Re: Narrow gauge in Wyoming?

Rosso Wrote:
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> So was the UP, CB&Q and the Oregon Short line
> adequate?

Adequate? I don't know of any state in the union that thought it had an adequate railroad system before WWI, although the industry was nervously aware that it was overbuilt in large parts of the country by 1890, if not earlier!

Oh, and you left out the C&NW.

> Was there any standard gauge short
> lines?

Ones not promoted by a connecting trunk line? Few if any.

> haven't heard of. Any pointers welcome. I'm still
> puzzled that during the honeymoon of narrow gauge
> in '70-'85, no-one promoted a line in the whole
> state, even though the Territory was being
> settled at that time.

Low population density, few cities or other possible traffic sources. Not that much local wealth, at least not in the quantities needed to promote and build even a short railroad. Large companies already on the ground or building in, covering all the potential traffic sources.

Just not fertile ground for local railroads. Like most of the Great Plains. Notice that Wyoming was not known for Interurban lines 25 years later either. Same reasons.

Hank



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2020 07:47PM by hank.