81-715: The Porcupine Rim Trail , located near Moab, Utah , is a popular mountain biking trail almost as famous as the Slickrock Trail . This 14.4-mile (23.2 km) trail is ridden one way with shuttle service or as a 30.8-mile (49.6 km) loop. The trailhead is located in the Sand Flats Recreation Area about 8 miles (12.9 km) past the Slickrock trailhead. The trail begins with a double-track climb gaining 900 feet (274.3 m) in 4 miles (6.4 km) with partially shaded rocky, dirt/sand and slickrock terrain which
162-528: A complete list of all the railroad's named trains. The Union Pacific acquired all D&RG owned assets at the time of the merger. The UP operates the former D&RGW main line as part of its Central Corridor . However, several branch lines and other assets have been sold, abandoned or re-purposed. These include several presently operating heritage railways that trace their origins to the Denver & Rio Grande Western. Active rail assets tracing their heritage to
243-597: A defensive move, this may have been enough to discourage the A&;C from proceeding to construction. Originally hauling mainly agricultural products, the Farmington line was converted to narrow gauge in 1923, and later delivered pipe and other construction materials to the local oil and natural gas industry into the 1960s. Portions of the Alamosa–Durango line survive to this day. The Walsenburg–Alamosa–Antonito line survives as
324-552: A direct transcontinental link to the west. The D&RGW slipped into bankruptcy again in 1935. Emerging in 1947, it merged with the D&;SL on March 3, 1947, gaining control of the "Moffat Road" through the Moffat Tunnel and a branch line from Bond to Craig, Colorado . Finally free from financial problems, the D&RGW now possessed a direct route from Denver to Salt Lake City (the detour south through Pueblo and Tennessee Pass
405-522: A great deal of money and land to create new houses and churches in Moab. With the winding down of the Cold War , Moab's uranium boom was over, and the city's population drastically declined. By the early 1980s a number of homes stood empty, and nearly all of the uranium mines had closed. In 1949, Western movie director John Ford was persuaded to use the area for the movie Wagon Master . Ford had been using
486-762: A line was laid north through Delta , reaching Grand Junction in March, 1883. The line continued building west until reaching the D&RGW close to present day Green River which completed a narrow-gauge transcontinental link with the Rio Grande Western Railway to Salt Lake City, Utah . The line from Pueblo to Leadville was upgraded in 1887 to three rails to accommodate both narrow-gauge and standard-gauge operation. Narrow-gauge branch lines were constructed to Chama, New Mexico , Durango , Silverton , Crested Butte , Lake City , Ouray and Somerset , Colorado. The route over Tennessee Pass had steep grades, and it
567-525: A narrow-gauge line from Ogden, Utah via Soldier Summit, Utah to Grand Junction, Colorado . The railroad was reorganized as the Rio Grande Western Railway in 1889, as part of a finance plan to upgrade the line from narrow gauge to standard gauge, and built several branch lines in Utah to reach lucrative coal fields. It was the railway which Gustaf Nordenskiöld employed to haul boxcars of relics from
648-456: A patch applied over the locomotive's number and the number boards replaced. This method allows the locomotives to be numbered into the Union Pacific's roster but is cheaper than fully repainting the engine into UP Armour Yellow. In 2006, Union Pacific unveiled UP 1989 , an EMD SD70ACe painted in a stylized version of the D&RGW color scheme. This unit is one of several SD70ACe locomotives
729-501: A primitive route leading north to Mat Martin Point ( http://sandflats.org/652/Porcupine-Rim-Bike-Trail ) 38°34′55″N 109°24′59″W / 38.58194°N 109.41639°W / 38.58194; -109.41639 Moab, Utah Moab ( / ˈ m oʊ . æ b / ) is the largest city and county seat of Grand County in eastern Utah in the western United States , known for its dramatic scenery. The population
810-529: A regional campus of Utah State University . Prior to the construction of the railroad in 1883, Moab was a strategic place to cross the Colorado River. A toll ferry service across the river ended when a permanent bridge was built in 1911. This bridge was replaced with a new bridge in 1955, which was in turn replaced by another new bridge in 2010. The 1955 bridge was subsequently demolished. The highway that uses this bridge has been renumbered multiple times and
891-419: A semi-arid climate bordering on arid ( Köppen BSk ) characterized by hot summers and chilly winters, with precipitation evenly spread over the year (usually less than one inch per month). There are an average of 41 days with temperatures reaching 100 °F (38 °C), 109 days reaching 90 °F (32 °C), and 3.6 days per winter where the temperature remains at or below freezing. The highest temperature
SECTION 10
