Some New Info On UP Activity. (Phoenix, AZ)

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

For a town as big as Phoenix, we have very little in the way of “trains”. Only 2 lines in, and very little industry in the valley. I have heard rumors about UP expanding opeartions here, but they have only been that: Rumors.

After years of talk, looks like Union Pacific is stepping it up, finally!

The biggest rumor, and most likely not too to be seen for awhile, is the double track project on the Sunset Route running east-west in southern Arizona. There are talks wih the booming town of Maricope about a flyover bridge as the tracks well more or less divide the town. The locals are afraid it well turn into another “Flagstaff” (which is divided by the BNSF Trans-Con), but they have a fly over bridge there which keeps the town from living on the crossing gates. But that, is probably a couple years off.

In Tempe, AZ, approval was given for UP to build another small working yard to handle the industry for the Tempe branch. The are expecting more local customers and also to help presure from the Phoenix Yard.

The main yard has seen many improvments in the last year. New tracks, new ballasting, re-routing of exsiting tracks all to provide more room and to handle increased flow. Also, they have (they should be by now) a new fleet of yard locomotives done in the plain gray for remote operations. Also, improvments as simple as repaveing roads and upgrading parking lots.

UP is also trying to get permission from local folks ot build a hump yard over in far west Phoenix. I am guessing this will do some intermodal stuff, also designed to help presure in California.

And the biggie, the famed “West Phoenix Line” is being pushed to reopen. From my understanding when Southern Pacific had it they didnt take very good care of it… And when the take over took place, the line was in such bad shape, UP closed it down. Bringing all traffic up and out on the southeast line. There has been talk for years, but it looks like it mig

2

Big John:

As a midwesterner that makes a yearly trip to Phoenix for spring break, I am amazed at the lack of train service in Phoenix…until I look at the map and see it really isnt on a mainline.

We stay in Mesa for a few days and watch the Cubs. This year I would hear a daily train coming into town about 630am. There appeared to be a yard there in Mesa. What are the operations on that line? Couple of trains daily plus locals?

BNSF seems to have a decent operation, but as you said, to see real trains head to Flagstaff. What a great spot in the world.

ed

3

Ed, your spot on. Techinaly, there is no mainline service through Phoenix. BNSF comes in from the north on the Peavine that snakes down through the mountains off the Trans Con west of Flagstaff. The UP comes in on a line off the Sunset route somewhere around Casa Grande.

Mesa is farily busy and I live within a mile of the line and the Mesa Office. There, they keep 2 units, usually GP-40’s, to serve the Mesa industry and the Chanlder branch which has a concrete plant and a few other stops. The Mesa Yard is around Country Club and Broadway. They work it off and on all day. About 7pm they do the big round up and take them down the junction (Magma) to get back on to the mainline to head east or west.

The track you heard is used by the “mains” or the “bigs” about 4-6 times a day. They bring up the all the freight into the Phoenix. Some gets dropped off in the Mesa Yard for east siders, while the rest goes into Phoenix to be divded up for the rest.

The rest of the traffic is the local heading back and forth. I think on a 24 hour period you might catch about 12 trains a day.

4

Do you think there could be some kind of directional running if the Phoenix-Yuma line is reopened ?
Wellton to Picacho is 166 miles on the Sunset or 208 miles via Phoenix.
It should be cheaper than double-tracking.

5

Very possible, but I would take a stab at not likely for 3 reasons… And mind, you I am guessing here…

  1. Speed restictions thoughr town would suck. I think it would be close to 25-35 MPH and Phoenix is huge, That might be a 40-50 mile strectch.

  2. All the extra traffic would be inviting trouble with the grade crossings. I have no idea how many there are but I bet it would be close to 75 or more. And alot of those, would be in major traffic routes for cars and trucks.

  3. That line, (I iwish I knew the name) is used alot for local work. As it is now, they have to duck in and out of the sidings to get the work done for the traffic at its current levels.

Also, they might use it more if they do double track. I woulnt be surprised if they routed the traffic up to help ease the pains with construction of the bridge. Boy, I would love to have that next my house. [:)]

6

In the 1987 ETT it is called the Phoenix Line.
Freight speeds from Wellton MP770.0 to MP 813 was 50 mph, 813-823 40, 823-828 50, 828-835 40, 835-856 50, 856-903 40, 903-905 30, 905-908 20, 908-914 30, 914-916.5 20, 916.5-921 40, 921-922 25, 922-924 40, 924-957 55, 957-979 40 and 979-980 25
Phoenix was at mile 906

7

The Phoenix line could relieve some traffic along the Sunset Route, but as Canazar states there are speed restrictions on the line. The McQueen-Coolidge portion of the line is built using CWR, but the McQueen (the Chandler branch junction) -Phoenix and West Phoenix - Wellton line are built with jointed rail that was laid in the 50s. The track needs to be resurfaced as it is beginning to noticably dip on some areas and the joint sections are hammered down into the roadbed. The last resurfacing of the eastern portion of the track was in 1990. It would be good to tear up the jointed stuff and replace it with CWR, but I don’t believe at this time the UP needs to put money into it - the rail - although 50 years old - does appear to be in solid shape in most areas with no mushrooming or chipping at the joints.

The Coolidge-Mesa portion is 40MPH, Mesa Yard is 25MPH from 8th ave in Mesa to Extension Rd, 40MPH west to Tempe where the speed drops to 30 - into Phoenix.

In the mid 90s, during a couple of derailments on the Sunset Line, SP ran mainline trains through the Phoenix line and it was quite busy for a couple of days (30-40 trains a day up from the normal 6-8).

Another thing is that its TWC track with ABS (from Wellton to Coolidge, the Coolidge-Picacho portion of the line is CTC) vs. the CTC on the Sunset.