Victor and Driggs Idaho

We rode the (UP) Park Special to Victor in the Summer of '61, '62 and '64.

Dad took this pic of the "backside" (West side) of the Tetons through the window of our Pullman somewhere between Ashton and Driggs.

Victor, Idaho, the other side of the mountains from Jackson, Wy.  A thrilling trip by car over Teton Pass.   As close as the railroads got to Jackson Hole, Wy.    Station was still there 2009.  Railroad has become a bike trail.  Freight/supplies were wagon and horse over the pass, later by truck.    

This has been an interesting topic thus far.  I always imagined the UP West Yellowstone seasonal local to be a boiler-equipped GP7 and a few heavyweight cars, but, apparently, there was more to it.  And I never even knew that there was passenger service to Victor.  And with an A-B F3!  Judging by the size of the station buildings, I underestimated the importance of that part of the world to UPRR.

Trackside and streetside views of the Victor station today. This appears to be a private residence, so I did not skulk around looking for the best angle to take photos. 

Property values, Jackson Hole, Wy are high.  Idaho property not quite so high.  There is room for development this side of the mountains, still with-in driving distance of three western play grounds.  Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier.  IMO  

UP competition with NP, perhaps.  NP claimed to be the"Yellowstone Park Line".

NP, (Northern Pacific), Missoula, MT.  Glacier National Park, MT,  Great Northern RR.   

The detail would indicate the wealth of this railroad at the time. 

Still a busy rail yard Missoula. 

These pictures at least 15 years ago.  

I always thought this picture to be interesting.  As a kid, the roller used on the highways, was always called a (steam roller).  I guess there was such a beast.  

Enjoy the pictures, you're welcome to copy any of my pictures.  Mike CT.  

... and the Buffalo Springfield rock group was founded by Neil Young, Stephen Stills and other musicians.  The story about the band's name that I heard was they were on their way to their first gig and needed to name the band.  A steam roller (probably a diesel version) parked along their route provided the inspiration.

Regarding the West Entrance, West Yellowstone, Mt, the last year the Park Special tied up there was 1960. We stepped off our Pullman there and walked into the dining hall adjoining the station and had breakfast.

Dad took this pic from the rear vestibule of our Pullman while we were rolling through Island Park, Id just a few miles from West:

The train was modern equipment, no heavyweights, and was drawn by UP passenger F units:

UP ran a class act right to the end. The Conductor had gone through the train taking breakfast orders and we entered the dining hall to Linen&Silver:

You can see the train through those big windows.

In those days bears were pests in the Park. Dad took this pic in the (rustic-no bathrooms and a wood stove for heat) cabin area at Old Faithful. Nightime potty walks could be exciting:

 Turning to the East a few feet beyond where the end of the track was this monument stands (to this day):

Roomie took this pic of us in 1986. A couple hundred yards East (to the left) is the entrance to Yellowstone NP.

While Dad didn't take a pic of the front end that day he did the next year in Victor. You can see the power is Fs:

In 1965 I had just graduated from high school and was traveling with my parents (tent camping) across the country.  Along the way, we stopped in Sumner, IL, to see the good folks I had worked for the previous summer... on their dairy farm.  The plan was for me to work at the Glacier Park Lodge, East Glacier, MT.  My youngest-older brother (You figure it out!), Tom, was already there and serving as a bellman.  I would be a pot and pan washer.  So, one very warm summer afternoon my parents dropped me off at the Victor train depot.  College bound, I spent much of the afternoon in the depot reading some of the required books.  I remember how friendly and appealing the station was, what with beautiful flowers in the window boxes and such.  The ticket agent's family lived in the second story, and they were very cordial people and seemed to be very happy there.  My train was already in the station:  This was train 48, a seasonal run operating between Victor, Driggs, and Ashton.  There it would connect with the Yellowstone Special, train 36, with cars going through to SLC. Two Union Pacific GP-9s, coupled cab to cab, headed up the waiting train which was facing north (the only way to go), and this was followed by two baggage/mail cars and three of UP's unique, somewhat-streamlined heavyweight coaches with what I call notched ends.  What caught my attention was the sound coming from the diesels, a kind of high-pitched whine I had not heard previously.  It turns out that Uncle Pete had been turbocharging a number of their GP-9s. Strange...but interesting sounds, this only adding to the uniqueness of the time and place!

So, sometime that evening, we lurched forward and made it to (Ashton and) Idaho Falls, arriving around midnight.  At almost 2 AM I hopped onto train 29, the Butte Special, for a 7:30 A.M. arrival at Butte, this train also led by GP-9s.   Then to the GN station for a short train (headed by an F-7 and comprising a baggage/mail car and a coach) for the trip to Havre, MT, by way of Great Falls.   I remember beautiful scenery along the way, this including some amazing rock formations.  Planning to catch Great Northern's Western Star (fortunately NOT falling at this time), I made it to the side of the big S-2 Northern-type loco at the Havre depot.  Then, through my second night,  I traveled west to East Glacier.  I noticed that our train was extremely long, and after I disembarked at about 7 A.M. and walked west up the hill toward the Glacier Park Lodge, I turned and counted 29 cars!  What really caught my interest was the person standing at the open "dutch door" of the last car as it was clearing the depot.  Her arms were extended in a grand manner, and she was waving to all, her very-blond mop bobbing and clearly evident.  Later that day I found out that Carol Channing was traveling with her "Hello Dolly" troupe to Seattle for shows there.  WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO END MY JOURNEY AND BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER IN MY YOUNG LIFE!

And it all started at a friendly, small-town depot in rural Idaho.

Photos taken through the windows of West Yellowstone depot. 
West Yellowstone station

The dining room

A quick shot crossing the tracks in Ashton Idaho

Vestiges of the Ashton to Victor line. 
The video was taken somewhere north of Felt Idaho and heading southward. The right of way is to the left , and sharp-eyed viewers will see remnants of the pole line.  Cut and fill along the way make it easy to follow the route of the line.  This area is as beautiful as you could dream. We lost a treasure when this line was abandoned.