#1732892123619972-551: A standard-gauge line, perhaps in anticipation of possible standard gauging of the entire line, south from Durango to Farmington, New Mexico . Part of the reason for this isolated change of gauge was that the Southern Pacific contemplated extending to access coal fields in the northern San Juan basin , had surveyors working there, and had incorporated a subsidiary, the Arizona & Colorado Railroad Company , for this purpose. As
1053-688: A strong example of mountain railroading, with a motto of Through the Rockies, not around them and later Main line through the Rockies , both referring to the Rocky Mountains . The D&RGW operated the highest mainline rail line in the United States , over the 10,240 feet (3,120 m) Tennessee Pass in Colorado, and the famed routes through the Moffat Tunnel and the Royal Gorge . At its height, in 1889,
1134-522: Is 46 miles (74 km) southwest of Cisco . The entrance to Arches National Park is 4 miles (6 km) north of Moab on US 191. Hurrah Pass is located on the trail between Moab and Chicken Corners. Kokopelli's Trail , a 142-mile mountain biking trail which begins near Loma, Colorado, ends in Moab. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 12 square kilometres (4.8 sq mi), all land. Moab has
1215-652: Is now numbered U.S. Route 191 . Moab gained freight railroad access in 1962, when a spur railroad line (now the Union Pacific Railroad 's Cane Creek Subdivision ) was built to serve the Cane Creek potash mine . Moab has never had passenger rail service, although the California Zephyr has advertised service to Moab in the past via stops at Thompson Springs (no longer a scheduled stop), Green River or Grand Junction, Colorado . Beginning on August 15, 2021,
1296-558: Is rideable in its entirety except for a few small sections. There is a scenic outlook at the top of the climb which is a common rest stop. The 11-mile (17.7 km) descent to the Colorado River loses 2,800 feet (853.4 m) of elevation and consists of single and double-track rock, slickrock and a few short loose sandy sections. It has many technical sections with drops ranging from a few inches to under 2 feet. Other drops, wall rides, and freeride elements are scattered throughout on
1377-450: The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad , was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge line running south from Denver , Colorado , in 1870. It served mainly as a transcontinental bridge line between Denver and Salt Lake City , Utah . The Rio Grande was also a major origin of coal and mineral traffic. The Rio Grande was
1458-663: The Mesa Verde , Colorado, cliff dwellings, in 1891, en route to the National Museum of Finland . In 1901, the Denver & Rio Grande merged with the Rio Grande Western, consolidating in 1908. However, the railroad was weakened by speculators, who had used the Rio Grande's equity to finance Western Pacific Railroad construction. The United States Railroad Administration (USRA) took over the D&RG during World War I . In 1918,
1539-541: The Rio Grande . Closely assisted by his friend and new business partner Dr. William Bell , Palmer's new "Baby Road" laid the first rails out of Denver on July 28, 1871, and reached the location of the new town of Colorado Springs (then the Fountain Colony) by October 21. Narrow gauge was chosen in part because construction and equipment costs would be relatively more affordable when weighed against that of
1620-485: The Southern Pacific Transportation Company (SP). The D&RGW used Southern Pacific's name with SP due to its name recognition among shippers. In time, the D&RGW's fast freight philosophy gave way to SP's long-established practice of running long, slow trains. A contributing factor was the rising cost of diesel fuel , a trend that set in after the 1973 oil crisis , which gradually undermined
1701-489: The War Relocation Authority , the government body responsible for overseeing the wartime incarceration program. The Moab Isolation Center for "noncompliant" Japanese Americans was created in response to growing resistance to WRA policies within the camps; a December 1942 clash between guards and inmates known as the " Manzanar Riot ", in which two were killed and ten injured, was the final push. On January 11, 1943,
SECTION 20
#17328921236191782-714: The standard-gauge Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad , with passenger excursion trains service provided by the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad . Two narrow-gauge segments survive as steam railroads , the Antonito–Chama line as the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad and Durango–Silverton as the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad . Rio Grande Southern Railroad connected to San Juan Extension in Durango and went through
1863-611: The 1950s Moab became the so-called "Uranium Capital of the World" after geologist Charles Steen found a rich deposit of uranium ore south of the city. This discovery coincided with the advent of the era of nuclear weapons and nuclear power in the United States, and Moab's boom years began. The city population grew nearly 500% over the next few years, bringing the population to near 6,000 people. The explosion in population caused much construction of houses and schools. Charles Steen donated
