ES44AC's and SD70ACe's. ...Roy

[@SuperAWaC]

i knew i'd find you here, roy.

[@vikingofengland]

@@n-scaleunionpacificevansto6569 I was just about to send you this link Roy then noticed you had already been here!

[@tonyordaziii7250]

Are you gonna film the Union Pacific Wyoming Division mainline again

[@Wikkus]

Well done on this highly professional-feeling series. I have just spent my afternoon off watching them back to back instead of doing my household chores :D

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Thanks - sounds like my mission for this series was accomplished in your eyes!

[@brandonkoole655]

Love the professionalism in your videos! The filmography and narration are very well done :).

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Thanks!

[@davecasler]

Excellent. You must've had a blast filming this!

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

You bet!

[@geomodelrailroader]

Evanston subdivision is an amazing place it is here that Union Pacific crosses the Wasatch Range. In 1869 this is where of the rails were joined. The Evanston subdivision is home of the Yards of Ogden 50 miles west of here the Golden Spike was driven into the ground since then Ogden has become the heart of the Transcontinental Railroad every train going to all corners of the West Coast go through this yard written on the side of the Depot is the city's motto "you can't go anywhere without coming to Ogden" known as The Junction City of the West Ogden has tracks running through it and all four directions on a compass the Northbound track heads to Butte Montana and Pocatello yard in Idaho where it connects with the OSL which goes to Portland. The westbound track goes over the causeway and directional runs with the Feather River route of Western Pacific all the way to Roseville on the Southern Pacific and Donner Pass East track is the Transcontinental Railroad itself which takes UP all the way to Council Bluff Yard in Omaha the South track is the Central Corridor which is operated by Utah rail and the Utah Transit Authority with Union Pacific and BNSF operating along the line via trackage rights this line goes all the way to Salt Lake where it splits into four additional tracks with the East line out of Salt Lake headed southeast to Roper Yard and then East via Soldier Summit to Denver the West track out of Salt Lake is the Western Pacific Line of the Shafter Sub it heads over Silver Zone Pass and enters Roseville from the North East Via Feather River Canyon. The south track and the southwest track go to the same destination Midvale Utah these are the Sharp Subdivision and the Lynndel Subdivisions Union Pacific uses this track and also BNSF via trackage rights to deliver cars from Los Angeles and Barstow this line is also known as the San Pedro and Salt Lake which stretches from Butte Montana to Los Angeles California and ends on Terminal Island in the San Pedro community of Long Beach. Freight along this line is mostly containers and domestic Freight most of the Manifest traffic goes to the sharp subdivision and is sorted at Roper all BNSF traffic is sorted at Provo with switching done by Utah Rail all Intermodal traffic is sorted at Terminal on the west end of Salt Lake which is the new yard that opened in 2003 to alleviate congestion at Union Pacific's Warm Springs yard on the OSL the former Intermodal facility is now home of the Utah Transit Authority Maintenance Center which is home base for the FrontRunner trains which are seen every single day except for Saturday and Sunday on the Central Corridor.

[@663rainmaker]

Aaron Peavler/Geomodelrailroader Railroad Photography Family

[@robertebirch1]

Gotta tell you - this series of videos is INCREDIBLE!!! You've really done an amazing job here. My daughter lives in Rock Springs, which drew me to this particular video, and the rest of the series just fell into place. Excellent videography, maps, factual and easy-on-the-ears narration. This series is a winner!!!

[@WVS-KFD]

Enjoyed the series. Nice work! In your narration, I really appreciate some of the extra details you offer. I'd like to see more of that--info about locomotives, cars, maintenance, etc.

[@denisetindall1487]

I like train videos on KZbin 👍

[@663rainmaker]

Denise Tindall TrainCrazeDaze

[@663rainmaker]

Wamsutter Wyoming and a Big Boy from the 1950’s Crashed here.. I am from Cheyenne Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 been up and down these tracks before and the history of much of our Wyoming railways My Family member has a place inside the GOLD SPIKE Museum in Bailey Yard North Platte Nebraska USA 🇺🇸! WhoootWhooooot I am truly a old dinosaur 🦕 and part of “ The Over The Hill Gang “ Cheyenne to Laramie Wyoming USA 🇺🇸!

