Concession Cars

Sherman Hill

The Sherman Hill was built in 1961 by the St. Louis Car Company as Railroad Post Office (RPO) UP5818. It was converted into a maintenance of way tool car in 1968 and then into a maintenance of way kitchen car in 1981.

The car became part of the Heritage Passenger Car Fleet in 1992 and was converted into the concession car Sherman Hill that same year.

Sherman Hill stretches from Cheyenne to Laramie, Wyoming. The original line was constructed through Sherman, Wyoming, in 1868. It was the highest point on the transcontinental railroad at 8,247 feet above sea level. In 1901, a line change was made at Sherman, which lowered the high point to 8,013 feet above sea level. A second track was built in 1917 for eastbound trains, while westbound trains use the original track. The high point is now 8,015 feet because of an increase in ballast under the track.

A third main track was built in 1953 and was used only for westbound trains until the installation of Centralized Traffic Control signals. This permitted the operation of trains in either direction on any of the three tracks operating over Sherman Hill. This third track was built as much as seven miles to the south of tracks one and two.

Rail enthusiasts always have considered Sherman Hill a premier location to watch and photograph trains.