1944-403: The 1950s and 1960s. At the end of 1970, it operated 1,903 miles (3,063 km) of road on 3,227 miles (5,193 km) of track; that year it carried 7,733 ton-miles of revenue freight and 21 million passenger-miles. Two of the most scenic routes survived in operation by the D&RGW until they were sold to tourist railroad operators. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad assumed operation of
2025-468: The Colorado Midland to build a line from Glenwood Springs connecting with D&RG at Grand Junction. Originally considered a secondary branch route to Grand Junction, the entire route from Leadville to Grand Junction was upgraded to standard gauge in 1890, and the original narrow-gauge route via Marshall Pass became a secondary route. The first (1881-1889) Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway built
2106-454: The D&RG fell into receivership after the bankruptcy of Western Pacific. The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW or DRGW) was incorporated in 1920, and formally emerged as the new re-organization of the old Denver & Rio Grande Railroad on July 31, 1921. In 1931, the D&RGW acquired the Denver and Salt Lake Western Railroad, a paper railroad subsidiary of the Denver and Salt Lake Railroad (D&SL) which had acquired
2187-502: The D&RG in August, 1883, while retaining that position with the Western. Frederick Lovejoy would soon fill Palmer's vacated seat on the D&RG, the first in a succession of post Palmer presidents that would attempt to direct the railroad through future struggles and successes. Following bitter conflict with the Rio Grande Western during lease disagreements and continued financial struggles,
2268-465: The D&RG went into receivership in July, 1884, with court-appointed receiver William S. Jackson in control. Eventual foreclosure and sale of the original Denver & Rio Grande Railway resulted within two years, and the new Denver & Rio Grande Railroad took formal control of the property and holdings on July 14, 1886, with Jackson appointed as president. General Palmer would continue as president of
2349-602: The D&RGW had the largest narrow-gauge railroad network in North America with 1,861 miles (2,995 km) of track interconnecting the states of Colorado, New Mexico , and Utah. Known for its independence, the D&RGW operated the Rio Grande Zephyr until its discontinuation in 1983. This was the last private intercity passenger train in the United States until Brightline began service in Florida in 2018. In 1988,
2430-641: The D&RGW refused to join the national Amtrak system, and continued to operate its share of the Zephyr equipment as the Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City. By 1983, however, citing continued losses in revenue, the D&RGW decided to get out of the passenger business altogether and join Amtrak. With this move, Amtrak rerouted the San Francisco Zephyr to the Moffat Road line and rebranded it as
2511-406: The D&RGW's fuel-consuming "fast freight" philosophy. By the early 1990s, the combined Rio Grande/Southern Pacific system had lost much of the competitive advantage that made it attractive to transcontinental shippers, and became largely dependent on hauling the high-quality coal produced in the mine fields of Colorado and Utah. D&RGW locomotives retained their reporting marks and colors after
Porcupine Rim Trail - Misplaced Pages Continue
2592-584: The Grand County Jail after protesting conditions in Moab, were transported to Leupp in a five-by-six-foot box on the back of a truck. Their separate transfer was arranged by Francis Frederick, who had also handed down their prison sentences, using a law he later rescinded to charge them with unlawful assembly.) In 1994, the "Dalton Wells CCC Camp/Moab Relocation Center" was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and, although no marker exists on
2673-629: The Moab Art Walk at multiple venues throughout the year, highlighting local artists' work. Moab is just south of the Colorado River , at an elevation of 4,025 feet (1,227 m) on the Colorado Plateau . It is 18 miles (29 km) west of the Utah/Colorado state line. Via U.S. Route 191 , it is 31 miles (50 km) south of Interstate 70 at Crescent Junction, and it is 54 miles (87 km) north of Monticello . Via Utah State Route 128 it
2754-589: The Rio Grande's parent corporation, Rio Grande Industries , purchased Southern Pacific Transportation Company , and as the result of a merger, the larger Southern Pacific Railroad name was chosen for identity. The Rio Grande operated as a separate division of the Southern Pacific until 1992. Today, most former D&RGW main lines are owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad while several branch lines are now operated as heritage railways by various companies. The Denver & Rio Grande Railway (D&RG)
