Butte Special: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox rail service |
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| start = [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] |
| start = [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] |
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| end = [[Butte, Montana]];<br>branch to [[West Yellowstone, Montana]] |
| end = [[Butte, Montana]];<br />branch to [[West Yellowstone, Montana]] |
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| distance = {{convert|397|mi|km}} |
| distance = {{convert|397|mi|km}} |
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The '''''Butte Special''''' was a named passenger train on the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] running between [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] and [[Butte, Montana]] by way of [[Pocatello, Idaho]] on the UP's Montana Division. The train had a popular connection with the UP's ''Yellowstone Special'' at [[Idaho Falls, Idaho]], where the Yellowstone bound train went east towards [[West Yellowstone, Montana]] and [[Yellowstone National Park]]. The ''Butte Special'' was the Union Pacific's only north-south passenger service.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Waite |first1=Thornton |title=Union Pacific's Butte Special |url=https://passengertrainjournal.com/union-pacific-butte-special/ |website=Passenger Train Journal |date=23 November 2016 |publisher=Passenger Train Journal |access-date=2 May 2023}}</ref> |
The '''''Butte Special''''' was a named passenger train on the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] running between [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] and [[Butte, Montana]] by way of [[Pocatello, Idaho]] on the UP's Montana Division. The train had a popular connection with the UP's ''Yellowstone Special'' at [[Idaho Falls, Idaho]], where the Yellowstone bound train went east towards [[West Yellowstone, Montana]] and [[Yellowstone National Park]]. The ''Butte Special'' was the Union Pacific's only north-south passenger service.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Waite |first1=Thornton |title=Union Pacific's Butte Special |url=https://passengertrainjournal.com/union-pacific-butte-special/ |website=Passenger Train Journal |date=23 November 2016 |publisher=Passenger Train Journal |access-date=2 May 2023}}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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===End of service=== |
===End of service=== |
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Union Pacific had tried cancelling the train as early as the 1960s, but they encountered little success in their efforts, and it eventually ran until [[Amtrak]] took over most of the United States' passenger rail service in 1971. As the service was beginning to wind down, the route lost its lucrative US Mail contract in 1967 and the train was no longer run daily, but three times per week. In its final days UP split the service with Northbound trains running on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, and Southbound trains running Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday.<ref>{{cite web |title=Butte Special |url=https://www.american-rails.com/butte-special.html |website=American-Rails.com |accessdate=2 May 2023}}</ref> |
Union Pacific had tried cancelling the train as early as the 1960s, but they encountered little success in their efforts, and it eventually ran until [[Amtrak]] took over most of the United States' passenger rail service in 1971. As the service was beginning to wind down, the route lost its lucrative US Mail contract in 1967 and the train was no longer run daily, but three times per week. In its final days UP split the service with Northbound trains running on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, and Southbound trains running Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday.<ref>{{cite web |title=Butte Special |url=https://www.american-rails.com/butte-special.html |website=American-Rails.com |accessdate=2 May 2023}}</ref> |
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==Route== |
==Route== |
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From Salt Lake City, the ''Butte Special'' ran north to [[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]], then crossed into [[Idaho]] to make stops in Pocatello, [[Blackfoot, Idaho|Blackfoot]], Idaho Falls, [[Dubois, Idaho|Dubois]], and [[Spencer, Idaho|Spencer]] before crossing [[Monida Pass]] into Montana. In Montana the train made stops in [[Lima, Montana| Lima]], [[Armstead, Montana|Armstead]], [[Dillon, Montana|Dillon]], [[Melrose, Montana|Melrose]], and [[Silver Bow, Montana|Silver Bow]] before finally ending in Butte. The [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern]], [[Northern Pacific Railroad|Northern Pacific]] and the [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad|Milwaukee Road]] also served Butte, with each of them having passenger service. By 1970 the route had been condensed to only stop in Ogden, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls en route to Butte. |
From Salt Lake City, the ''Butte Special'' ran north to [[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]], then crossed into [[Idaho]] to make stops in Pocatello, [[Blackfoot, Idaho|Blackfoot]], Idaho Falls, [[Dubois, Idaho|Dubois]], and [[Spencer, Idaho|Spencer]] before crossing [[Monida Pass]] into Montana. In Montana the train made stops in [[Lima, Montana| Lima]], [[Armstead, Montana|Armstead]], [[Dillon, Montana|Dillon]], [[Melrose, Montana|Melrose]], and [[Silver Bow, Montana|Silver Bow]] before finally ending in Butte. The [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern]], [[Northern Pacific Railroad|Northern Pacific]] and the [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad|Milwaukee Road]] also served Butte, with each of them having passenger service. By 1970 the route had been condensed to only stop in Ogden, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls en route to Butte. |
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Revision as of 01:22, 28 July 2023
 Beaver Canyon on Monida Pass, part of the Butte Special's route | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Inter-city rail |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Locale | Western United States |
| First service | 1921 |
| Last service | 1971 |
| Former operator(s) | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Route | |
| Termini | Salt Lake City, Utah Butte, Montana; branch to West Yellowstone, Montana |
| Distance travelled | 397 miles (639 km) |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| Train number(s) | 29 (northbound), 30 (southbound) |
| On-board services | |
| Seating arrangements | Reclining seat coaches |
| Sleeping arrangements | Sections, double bedrooms, drawing rooms, compartments |
| Catering facilities | Club-lounge car; Cafe-lounge car |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Butte Special was a named passenger train on the Union Pacific Railroad running between Salt Lake City, Utah and Butte, Montana by way of Pocatello, Idaho on the UP's Montana Division. The train had a popular connection with the UP's Yellowstone Special at Idaho Falls, Idaho, where the Yellowstone bound train went east towards West Yellowstone, Montana and Yellowstone National Park. The Butte Special was the Union Pacific's only north-south passenger service.[1]
History
Typical Consist
The train's consist was formalized sometime in the 1920s, with the typical setup containing several mail cars, a Railway Post Office car, two or three reclining seat coaches, a cafe/lounge car, and up to three sleeper cars. Although the train served a relatively small population—with Butte having a population that peaked near 40,000 and Idaho Falls peaking over 60,000—it was as fully featured of a train as any that Union Pacific offered. Having Club-lounge cars, Cafe-lounge cars, sleeping arrangements, and more.
End of service
Union Pacific had tried cancelling the train as early as the 1960s, but they encountered little success in their efforts, and it eventually ran until Amtrak took over most of the United States' passenger rail service in 1971. As the service was beginning to wind down, the route lost its lucrative US Mail contract in 1967 and the train was no longer run daily, but three times per week. In its final days UP split the service with Northbound trains running on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, and Southbound trains running Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday.[2]
Route
From Salt Lake City, the Butte Special ran north to Ogden, then crossed into Idaho to make stops in Pocatello, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Dubois, and Spencer before crossing Monida Pass into Montana. In Montana the train made stops in Lima, Armstead, Dillon, Melrose, and Silver Bow before finally ending in Butte. The Great Northern, Northern Pacific and the Milwaukee Road also served Butte, with each of them having passenger service. By 1970 the route had been condensed to only stop in Ogden, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls en route to Butte.
Yellowstone Special
Though listed in timetables as a separate train, the Yellowstone Special was merely an extra set of coaches that split from the Butte Special, Portland Rose, or City of Portland in Pocatello and departed eastbound to West Yellowstone, Montana.
References
- ^ Waite, Thornton (November 23, 2016). "Union Pacific's Butte Special". Passenger Train Journal. Passenger Train Journal. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ "Butte Special". American-Rails.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023.