Arizona Eastern Railway eyes new business, new line

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

From Railway Age

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August 8, 2006

Arizona Eastern Railway eyes new business, new line

The 133-mile Arizona Eastern Railway (AER) is looking to grow. By building a 10-mile branch line from Bowie, Ariz., to Miami, Ariz., the Pacific Holdings LLC subsidiary expects to generate another 5,000 carloads of traffic and eliminate some 22,000-truck trips annually. It just needs the Surface Transportation Board to sign off on the $22 million project, which includes putting up a new 500-foot bridge across the Gila River. In the short line’s application, filed last week, it seeks “expedited consideration” with a decision by March 2007, so operations can begin in March 2008. (The filing is subject to completion of an environmental review by the Board’s Section of Environmental Analysis.)

The new line will serve a new Phelps Dodge Mining Co. copper mine complex and an industrial park in Safford, Ariz., making one roundtrip per day. AER already hauls 7,000 carloads a year for Phelps.

2

Wouldn’t it be sweet if they picked up the old San Diego and Arizona line and started running into San Diego. Then lay some tracks to keep it on the American side to avoid that whole emigration problem.

Not to stray off of your subject Chad, but why did the San Diego and Arizona go into Mexico? Was there less mountains to tend with? Do you know?

3

I think it was the most feesable route. BTW- they are hauling sand up through the Carizzo george again. They reopened the line back in ?October?.

4

Why sand? and what are they hauling it in. We’re not talking about sand for like concrete are we?

5

I’m not sure what it’s for but there is a big pile of it next to the museum in Campo. I saw a train near Campo a few months back and it had mabee 10 hoppers of sand and 4-5 tank cars. I have no Idea what is in the tankers.

6

So it was definately not a ballast train? Maybe the tankers were water cars to provent fires from sparks?

What engines were they using.

I read in Trains Mag. some time ago that SD&E bought a couple of miles of track on the Oceanside to Escondido line. The line that I grew up on. Know anything about that? I should see if anyone knows anything about this on SoCalrailfan.com

7

Looked like beach sand. I can’t remember what the power was, I want to say a GP9 but can’t remember specificly. Try asking on the SoCal site you will get a better response.

8

Obviously it is for beachfront property when CA slides into the ocean during the next earthquake :wink:

dd