t Opened a Frontier" by Mallory Hope Ferrell, in Colorado Rail Annual No. 15, Golden, Colorado, 1981, page 47)
October 3, 1882
Utah & Northern reached Deer Lodge, Montana, 33 miles west and north of Silver Bow, and 40 miles from Butte. (The New North West, Deer Lodge, 6 October 1882)
Late August 1883
U&N connected with NP at Little Blackfoot (later Garrison) in late August 1883. (Salt Lake Daily Herald, 2 September 1883, "last week")
September 8, 1883
Northern Pacific completed its transcontinental line between St. Paul, Minnesota and Wallula, Washington, driving its last spike at Goldcreek, Montana just 8.25 miles west of Garrison.
Mid April 1886
"The Utah & Northern will lay a steel rail between Anaconda and Stuart, a distance of nine miles, as soon as the rails arrive, which have been ordered." (Butte Daily Miner, April 15, 1886)
Mid May 1886
Steel for the third rail between Stuart and Silver Bow was being distributed, and standard gauge ties were being put in between the two points, every other tie being replaced with a new one. 120 men were put to work on Wednesday the 12th, and 50 more men were wanted. (Butte Daily Miner, May 14, 1886)
Mid June 1886
"The Third Rail" had been completed between Stuart and Silver Bow, and was expected to be completed to Butte in a few days. (Butte Daily Miner, June 11, 1886) Stuart was 26 miles from Silver Bow, and 33 miles from Butte.
June 14, 1886
Montana Union Railway was incorporated. "The company was incorporated June 14, 1886 and leased the property above described in its present shape on the first day of August 1886." (Montana Union Railway "Railroad Report" to the Auditor of the Territory of Montana, dated December 29, 1886, photocopy furnished by Thorton Waite)
July 23-24, 1886
The change of gauge of the 36 miles of railroad between Stuart and Garrison was completed on Friday July 24, 1886. Work to complete the change of gauge began as soon as the last narrow-gauge train left Butte for Garrison after 8:30 o'clock on the morning of July 22nd. The first broad-gauge train, a scheduled passenger train, left Garrison at 7 p.m. on Friday the 24th, arriving in Butte about midnight. Freight began moving between Stuart and Garrison on the morning of Saturday July 25th. There was no interruption of freight service between Butte and Stuart, and on to Anaconda because that line had previously been converted to three-rail, dual gauge in mid June. (part from Butte Daily Miner, July 21, 1886)
The first standard gauge train south from Garrison, a Northern Pacific train pulled by locomotive 313, arrived at Deer Lodge at 9:15 p.m. on July 22, 1886. The newspaper account referred to it as the first Montana Union train. (Butte Daily Miner, July 23, 1886)
"At 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon (July 23, 1886) the work of widening the track between Deer Lodge and Stuart was completed and at 7:10 o'clock last evening (July 23, 1886) the first broad-gauge arrived in Butte. This train left Garrison at 4:30 p.m., in charge of Conductor West. It consisted of Northern Pacific locomotive No. 350, a first class passenger car, a second-class passenger car and an express car. The engine was manned by Northern Pacific employees, but the remainder of the train was in charge of Utah & Northern men. Commencing this morning, standard-gauge trains will run regularly between Butte and Garrison, but the traffic between Butte and Anaconda will continue on the narrow-gauge track until further notice." (Butte Daily Miner, July 24, 1886)
"The Utah & Northern narrow gauge between Garrison and Butte has been changed to ordinary broad gauge. It was concluded in sections and altogether but one train was laid off. The first broad gauge train arrived in Butte on the 23rd. Traffic between Butte and Anaconda will be on the narrow gauge for the present." (Salt Lake Daily Tribune, July 27, 1886)
"The first broad gauge train ever in Butte pulled in at 7:15 Friday evening (July 23, 1886), and pulled out again at 8:50 [the next] morning. The train was drawn by locomotive No. 350, George Neffs, engineer. The train consisted of three c