The Winter Steam Festival, a festive event that marks the end of the holiday season, is set to return to Golden Spike. Over the course of three days, visitors will be treated to demonstrations and a variety of activities.
According to the National Park Service's news release on the event, this annual festival offers train enthusiasts an opportunity to witness a Victorian era locomotive in action and delve deeper into its history. The locomotive will be on display on December 28, 29, and 30, with its arrival scheduled for 10 a.m. each day. Demonstration runs are planned at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m., before the Jupiter locomotive departs at 4:30 p.m. Attendees also have the chance to participate in tours of the locomotive cab and hand car, as well as enjoy a motor car ride. The event is open to all with an entry fee of $20 per vehicle.
The Jupiter locomotive has an interesting backstory. Built by Schenectady Locomotive Works of New York in 1868, it was dismantled and shipped to San Francisco where it was reassembled and put into service on March 20, 1869, according to information from the National Park Service webpage dedicated to the history of the Jupiter locomotive. After an accident damaged another train called Antelope, Jupiter was attached to cars from a special train for Central Pacific president Leland Stanford’s journey to Utah for the Golden Spike Ceremony on May 10, 1869. When Central Pacific joined Southern Pacific Railroad system later on, they repainted their trains and dropped 'Jupiter' from its name.
Golden Spike National Historical Park is situated at 6200 North 22300 West in Promontory, Utah. The park charges $20 per car year-round; $15 per motorcycle; and $10 per person. An annual park pass is available for $35, as stated by the National Park Service. The park's visitor centers and many attractions are open throughout the year, with the visitor center operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.