A Closer Look: Railroad Camps

As construction crews for the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroad Companies worked on the railroad, they needed a place to unwind and sleep after a hard day's work. They also needed to consider building depots where trains could stop and passengers could either get off or board the train. As a result, the concept of railroad towns was born.

Below: A building in Corinne, Utah (own work)

As construction on the railroad progressed, many tent towns were set up at night and torn down the next day. Known as Hell-on-Wheels camps, very few of them became permanent. These camps, though short-lived, were known as the most volatile and undesirable locations anywhere in the country. Gambling, murder, and drinking were very common in these camps; they were not very desirable locations.

Occasionally, these Hell-on-Wheels camps would be in just the right spot to serve as a terminus or division point. These lucky few towns became permanent. The first of these towns, Cisco, California, was established by the Central Pacific Railroad Company. Initially known as Heaton Station, it was renamed Cisco when a post office was established in 1866. The first permanent town established by the Union Pacific Railroad Company was North Platte, Nebraska, also established in 1866.

As the railroads continued to build, more and more Hell-on-Wheels camps were settling down to become permanent. From 1867 - 1869, both railroad companies established several permanent towns as well as numerous short-lived Hell-on-Wheels camps. Below is a list of the permanent railroad towns that the Union Pacific established:

• North Platte, Nebraska; established in 1866





• Cheyenne, Wyoming; established in 1867





• Laramie, Wyoming; established in 1868





• Wahsatch, Utah; established in 1868





• Castle Rock, Utah; established in 1868





• Echo, Utah; established in 1869





• Corinne, Utah; established in 1869

Below is a list of the permanent railroad towns that the Central Pacific established:

• Cisco, California; established in 1866





• Elko, Nevada; established in 1868





• Carlin, Nevada; established in 1868





• Lucin, Utah; established in 1869





• Terrace, Utah; established in 1869





• Kelton, Utah; established in 1869





• Promontory, Utah; established in 1869

Although these railroad towns lasted much longer than their short-lived counterparts, many of them are now uninhabited ghost towns. In contrast, some of them have evolved into modern, attractive cities, while still others are small but still inhabited. These railroad camps make up a very interesting chapter in the history of railroading.