Pocatello in Bannock County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
Railroad History
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 8, 2024
1. Railroad History Marker
The Portneuf Valley was the corridor initially used by stage and freight lines transporting merchandise to and from western Montana mines in the 1860's.
The narrow gauge (3 feet) Utah and Northern Railway Company (U&N) Line was constructed north from Ogden, Utah where it connected with the transcontinental railroad, reaching Idaho in 1874 and Butte, Montana, in 1881. The line reached Pocatello Creek about December 4, 1878, where a boxcar station was established near the present intersection of Alameda and Hiline roads.
From 1881 to 1884, the Oregon Short Line Railway Company (OSL) built a standard gauge (4 feet 8½ inches) railroad from Granger, Wyoming, to Huntington, Oregon. Pocatello was established as Idaho headquarters.
A labor dispute and destruction of the roundhouse by a windstorm precipitated moving the U&N shops from Eagle Rock (now Idaho Falls) to Pocatello in 1887. That same year on a single historic day, July 24, the U&N tracks were widened to standard gauge from Pocatello to Butte. OSL was consolidated with the U&N in 1889 and leased its property to Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) in 1936.
The Pocatello yards grew to be one of the UP's key facilities. UP's first "hump yard" for switching was constructed here in 1947. Steam engines reigned until 1956, when diesel-electric engines became
this page online
Erected 1989 by Leadership Pocatello, Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Pocatello.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is July 24, 1887.
Location. 42° 51.658′ N, 112° 27.093′ W. Marker is in Pocatello, Idaho, in Bannock County. It can be reached from the intersection of South Arthur Avenue and Center Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is located near the fountain in Simplot Square. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 155 South Arthur Avenue, Pocatello ID 83204, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Idaho’s Bear River Country. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: American Indian Heritage (here, next to this marker); Pocatello History (here, next to this marker); Simplot (a few steps from this marker); The Bannock Hotel (a few steps from this marker); Nearby Historic Buildings (a few steps from this marker); Volcanic Activity Near Pocatello (a few steps from this marker); The Great Bonneville Flood (a few steps from this marker); Pocatello Area Geology (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pocatello.
Also see . . . Pocatello's Hump Yard.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 8, 2024
2. Railroad History Marker
The marker is inscribed atop the concrete pedestal.
Excerpt: As rail traffic grew during the late 1940s, so did the number of trains operating through Pocatello. Train length was also increasing. The Pocatello yard had a 14-track receiving yard, a 28-track classification yard (designed for 40 tracks), and an 11-track departure yard. Other facilities included a car repair yard and a locomotive fueling station. Included in the construction of the hump itself was a car inspection point, manned by five inspectors, that allowed inspection, with lighting and plate glass covered inspection pit, of both sides and the underside of each car as it passed over the hump. Access to the inspection pit was gained through a concrete passageway under the crest of the hump.(Submitted on March 11, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Pocatello is a junction for routes from four directions on Union Pacific. To the south is Salt Lake City and traffic destinations in southern California; to the east is a connection at Granger, Wyoming, with the original 1869 Omaha to Ogden mainline, and all destinations eastward; to the west are the destinations in Oregon and Washington; and to the north is the traffic points in eastern Idaho, and the mineral traffic and connections with Northern Pacific, Great Northern, and Milwaukee Road at Butte, Montana. The lines in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington originate large volumes of fruit, vegetables, lumber, phosphate, and livestock. Points
in the Northwest are also the destinations for much coal and manufactured products. The amount of rail traffic through Pocatello varied with the seasons, but in the late 1940s when the new yard was opened, the peak was about 2,200 cars per day.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 8, 20243. Railroad History MarkerLooking south through Simplot Square. The marker is behind the fountain, on the left.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 160 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 11, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