2835-447: The UP has painted in stylized colors to help preserve the image of the railroads it has merged; the others are Missouri Pacific Railroad , Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad , Chicago and North Western Railway , Southern Pacific Railroad , and Western Pacific Railroad . The following people served as presidents (or the equivalent) of the D&RGW and its predecessors. By the beginning of 1948
2916-550: The Union Pacific's faster, less mountainous route and 39 3/4-hour schedules, the California Zephyr offered a more leisurely journey – a "rail cruise" – with ample vistas of the Rockies. Although the California Zephyr ran at full capacity and turned a modest profit from its 1949 inception through the late 1950s, by the mid-1960s the train was profitable only during the late spring, summer, and fall. In 1970, Western Pacific, claiming multimillion-dollar losses, dropped out. However,
2997-686: The Union Pacific, was retired by UP in December, 2008. As previously promised by UP, the D&RGW 5371 was donated to the Utah State Railroad Museum at Ogden's Union Station on August 17, 2009, and will reside in the Eccles Rail Center at the south end of the building. The museum is located at 25th Street and Wall Ave in Ogden, Utah. Many other Rio Grande locomotives still run in service with Union Pacific but have been "patch-renumbered," with
3078-474: The Utah line until retirement (due to company re-organization) in 1901. Throughout the railroad's history its primary heavy repair shops were located south of Denver , Colorado in Burnham. They were built in 1871 and equipped to service both narrow gauge and standard gauge rolling stock. In 1922 the site received $ 3 million in upgrades, expanding the capacity to repair locomotives and cars. The last steam locomotive
3159-457: The area in Monument Valley around Mexican Hat, Utah , south of Moab, since he filmed Stagecoach there 10 years earlier in 1939. A local Moab rancher (George White) found Ford and persuaded him to come take a look at Moab. The Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission is a Moab City Department and holds the title of the longest running film commission in the world. Established in 1949,
3240-399: The average family size was 3.10. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males. The median income for a household in the city
3321-424: The city. The population density was 1,313.1 people per square mile (506.9/km ). There were 2,148 housing units at an average density of 590.2 per square mile (227.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 90.35% White , 5.46% Native American , 0.36% African American , 0.29% Asian , 0.08% Pacific Islander , 1.88% from other races , and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.44% of
Porcupine Rim Trail - Misplaced Pages Continue
3402-520: The commission has overseen the production of the many movies filmed near Moab. In recent years, Moab has experienced a surge of second-home owners. The relatively mild winters and enjoyable summers have attracted many people to build such homes throughout the area. In a situation mirroring that of other resort towns in the American West , controversy has arisen over these new residents and their houses, which in many cases remain unoccupied for most of
3483-455: The company owned 318 steam locomotives, 62 diesel locomotives , 179 passenger cars and 14,662 freight cars . In 1962, there were 22 steam locomotives, 257 diesel locomotives, 96 passenger cars and 12,386 freight cars. This is a partial list of D&RGW passenger trains. Westbound trains had odd numbers, while eastbound trains had even numbers. Many of the trains were named and renamed as well as being re-numbered. There are over 180 names on
3564-425: The consolidation with the Southern Pacific and would do so until the Union Pacific merger. The one noticeable change was to Southern Pacific's "Bloody Nose" paint scheme. The serif font on the sides of the locomotives was replaced by the Rio Grande's "speed lettering", which was utilized on all SP locomotives built or repainted after the merger. On September 11, 1996, Anschutz sold the combined D&RGW/SP system with
3645-403: The current incarnation of the California Zephyr . Even as the D&RGW exploited the best new standard-gauge technology to compete with other transcontinental carriers, the railroad continued to operate the surviving steam-powered narrow-gauge lines, including the famed narrow-gauge line between Durango and Silverton, Colorado . Most of the remaining narrow-gauge trackage was abandoned in
3726-511: The defenders to leave. In March, 1880, a Boston Court granted the AT&;SF the rights to Raton Pass, while the D&RG paid an exorbitant $ 1.4 million for the trackage extending through the Arkansas River 's Royal Gorge . The D&RG's possession of this route allowed quick access to the booming mining district of Leadville, Colorado . While this "Treaty of Boston" did not exactly favor
3807-781: The excursion company Rocky Mountaineer began operating passenger rail service between Moab and Denver, Colorado , in the form of the Rockies to the Red Rocks . Bus service is provided by Salt Lake Express. There are a number of locally owned shuttle services that provide transportation to Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, CO. Air service is available at Canyonlands Field , with daily nonstop flights to Denver International Airport via SkyWest Airlines / United Express . Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad ( reporting mark DRGW ), often shortened to Rio Grande , D&RG or D&RGW, formerly
