Is Wisconsin Electric still receiving coal from the York Canyon Coal Mine located on the BNSF, formerly Santa Fe, Raton Pass route? This was part of the video Pentrex did about ten years ago on the Raton Pass route. I haven’t heard anything about the unit coal trains that operated on the Raton Route for some time. If BNSF is not operating these coal trains then the Raton Pass route is only used by the Southwest Chief and I believe only two freights.
Interesting about the latest new on the Newton-Dalies line. Amtrak had put that line on its “at risk” list because of the very low traffic density, but the BN responded that abandonment was not in their plans. Obviously, that is a lot of track to maintain for one manifest (maybe junk) train and one passenger train, and I am sure that the numbers do not bode well for the future.
Mudchicken said that there is still some 90 MPH Amtrak running on that line, I hope that is still true at least through next week. Anyway Raton will still be there. Could you imagine my disappointment if there was a reroute or no sightseer lounge?
Jay
(1) French to Colfax is old EP&NE route/ SP-Dawson Branch…Colfax to York Canyon is a new allignment built by ATSF in 1965. The recently published “Coal Town” is an excellent dissertation on life in Dawson, NM near Colfax.
(2) Stracnet - The ARMY put their tank range at Pinon Canyon (ATSF Simpson) because of it. I helped lay out the rail access to the base.
(3) The line is (ATSF “Northern Route”)still shorter and quicker than the transcon, it is just grade dependent. BNSF can use the line as a trump card if ever transcon movements become a competative issue between BNSF and the yellow peril.
(4) There are two other places out there that have coal revival possibilities, The SF,RM&E Koehler branch and also further south near the old Cimarron branch.
(5) Matt Rose and his biz car were at Trinidad a few weekends ago, something is brewing.
(6) In the late 1980’s ATSF was looking hard at putting French to Roy to Tucumcari back in order to bypass Glorietta Hill & the hogbacks Lamy to Las Vegas (much more of a concern than Raton’s little 24 mile bump)…Also Boise City to Colmor popped-up as a possibility…
To you afficianados of “B” movies who have never seen Las Vegas, NM (the other Vegas, not in Nevada)…go find a young Patrick Swayze’s “RED DAWN” which was shot almost entirely in the meadow city.
Rain, snow and snizzle just quit, so back to work we go to the outdoor universe.
[banghead][banghead][banghead]