Historic Trains Meet In Ogden Ahead Of Golden Spike Anniversary

May 9, 2019, 1:20 PM | Updated: 1:26 pm

KSLTV.com

OGDEN, Utah – Several thousand train lovers have gathered in Utah to catch a glimpse of a pair of restored 1940s-era steam engines and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The crowd packed in behind barriers and hoisted their phones and cameras to snap photos as the trains spouted steam and blasted their horns at an event Thursday in Ogden.

The #GoldenSpike sight has turned into a mini city. Lots going on to prepare for tomorrow’s 150th anniversary celebration. We’ll have it live on @KSL5TV. #KSLTV #Spike150 pic.twitter.com/CXxZMHXbFu

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) May 9, 2019

Attendees included a British family that traveled to Utah to fulfill a train engineer’s dying wish last year to have his ashes put in the boiler of the Big Boy train. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert held a box with the man’s ashes at the ceremony and promised to fulfill the wish.

During a brief presentation, Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz hailed the laborers who worked 12-hour days in brutal conditions to build the railroad by hand.

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