3888-408: The few natural crossings of the Colorado River were forgotten. Nevertheless, the U.S. military deemed the bridge over the Colorado River at Moab important enough to place it under guard as late as World War II . In 1943, a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp outside Moab was used as a Citizen Isolation Center to confine Japanese American internees labeled "troublemakers" by authorities in
3969-484: The general camp population because of their resistance to the WRA's attempts to determine the loyalty of incarcerated Japanese Americans, met largely with confusion and anger because of a lack of explanation as to how and why internees would be assessed. The Moab Isolation Center remained open until April 27, when most of its inmates were bused to the larger and more secure Leupp Isolation Center . (Five men, serving sentences in
4050-400: The line between Antonito, Colorado , and Chama, New Mexico , in 1970. The last D&RGW narrow-gauge line, from Durango to Silverton, was sold in 1981 to the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad , exactly one hundred years after the line went into operation. In 1988, Rio Grande Industries , the company that controlled the D&RGW under the direction of Philip Anschutz , purchased
4131-474: The longest narrow-gauge tangent tracks in U.S. railroading (52.82 miles or 85 kilometers) also linked Alamosa with Salida to the north. From Antonito a line was built over 10,015 feet (3,053 m) Cumbres Pass , along the Colorado - New Mexico border, reaching Durango, Colorado , in August, 1881 and continuing north to the rich mining areas around Silverton in July, 1882. A line was also constructed in 1902 as
SECTION 50
#17328921236194212-413: The nation's most productive coal mining regions, retired coal-fueled steam locomotives as quickly as new, replacement diesels could be purchased. By 1956, the D&RGW's standard-gauge steam locomotives had been retired and scrapped. The reason for this was that unlike steam locomotives, diesel locomotives could easily be combined, using the diesels' multiple unit capabilities, to equip each train with
4293-651: The optimum horsepower which was needed to meet the D&RGW's aggressive schedule. The D&RGW's sense of its unique geographical challenge found expression in the form of the California Zephyr , a passenger train which was jointly operated with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) from Chicago to Denver, the D&RGW from Denver to Salt Lake City, and the Western Pacific Railroad from Salt Lake City to Oakland , California (with ferry and bus connections to San Francisco ). Unable to compete with
4374-578: The parent company Southern Pacific Rail Corporation to the Union Pacific Corporation , partly in response to the earlier merger of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe which formed the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway . As the Union Pacific absorbed the D&RGW into its system, signs of the fabled mountain railroad's existence are slowly fading away. D&RGW 5371, the only original D&RGW locomotive in full Rio Grande paint on
4455-668: The period between 1829 and the early 1850s, the area around what is now Moab served as the Colorado River crossing along the Old Spanish Trail . Latter-day Saint settlers attempted to establish a trading fort at the river crossing called the Elk Mountain Mission in April 1855 to trade with travellers attempting to cross the river. Forty men were called on this mission. There were repeated Indian attacks, including one on September 23, 1855, in which James Hunt, companion to Peter Stubbs,
4536-407: The population. There were 1,936 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and
4617-586: The prevailing standard gauge . Palmer's first hand impressions of the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales buoyed his interest in the narrow-gauge concept which would prove to be advantageous while conquering the mountainous regions of the Southwest. Eventually the route of the D&RG would be amended (including a plan to continue south from Pueblo over Raton Pass) and added to as new opportunities and competition challenged
4698-453: The purist of original D&RG intentions, the conquering of new mining settlements to the west and the future opportunity to expand into Utah was realized from this settlement. By late 1880, William Bell had begun to organize railway construction in Utah that would become the Palmer controlled Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway in mid-1881. The intention of the D&RGW (aka the "Western")
