Railway Historical

(Original) Sunset Route, Part One

I believe this location, off East Marsh Station Road in Davidson Canyon, southeast of Tucson, is where a newer alignment of the Sunset Route flies over that of the original.

In addition, an historical marker states that the adjacent Cienega Bridge, built in 1921, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken October 26th 2018.

Re-upping a few posts from my brief time in the Gadsden Purchase area a little over four years ago.

Update: four years ago, I had assumed both lines here were of the Southern Pacific, and they would be in time (see below), but originally the line flying over (with train) was once the El Paso & Southwestern Railroad. I was correct in thinking the curvier line (sans train) was the original Southern Pacific (built 1880 or so).

This portion of the EP&SW was built quite late (in railroad terms), with crews working at this location in the autumn of 1911 or so. The railroad would make Tucson its western terminus the next year with festivities on October 31st 1912 (106 years prior, nearly to the day, of me taking these pictures).

The El Paso & Southwestern Railroad would be purchased by the Southern Pacific in 1924 and fully absorbed into its system in 1955.