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.

Willcox Playa

Here a westbound train of the current-day Union Pacific crosses over the Willcox Playa, just east of Cochise, Arizona.

Willcox is visible in the distance toward the east; the Dos Cabezas Mountains are over that way as well, just right of frame.

The Southern Pacific built the second transcontinental railroad through here in 1880. The playa was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1966. The Union Pacific absorbed that railroad in 1998.

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

One image by Richard Koenig; taken May 4th 2024.

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.

Near Celio Park, Oregon An eastbound train is seen from the north side of the Columbia River. The train is on the OR&N/Union Pacific line in Oregon. The other rail line visible here is the SP&S line that crossed over from Wishram and will head down the valley visible in the middle of the image: this was called the Oregon Trunk Railway, and runs along the Deschutes River down to Bend. The major highway one sees in the foreground is I-84. One image by Richard Koenig; taken March 19th 2023.