Transcontinental Railroad

PROMONTORY — The May 10 celebration of the joining of the Transcontinental Railroad is as predicable as a sunrise, but every year, people find something to amaze them.

Thursday was the 143rd anniversary.

As always, the National Park Service and volunteers at the Golden Spike National Historic Site brought out the polished replicas of the Jupiter and No. 119 steam engines, posed them for the famous picture where they meet nose to nose and then let them sit, hissing and chuffing, glinting in the sun.

OGDEN -- Union Station's railroad museum has railroad watches, lanterns, signs, bells and whistles in profusion.

But an Indian war bonnet from Little Big Horn? Tombstones? A shoe repair outfit?

Richard Couturier spent 13 years cataloging Union Station's very full basement, so little surprises him -- but even he shook his head at the war bonnet.

This year, Union Pacific celebrates 150 years since President Abraham Lincoln signed it into existence. The story of the railroad company is tied closely to the modernization of the American West. People and freight began using the railroad to travel across the country 150 years ago and continue to do so to this day.

PROMONTORY -- The Golden Spike National Historic Site's annual Winter Steam Festival will be Dec. 28-30 this year.

PROMONTORY -- If you thought the driving of the last spike to join the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads on May 10, 1869, took place at Promontory Point, you're not alone.

That point was made Tuesday by Promontory resident Ron Porter at the 60th annual re-enactment of the Golden Spike Ceremony at Promontory Summit, 35 miles north of Promontory Point.