[@geomodelrailroader]

16:24 the Shop Goat has picked up the bad order from your Green River video and it is headed to the shop.

[@Silver_Turtle]

I have abstained from any comments until the entire series were viewed. That time has come. So here they are. 1. Entire series was entertaining, informative, and actually fun! 2. Kudos to you for your effort. 3. Sly observation -- I won't say for sure; but I think you filmed the same eastbound intermodal train several times, and each time it was shown, the train was father west. If not, it sure looked the same!

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Fun fact: this series was largely show in the opposite direction in which is was filmed. My father and I deadheaded from Michigan to Ogden, and then headed east over a week. So yes, that one intermodal, and oil train, too, are the same eastbound repeated in several distinct locations as me moved east throughout the day. There are some exceptions to this eastward rule, particularly around Sherman, but you're certainly correct in your assertion!

[@Silver_Turtle]

And it did not detract from the overall quality of this series. Again kudos for the effort.

[@tonyordaz3326]

Can you do another video series of the Union Pacific's Overland Route Rawlins and Evanston Subdivisions with the cities that you missed like Tipton, Riner, Creston, Morgan, Peterson, Castle Rock, Aspen, Altamont, Carter, Thayer, Bitter Creek, Red Desert. Then another video series of the Union Pacific's Laramie Subdivision and Sidney Subdivision with North Platte.

[@quailanddeer]

Very nicely done. Thank you. In a future video, you may want to show the water tank and an outbuilding that still stands at Wahstach, the foundations and trees and still-flowing piped spring at the small ghost town water stop at Emory and the remarkable and interesting Thousand Mile Tree (from Omaha) in Weber Canyon just west of Henefer. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thousand_Mile_Tree

[@unionpacificrailfan783]

hey Thornapple River Rail Series i just wonderin ik you havent been to Oklahoma can ya stop by Welch Oklahoma BlueJacket and Vinita Oklahoma to see Union Pacific's Cherokee Subdivision hope ya do it for me Union Pacific Overland Route

[@slowb4lls1]

I feel like this video is showing most of union pacifics EMD’s leading those trains, anywhere else is dash 9’s and gevo’s and ac4400. Almost every train ya caught had a ace or new acu leading…. Anyone notice that? Another great video man keep it up!

[@OrangeHeartRailfanProductions]

34:00 As you might see in my profile picture, I got 4014 at that exact spot this past May.

[@geomodelrailroader]

39:19 The Yards of Ogden themselves this is the jewel in the crown that is the Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago the Golden Spike was driven in the ground near here but since Promontory did not fit as the junction of the lines they moved it to here Ogden. It is here where UP tracks end and SP, WP, Rio Grande, Utah Northern, and OSL tracks begin every day 1 million trains going to ever corner of American go through here.

[@calebg844]

It bugs me that everyone who makes videos and is not from Wyoming pronounces Wamsutter wrong. It’s not Wham but Wam with a long A. Great video though

[@johndalley1192]

Having grown up in Utah and living near Ogden for years, I remember seeing Southern Pacific trains heading west to cross the Great Salt Lake and UP heading for Salt Lake to continue west on the south end of the Lake following I 80 out to Nevada. What is interesting to note that those 2 lines now merge near Wells Nevada. So UP can chose both lines to head for Sacramento going over the Serra Nevada mountains

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

An arrangement that works well, except as recently when that dam failure on the SP in Utah and flooding on the WP in CA made for some real headaches!

[@geomodelrailroader]

I know with the seasonal rain taking out the tracks on the Utah border and the feather sub close because ofthe destruction of Oroville Dam up we'll have to reroute most of it's traffic to get into Roseville. Recently on the SP side of the Transcontinental Railroad the rotaries were brought out of mothballs is always good to see those big machines throw the snow off of the Transcontinental Railroad.

[@stevegrassrope8863]

The info’s very helpful!

[@uwlwsrpm]

Thank you for your hard work in bringing us this tour/pseudo-history lesson. Count me in as another avid supporter of your journey if you ever decide to cover the rest of the route from SLC to Sacramento.

[@kashaunjeffery]

Once the crews board up and head westbound from Rawlins , where do they layover at for the next trip back !?

[@pumkinvine4175]

Excellent video production! Best train watching on KZbin.