4779-650: The railroad's expanding goals. Feverish, competitive construction plans provoked the 1877–1880 war over right of way with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway . Both rivals hired gunslingers and bought politicians while courts intervened to bring settlement to the disagreements. One anecdote of the conflict recounts June, 1879, when the Santa Fe defended its roundhouse in Pueblo with Dodge City toughs led by Bat Masterson ; on that occasion, D&RG treasurer R. F. Weitbrec paid
4860-588: The railroad's overhead signal pole lines. The D&RG also pushed west from Walsenburg, Colorado , over La Veta Pass (now "Old La Veta Pass") by 1877. At the time the 'Uptop' depot on Veta Pass, rising over 9,500 feet (2,900 m) in elevation, boasted the highest elevation for a narrow-gauge railroad. The railroad reached Alamosa by 1878. From Alamosa, a line was pushed south through Antonito eventually reaching Santa Fe, New Mexico (the Chili Line ), and west as far as Creede, Colorado . A line containing one of
4941-487: The rights to build a 40-mile (64 km) connection between the two railroads. After years of negotiation, the D&RGW gained trackage rights on the D&SL from Denver to the new cutoff. In 1932, the D&RGW began construction of the Dotsero Cutoff east of Glenwood Springs to near Bond on the Colorado River , at a location called Orestod (Dotsero spelled backward). Construction was completed in 1934, giving Denver
SECTION 60
#17328921236195022-484: The sides of the trail. The last mile is very technical, exposed and parallels the Colorado River. The trail ends at Highway 128 very near Grandstaff Canyon (formerly Negro Bill Canyon). ( 38°36′52″N 109°31′45″W / 38.61444°N 109.52917°W / 38.61444; -109.52917 )The Porcupine Rim Trail is closed to motorized use 8.6 miles from the Sand Flats Road trailhead at its intersection with
5103-451: The site, an information plaque at the current site entrance and a photograph on display at the Dan O'Laurie Museum in Moab mention the former isolation center. Moab's economy was originally based on agriculture, but gradually shifted to mining. Uranium and vanadium were discovered in the area in the 1910s and 1920s. Potash and manganese came next, and then oil and gas were discovered. In
5184-793: The sixteen men who had initiated the two-day protests were transferred to Moab from the town jails where they were booked (without charges or access to hearings) after the riot. Having closed just fifteen months prior, all 18 military-style structures of the CCC camp were in good condition, and the site was converted to its new use with minimal renovation. 150 military police guarded the camp, and director Raymond Best and head of security Francis Frederick presided over administration. On February 18, thirteen transfers from Gila River , Arizona, were brought to Moab, and six days later, ten more arrived from Manzanar. An additional fifteen Tule Lake inmates were transferred on April 2. Most of these new arrivals were removed from
5265-501: The town Moab in 1880; in the Bible this term refers to an area of land located on the eastern side of the Jordan River . Some historians believe the city in Utah came to use this name because of William Andrew Peirce, the first postmaster, believing that the biblical Moab and this part of Utah were both "the far country". However, others believe the name has Paiute origins, referring to
5346-430: The towns of Thompson Springs 38 mi (61 km) and Cisco , 47 miles (76 km) to the north. Later, other places to cross the Colorado were constructed, such as Lee's Ferry , Navajo Bridge and Boulder Dam . These changes shifted the trade routes away from Moab. Moab farmers and merchants had to adapt from trading with passing travelers to shipping their goods to distant markets. Soon Moab's origins as one of
5427-590: The western edge of San Juan Mountains to Ridgway, Colorado on Montrose–Ouray branch. The D&RG built west from Leadville over 10,240 feet (3,120 m) Tennessee Pass in an attempt to reach the mining areas around Aspen, Colorado , before its rival railroad in the area, the Colorado Midland , could build a line reaching there. The D&RG built a line through Glenwood Canyon to Glenwood Springs , reaching Aspen in October, 1887. The D&RG then joined with
5508-402: The word moapa , meaning "mosquito". Some of the area's early residents attempted to change the city's name, because in the Christian Bible, Moabites are demeaned as incestuous and idolatrous (but note, Ruth was a Moabite). One petition in 1890 had 59 signatures and requested a name change to "Vina". Another effort attempted to change the name to "Uvadalia". Both attempts failed. During
5589-483: The year. Many Moab citizens are concerned that the town is seeing changes similar to those experienced in Vail and Aspen in neighboring Colorado : skyrocketing property values, a rising cost of living, and corresponding effects on local low- and middle-income workers. Moab hosts several cultural events and festivals including the Moab Music Festival, LGBT Pride Festival, Folk Festival, Skinny Tire Festival, and others. The annual music festival occurs in September, and
