Railway Historical

Dale Creek Trestle Site Another fabled locale on the Union Pacific portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad is the Dale Creek Trestle Site. The original wooden structure was quite an engineering feat in itself for the time. Before the line was relocated to the south at the beginning of the 20th century, there were three iterations of the trestle—the first of wood and two later ones made of iron and then steel. Footings still exist near the edge of the creek that Grenville Dodge said one “could easily step across.” Access to this site is restricted due to it being on private property. One image by Richard Koenig; taken October 29th 2010.

Eastbound Stack Train

This is an eastbound stack train on the Sunset Route. While now being just a portion of the Union Pacific, this line was originally the Southern Pacific (built in 1880). The SP, along with the ATSF, formed the second transcontinental railroad in the United States.

[In actuality, the SP helped form the second, third, and fourth transcontinental lines in this country. It should be noted as well: Southern Pacific's precursor company, the Central Pacific, formed half the the first transcontinental—along with the UP.]

In the first image, we see the train after having come down from Dragoon Pass; it is rolling by the town of Cochise, Arizona. In the second and third images, the train is heading out across the Willcox Playa; the Dos Cabezas Mountains are out of frame toward the right. Willcox is visible in the distance in those shots.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken May 4th 2024.

Land acknowledgement: Hohokam, O'odham Jewed, Chiricahua Apache.

Along I-8 First image here: looking south from I-8, milepost 54: between myself and the ridge in the distance lies Southern Pacific baking, baking in the midday sun. The mountains one sees in the background here are located within the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range, established in 1941.

The second image was taken a bit later as I drove east. I saw a westbound train coming, pulled over and squeezed off this grab-shot. The same mountain range can be seen in the background. Land acknowledgement: Yavapai Apache, O'odham Jewed, Maricopa, Cocopah, and Hia-Ced O'odham peoples.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken May 2nd 2024.

Light Engine

We are off East Marsh Station Road in Davidson Canyon, near Vail, Arizona—southeast of Tucson by thirty miles. A lone locomotive, running eastward, is on the former Southern Pacific line where the former El Paso and Southwestern Railroad flies overhead.

As stated in the previous post (with Sunset Limited), the EP&SW came through here in 1911 or so while the SP was built in 1880. The younger road would be purchased by the Southern Pacific in 1924 and fully absorbed into its system in 1955.

[Note: my two posts at this location are out of order: this light engine actually surprised me and rolled by just prior to that of the Sunset Limited.]

Also mentioned in the previous post: in addition to the two railroads here, an historical marker states that the adjacent Cienega Bridge (not pictured), built in 1921, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Land acknowledgement: O’odham Jewed, Sobaipuri, Tohono O’odham, Hohokam.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken May 2nd 2024.

Sunset Limited We are off East Marsh Station Road in Davidson Canyon, near Vail, Arizona—southeast of Tucson by thirty miles. Amtrak’s Sunset Limited is on the former El Paso and Southwestern Railroad flying over the much older Southern Pacific. The EP&SW came through here in 1911 or so while the SP was built in 1880. The younger road would be purchased by the Southern Pacific in 1924 and fully absorbed into its system in 1955. In addition to the two railroads, an historical marker states that the adjacent Cienega Bridge (not pictured), built in 1921, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Land acknowledgement: O’odham Jewed, Sobaipuri, Tohono O’odham, Hohokam.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken May 2nd 2024.

The Worst Kind of Light A westbound train on the former Southern Pacific between Owl and Colfred, Arizona. The line was built through here in 1880. Prior to that, this land was inhabited by the Yavapai Apache, O'odham Jewed, Maricopa, Cocopah, and Hia-Ced O'odham peoples. The mountains one sees in the background here are located within the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range, established in 1941.

One photograph by Richard Koenig; taken May 2nd 2024.

Sunset on the Sunset Route A westbound train on the former Southern Pacific between Owl and Colfred, Arizona. It was built in 1880. Prior to that, this land was inhabited by the Yavapai Apache, O'odham Jewed, Maricopa, Cocopah, and Hia-Ced O'odham peoples. The mountains one sees in the background here are located within the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range, established in 1941.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken May 1st 2024.

Out of the Mirage (Part Four of Four)

Here’s the going-away sequence of the northbound train in the previous post. Again, this is the former Rock Island line down to Tucumcari. These photographs were taken a few miles north of Dalhart, Texas, in the Panhandle.

Five images by Richard Koenig; taken April 27th 2023.

Out of the Mirage (Part Three of Four)

After the southbound in the previous two posts, I waited around a bit for this northbound train. Again, this is the former Rock Island line down to Tucumcari. These photographs were taken a few miles north of Dalhart, Texas, in the Panhandle.

Five images by Richard Koenig; taken April 27th 2023.

Out of the Mirage (Part Two of Four)

Here’s a going-away sequence of the southbound train on the former Rock Island line to Tucumcari. These photographs were taken a few miles north of Dalhart, Texas, in the Panhandle.

The amount of merchandise one of these double-stack trains can haul is truly astounding (although many of these, if not all, could be empty—but my next post will balance this out).

Five images by Richard Koenig; taken April 27th 2023.

Out of the Mirage (Part One of Four)

Here’s a southbound train on the former Rock Island line to Tucumcari. These photographs were taken a few miles north of Dalhart, Texas, in the Panhandle.

Five images by Richard Koenig; taken April 27th 2023.

Elevators

Exploring the panhandle of Texas, I took a few shots in Dalhart. These two elevators were close to where the C&S, which ran between Denver and Fort Worth, crossed the Rock Island line down to Tucumcari, New Mexico, where it met the Southern Pacific. Of course the lines are now BNSF and Union Pacific respectively.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken April 27th 2023.