[@thameswanderer]

Watching this reminds me just how huge the US is!

[@TigerDominic-uh1dv]

Kudos To The Film Crew 🎥 ❤. Love Your Work.

[@peckelhaze6934]

Absolutely a brilliant series. I am from the UK so have never seen these places but with an interest in US railroading the narrative is very interesting and enlightening. I hope you do more.

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

A similar series on the NS Chicago Line is in the works!

[@YardLimit]

Excellent job again! Thanks.

[@TigerDominic-uh1dv]

Those Engines Sure Do Work 😊.

[@TigerDominic-uh1dv]

What Beautiful Veiws. 😂

[@dustincallison5250]

I love your videos, the content is excellent. I enjoy the hard work you do keep it up my brother every time a new video comes out I damn near trip over my own self just to get to my phone so I can watch it anyway good work Alex keep it up hope to see some new video soon.

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Thanks Dustin! Glad you enjoyed it

[@bringbackthepennsy9307]

Magnificent series. A small note. Every year around October, the UP closes Moffat Tunnel for about 2 weeks for preventative pre-winter maintenance, and the Amtrak California Zephyr is diverted around it from Sparks, Nevada, via Green River and back to Denver. You can still travel some of this route.

[@deltanine6497]

Like very much, but I wish you would have shown a bit of Rawlins, like the yards/fueling racks and UP Consolidation 533 . If you take the 80 bypass, sadly you'll miss the town.

[@philliplee980]

awesome video.

[@geomodelrailroader]

17:09 Grangerville is an important junction on the Transcontinental Railroad it is here the OSL begins and starts its trek to Portland Oregon. Trains bound for Pocatello Yard make their turn here before heading northwest passing through Kemmerer and Soda Springs before joining the North Ogden Sub at McCammon Junction where they directional run with the Utah Northern all the way to Pocatello Yard.

[@geomodelrailroader]

10:50 as we begin our tour of Green River Yard the Union Pacific Fruit Express makes a stop at Green River. The 15th car in the train is having brake problems and is bad order the crew will set it out for a trip to the shop and a replacement car will be added before this train continues on to Pocatello Yard.

[@andrewellis158]

This is a great video. I understand that due to operational changes UP made in the last two years the number of trains crossing this route each day has been greatly reduced.

[@lindsaymoore7232]

Hi Alex, this another great video in this series worth watching over again. Lots of good information on railroad hot spots.

[@ragnarsbrother6049]

This was an excellent series you put together. You're a long way from the Thornapple River son. Love to see people passionate about what they do.

[@Jaxanator25]

Ahh the sound of an engine giving its all while going upgrade. It will never be forgotten whether it be a GE or EMD

[@irvinklugh8858]

LOVE IT

[@briancrompton2361]

great job Alex, very informative series thanks again

[@maineman11]

Nicely educational. Thanks.

[@J3scribe]

A marvelous series! Your narration is spot on (even if your spelling and grammar in the opening segments is atrocious. Shame on you). I enjoyed every minute of it!. I will definitely be recommending this series of videos to anyone who wishes to learn about the Overland Route, and how important it is to the unification of the USA. A spot on presentation. Thank you!

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Hi, just curious, what did I do wrong in the spelling and grammar department?

[@J3scribe]

​@@ThornappleRiverRailSeries​, numerous misspellings in the forward, including "my" where you meant may, "with" where you meant without and "conset" where you meant consent. It may be nitpicking, perhaps, but when one strives to be professional, the little details count. But as I also said, I've enjoyed many of your videos. Top notch presentations all.

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Ahh yes, those typos. The first two were fixed in later editions (after they were pointed out after upload of the first parts) but you're the first one to see the issue with "consent" and mention it. Oops! Just goes to show how easy it is to slip misspellings by yourself. It's too bad I have no way to edit these now that they're online, because it is super easy to fix those captions, and in fact, my archival copies were updated to fix the errors.

[@J3scribe]

@@ThornappleRiverRailSeries, the internet is rife with spelling errors. Frankly, most people don't even notice anymore because they are half illiterate. That's why younger generations resort to acronyms, and even many of those shortcuts are incorrect. lol

[@charlesbrooks2051]

I like the narration too for us that have never been where this train travels!