5670-406: Was $ 32,620, and the median income for a family was $ 38,214. Males had a median income of $ 35,291 versus $ 21,339 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,228. About 12.0% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over. The following public schools serve Moab area students: Moab is home to
5751-419: Was 114 °F (46 °C) on July 7, 1989. The lowest temperature was −24 °F (−31 °C) on January 22, 1930. Average annual precipitation in Moab is 9.02 inches (229 mm). There are an average of 55 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1983 with 16.42 inches (417 mm) and the driest year was 1898 with 4.32 inches (110 mm). The most precipitation in one month
5832-430: Was 5,366 at the 2020 census . Moab attracts many tourists annually, mostly visitors to the nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks . The town is a popular base for mountain bikers who ride the extensive network of trails including the Slickrock Trail , and for off-roaders who come for the annual Moab Jeep Safari . Moab is home to one of the nine regional campuses of Utah State University . Residents named
5913-482: Was 6.63 inches (168 mm) in July 1918. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.77 in (70 mm) on July 23, 1983. Average seasonal snowfall for 1981–2011 is 6.9 inches (18 cm). The most snow in a season was 74 in (190 cm) during 1914–15, and the snowiest month on average is December, with the record set in 1915 at 46.0 in (117 cm). As of the census of 2000, there were 4,779 people, 1,936 households, and 1,169 families residing in
5994-503: Was founded in 1992 by several musicians from New York. The Moab Folk Festival features concerts by numerous folk musicians every November. Since 2011 Moab has hosted an LGBT Pride festival. The first festival included a "visibility" march which drew more than 350 people; in its second year's festival had over 600 in attendance. The Skinny Tire Festival is a road bike festival that occurs in March each year and raises funds for cancer research and survivors. Additionally, Moab sponsors
6075-537: Was incorporated on October 27, 1870, by General William Jackson Palmer (1836–1909), and a board of four directors. It was originally announced that the new 3 ft ( 914 mm ) railroad would proceed south from Denver and travel an estimated 875 miles (1,408 km) south to El Paso via Pueblo, westward along the Arkansas River, and continue southward through the San Luis Valley of Colorado toward
6156-486: Was no longer required for direct service), but a problem still remained: for transcontinental service, the Union Pacific 's more northerly line was far less mountainous (and, as a result, several hours faster). The D&RGW's solution was its "fast freight" philosophy, which employed multiple diesel locomotives pulling short, frequent trains. This philosophy helps to explain why the D&RGW, despite its proximity to one of
6237-423: Was not uncommon to see trains running with midtrain and rear-end helpers. In 1997, a year after the D&RGW/SP merger with Union Pacific, the UP closed the line. Although it has been out of service for more than two decades, the rails are still in usable condition, though many of the signals have been ravaged by time and vandals. In 2011, under a federal Beautification Grant, a private contractor removed and scrapped
6318-751: Was pushed to Leadville later that same year. From Salida, the D&RG pushed west over the Continental Divide at the 10,845 feet (3,306 m) Marshall Pass and reached Gunnison on August 6, 1881. From Gunnison the line entered the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River passing the famous Curecanti Needle seen in their famous Scenic Line of the World Herald. The tracks left the increasingly-difficult canyon at Cimmaron and passed over Cerro Summit , reaching Montrose on September 8, 1882. From Montrose,
6399-506: Was serviced in 1956, at which time the locomotive department was converted to service diesel engines. The other major back shop site was in Salt Lake City , Utah, built in 1883. The shops in Alamosa , Colorado primarily serviced narrow gauge rolling stock. The D&RG built west from Pueblo reaching Cañon City in 1874. The line through the Royal Gorge reached Salida on May 20, 1880, and
6480-473: Was shot and killed by a Native American. After this last attack, the fort was abandoned. A new group of settlers from Rich County, led by Randolph Hockaday Stewart, established a permanent settlement in 1878 under the direction of Brigham Young. Moab was incorporated as a town on December 20, 1902. In 1883 the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad main line was constructed across eastern Utah. The rail line did not pass through Moab, instead passing through
6561-508: Was to work eastward from Provo to an eventual link with westward bound D&RG in Colorado. This physical connection was realized near the Green River on March 30, 1883, and by May of that year the D&RG formally leased its Utah subsidiary as previously planned. By mid-1883, financial difficulties due to aggressive growth and expenditures led to a shake up among the D&RG board of directors, and General Palmer resigned as president of
#618381