The news made me jump threw the roof. With Texas Pacifico reopening a line from Presidio to San Angelo Jct. via BNSF to Brownwood. Yes! Finally! The South Orient shall rise agian. In the near future the KCS will see trackage rights over the former SF Dubiln Sub, now owned by Fort Worth and Western, from Fort Worth to Brownwood. The line is planed to reopen in January. A line from Fort Worth to Mexico… and it will put the Dublin Sub back in action. I knew someday that this would happen. And thank god it did. But the line wont be fully operational untill September 2004.But eather way Im happy. Now the Dublin Sub wont go to waste.
Thank you god… thank you.
[:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]
Hello, Bryan [:)]
It is nice to see a post from you.
It is also nice to see a line put back into use and not turned into a nature trail. Don’t get me wrong, the nature trail is a good thing but if the line can be used then use it. None of us want or like to see a good railroad stop using any trackage. I think most railroads are getting to the point where they are at capacity and need some outlets.
Warning: Texas DOT owns the thing and doesn’t have anybody there that understands what they have (All highway people making railroad decisions again) Be guarded in your optimism, it ain’t a slam dunk…
Arthur Stilwell’s dream has finally come to pass. Put the Texas Pacifico (ex-South Orient) together with the former Chihuahua al Pacifico (part of Ferromex) and you have the original KCM&O. It may not serve as a route to the Pacific since the port is still a long way from any shipping lanes but it could serve as a shorter route between northern Mexico and the Midwest.
Well I can’t say that it wil be a failure…I am now hearing trains blowing through San Angelo at all hours of the day and night.
I’m very optimistic and wi***exas Pacifco all the best!!!
Murray [:)]
Welcome to the forums. [8D] Nice to have you here. [;)]
Please fill us in, tell us if you can what engines they are running, colors, type of trains, etc, etc, etc,. Give us all the good details.
If anyone knows of a website for them please post it.
Thanks, all. [:)]
Does anyone have any additional info they can add [?] Some recent pictures would be great also. (No Dan, I don’t want any green cheese from the Moon.)
We’re fresh outta green cheese…but try some of this California cheese…it makes things really groovy man. The first bit is free…just bring some friends next time. [|)]
Talk about good timing…
At around 4:20 pm I had the opportunity to see a Texas Pacifico train moving north through San Angelo. I changed the route I was driving, and drove up to the San Angelo depot and watched the train pass the station to the north.
It consisted of 3 GP-38-2’s (FerroMex 4122 leading , 9895 and 4144 trailing) and was primarily a long grain train. I thought it was interesting that most of the grain hopper cars were Wisconsin Central cars.
Looks like I’m going to have to leave my camera in the car in case I get another opportunity like this.
In any even, there is a definate increase in traffice on the route, and the track rehabilitation is not even complete. This definately bodes well for the future of this line.
Regards…
Hello All:
Here are some shots that I took of acty in San Angelo over the weekend.
Enjoy!
http://members.cox.net/bhensley1/TP14.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bhensley1/TP15.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bhensley1/TP17.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bhensley1/TP2.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bhensley1/TP3.JPG
Well this is good news and hopefully a faster route os they can beat Utterly Pathoetic and Company
Just remember, the old Chihuahua al Pacifico is now part of Ferromex, in which Union Pacific has a 25% interest.
Thanks for the great news and great pictures. Dave
Thanks for the updates. Nice to see the line being used.
Please keep up posted as to what is going on.
Good work so far. [;)] [:)]
In talking to a KCS RR guy last week, he indicated that they want to upgrade the South Orient to eventually handle intermodal trains. The line is too slow right now to meet transit expectations. Once the line crosses into Mexico at Presidio, it heads to Chihuahua. It would seem like any significant freight flows would have to head South toward Aquascalientes from there. The reason being, to continue West would mean traversing Copper Canyon, which doesn’t appear to be a line that is suited to heavy traffic. That’s unfortunate because that line hits the Gulf of California at Topolobompo which is a port that has international container potential.
Does anyone have any insights on the Mexican end of this operation?
Dblstack…I have not seen anything related to the Mexican operations, other than references to the FerroMex Web Site, which is entirely in Spanish.
I would like to see more information about this as well.
I am glad to see that KCS has an interest in trying to make this a going concern.
I am sure that in time it will be sucessful!
Regards…
Hey Murray,
Thanks for posting the pics. Nice stuff. I forgot to mention that above.
- Stack
Here’s some great news regarding the South Orient (Texas Pacifico)
From the Dallas Morning News
Enjoy…
South Orient Railroad may go far with West Texas trade route
02:00 PM CST on Saturday, November 20, 2004
By KATHERINE YUNG / The Dallas Morning News
FORT STOCKTON, Texas – The railroad that refuses to die is gearing up for a comeback.
Headed for the scrap heap on at least three occasions and dormant for the last six years, the South Orient Railroad is once again seeking to defy history.
Its mission: proving that a profitable trade route exists through this former Army outpost and other West Texas towns, not only with Mexico but Asia too.
Next month, barring unforeseen hiccups, companies will start sending goods by rail from Fort Worth to the border at Presidio, Texas, and on to Topolobampo in northwest Mexico.
“This could be an alternative for bringing goods into the nation,” says Mario Medina, multimodal section director at the Texas Department of Transportation.
Freight trains operated by the Fort Worth & Western Railroad already run from Fort Worth to San Angelo Junction, Texas.
That’s where the South Orient begins, traversing 382 miles through 11 West Texas counties to Presidio, where it connects with the Mexican railroad Ferromex.
The revival would mark a milestone of sorts. Since the early 1900s, the pursuit of a faster, cheaper way to move grain and other goods from the Midwest to the Pacific Ocean via Texas and Mexico has captivated – and eluded – those who have tried.
The dream began with Arthur Stilwell, founder of the Kansas City Southern railroad and of Port Arthur. He built most of a rail line stretching from San Angelo to the port of Topolobampo in 1911 but never saw it become the trade corridor he envisioned.
Since then, other attempts have also fallen short. But this time, things m
Never mind…
LC
P.S. Despite the poor reporting it would be nice to see if some use can be made of this route. Always nice to have alternatives…
A container port at Topolobampo makes minimal economic sense and probably won’t be built. It looks like a good location on a map but I can’t envision double stacks being dragged through Copper Canyon nor can I envision container ships calling on a port that’s a long way from major shipping lanes. Most of Mexico’s Pacific Coast ports suffer from similar geographic limitations.