Lucin Cutoff

The Lucin Cutoff is a 102-mile (164 km) railroad line in Utah, United States that runs from Ogden to its namesake in Lucin. The most prominent feature of the cutoff was a twelve-mile-long (19 km) railroad trestle crossing the Great Salt Lake, which was in use from 1904 until the late 1950s, when it was replaced by an earthen causeway.

The cutoff was originally built by the Southern Pacific Railroad as a means of shortening the First transcontinental railroad. Today the cutoff is owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad as a significant part of the Lakeside Subdivision, which runs from Ogden to Wells, Nevada, and is one of the many subdivisions of the Overland Route. Due to the obstruction of water flow caused by the Lucin Cutoff, the Great Salt Lake appears to be different colors in aerial photographs; water north of the Cutoff appears red or brown, while water south of the Cutoff is more green.

Built by the Southern Pacific Company (SP) between February 1902 and March 1904, the cutoff bypassed the original Central Pacific Railroad route through Promontory Summit where the golden spike was driven in 1869. By going west across the lake from Ogden to Lucin, it cut 44 miles (71 km) off the original route and also significantly decreased curvature and grades. Built under the direction of SP chief engineer William Hood, a team of 3,000 SP workers worked seven days a week to build the line. When the line opened, it included short causeways extending from the western shore of the lake and the edge of Promontory Point, connected with a nearly twelve-mile-long (19 km) wooden trestle. The cutoff also included a causeway which spanned Bear River Bay from the eastern shore of the lake to Promontory Point. This section included a 600-foot-long (180 m) trestle to allow Bear River water to flow into the lake. By 1908, five passenger trains and seven freight trains were using the Lucin Cutoff in each direction daily.

The cutoff received its first modification a few months after opening. Fill was placed underneath the tracks to reduce their sagging. This was completed six months later.

In 1920, a project began to replace the trestle's deck and construct additional bracing. It was completed by 1927.

In 1929, the eastern causeway was widened. Additionally, the Midlake station was closed after being effectively replaced by the bridge station. However, its buildings were kept in place to serve as living quarters for the signal operators.

In 1932, two more piles were added to each bay next to the trestles, and 2,038 bracing piles were added.

In 1941, the telegraph building at the Midlake station was reopened as part of World War II related military operations.