[@Perfusionist01]

Really well done! A terrific video

[@kemer1977]

I would love to see the rest of the line west. Rest of Utah, through Nevada and California. All the way to the Pacific. Any plans of doing something like that?

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

I'd love to, but the west end is a lot farther from home and with traffic density less than the east end, it'd be more of a challenge to get all the shots I need, with the split lines and all. It's not impossible, but it is improbable in the near-term.

[@kemer1977]

Thornapple River Rail Series That's very logical. Especially within the Los Angeles basin. How about doing it as far as the Cajon Pass?

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Ahh, I think you're somewhat mistaken. The western half of the Transcontinental Railroad actually terminates in Sacramento or Oakland (depending on your definition), not Los Angeles. As far as Cajon Pass, you're thinking of the Santa Fe's Transcon. Speaking of which, the Transcon is another distinct possibility to cover...it is certainly on the radar. For now, we've got several midwestern projects to wrap and a few more coming!

[@kemer1977]

Thornapple River Rail Series It wouldn't surprise me if I was mistaken. But then how does the Las Vegas line come into play? I know it's exclusively UP running through here. Never BNSF or CSX. Does the line go from Ogden, to Salt Lake, through Vegas, then somehow diagonally across Nevada to the bay area?

[@IanPunter]

im not Thornapple but VERY qualified to answer your question. You got most of it right. It goes Ogden,SaltLake,Vegas then down to Barstow to join the huge BNSF mainline down to Cajon Pass,San Bernadino, splits from BNSF at Riverside, then to LA. The LA area rr map is very interesting and confusing, but it would take a long explanation.

[@ojofelixnm3608]

$

[@brucecarlson2999]

Really like the Overland Route series

[@wayned1807]

This was a great series to watch. Well done. Thank you! May I ask what equipment you use? You seem to have the wind noise (my pet peeve) under control yet you can still hear the power of the engines.

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Equipment is in the description. This was shot with a Sony Camcorder which had an excellent built-in sound system which included a wind sock.

[@9966-r7u]

Sometimes they have an engine in between the cars, what is the reason for this?

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Add power further back, it is called distributed power. There are lot of articles online about it.

[@gregobern6084]

Distributed Power Units helps Keep cars " bunched "together to reduce slack action . ( from UP RR you tube video)

[@niobraraterminalrailroad2709]

Love the midtrain DPU

[@Tuckaway]

Excellent video. I was surprised to see left hand running in the USA.

[@gregobern6084]

Chicago Northwestern ( now UP) commuter trains let passengers off on the left side of double track. (from a you tube video - something about history and tradition)

[@franknelson5165]

You did a fantastic job producing the UP series . I really enjoyed it. Up should be proud of you.

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Thanks, Frank! Glad you enjoyed it

[@rossgordon3471]

Very good, really enjoyed it.

[@charlesbrooks2051]

Truly great video!

[@kittty2005]

I love your videos.

[@duanebrown3356]

Must be a way to get a camera on one of the trains passing the Trona mines?

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Not that I was able to find with the tools I had at the time. A drone might be doable, but it's just difficult with not public road crossings out there that I'm aware of.

[@JTTheRailfan]

great video

[@williamchristian8389]

I was sorry to see the series end!! Thank you so much

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Glad you appreciated, William!

[@chrisretusn]

Liked

[@walkerwood2955]

200th like LOL

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

Congratulations!

[@csxcanadiannationalrailfan2599]

why u move???

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

This was just a trip. Usual Michigan-based content due to return soon!

[@csxcanadiannationalrailfan2599]

thanks!!! can you do some more on CSX???

[@ThornappleRiverRailSeries]

More is coming. Not sure what will be up first but we're far from done in lower Michigan. I've got some Upper Peninsula stuff, also. Plenty of variety this year, to be sure.

[@csxcanadiannationalrailfan2599]

thanks man

[@caveman123ization]

The production quality of these videos is so good...yet it sounds like the voiceover is being recorded on a cheap phone. And when people comment on the audio...he thinks we're trolling.

[@K-Effect]

I think that the Union Pacific engines would look better if they would paint the trucks and fuel tanks black. Or paint anything that is gray/silver to black. I even think it's time to get rid of the American flag. It's time for union pacific to have a new look, even go back to any of their older looks would be fine with me.