Arizona Eastern Railway
The Arizona Eastern Railway (reporting mark AZER) is a Class III railroad that operates 206 miles (332 km) of railroad between Clifton, Arizona, and Miami, Arizona, in the United States. This includes trackage rights over the Union Pacific Railroad between Lordsburg, New Mexico, and Bowie, Arizona. The railroad serves the copper mining region of southeastern Arizona, and the agricultural Gila River Valley. The railroad offers a transload location for lumber, building materials and other consumer commodities at Globe, Arizona. As of 2023, AZER has a maximum capacity of 286,000, and has one interchange: Union Pacific (Lordsburg, New Mexico). [1]
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Claypool, Arizona |
| Reporting mark | AZER |
| Locale | Arizona |
| Dates of operation | 1988– |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Other | |
| Website | www.gwrr.com |
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History
What is now the Arizona Eastern Railway was chartered as the Gila Valley, Globe and Northern Railway (GVGN) on January 5, 1885.[2] Before completion to Globe in 1899, the GVGN came under the control of the Arizona Eastern Railroad (AE).[2] The Arizona Eastern was leased by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) in 1905 and merged into the SP system in 1924.[2] SP sold the Bowie – Miami line to Kyle Railroad in 1988.[2] Kyle was purchased by shortline holding company StatesRail in 1995, which was eventually purchased by RailAmerica in 2001.[2] RailAmerica sold the railroad to Permian Basin Railways, a subsidiary of Iowa Pacific Holdings,[3] in December, 2004.[2]
Of historical note, the Gila Valley Globe & Northern Railroad's first locomotive, apparently GVGN #1, was purchased from the Central Pacific Railroad, originally #1195 (Jupiter). The locomotive was the Central Pacific locomotive that met with Union Pacific No. 119 at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869, for the driving of the golden spike, commemorating the completion of the First transcontinental railroad. Despite its historical significance, in 1909 the GVGN, by then controlled by Central Pacific successor Southern Pacific, sold No. 1 for $1000 as scrap.
In 2006, Arizona Eastern announced the construction of a new 10-mile (16 km) spur from Safford to the new Safford Mine of Freeport-McMoRan Corporation, north of Safford.[4] The mine opened in 2008.
In 2008, AZER purchased the Clifton Subdivision from Union Pacific.[2] The Clifton subdivision serves the Morenci Mine near Clifton, Arizona, and interchanges with UP at Lordsburg, New Mexico.[5]
In December 2008, weekend excursion service under the name Copper Spike[6] began operating from Globe to the Apache Gold Hotel Casino near San Carlos.[7][8][9] Trains operated four daily round-trips through the winter and spring, on Thursdays through Sundays.[10] The Copper Spike excursion train did not resume operation for a 2011–2012 season due to the transfer in ownership.[11]
On 2 August 2011, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced that it planned to purchase the Arizona Eastern from Iowa Pacific for US$90.1 million, with the deal expected to be completed by the end of the year.[12] The deal was closed on 1 September 2011.[13]
Current operation
Cities served
- Clifton, AZ
- Guthrie, AZ
- Duncan, AZ
- Lordsburg, NM
- Bowie, AZ
- Solomon, AZ
- Safford, AZ
- freight dock
- Pima, AZ
- San Carlos, AZ
- Globe, AZ
- Claypool, AZ
- freight dock
Rolling stock
The following are locomotives operated by the Arizona Eastern:[14]
- EMD SD90MAC43
- EMD GP7
- EMD GP9
- EMD GP20
- EMD GP35
- EMD SD40-2
- EMD SD90MAC
- EMD SW9
- EMD SW1200
- GE B40-8
- GE B39-8E
- EMD E8A
Arizona Eastern previously operated AZER #6070, an EMD E8 locomotive. Built for the Chicago and North Western Railroad as CNW #5029B in June 1953, it pulled passenger trains for its railroad including Chicago commuter train service. It was repainted in a scheme reminiscent of Southern Pacific's "Black Widow" livery, since Arizona Eastern was owned by Southern Pacific. As of August 2011, the locomotive was transferred to the Saratoga and North Creek Railroad.[15]
References
- "Arizona Eastern Railway – A Genesee & Wyoming Company".
- "Arizona Eastern Railway Company AZER #91". Union Pacific. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
- "Permian Basin Railways". Iowa Pacific Holdings. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
- "Arizona Eastern Railway Files To Build New Rail Line" (Press release). Iowa Pacific Holdings. Archived from the original on 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2010-05-19.
- "Short Line Railroads". Union Pacific. Archived from the original on 2014-08-24. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- "Copper Spike Train Excursion". Archived from the original on 8 July 2011.
- "Globe tourist train will offer round trips to Apache casino". Arizona Daily Star. 2008-12-10. Archived from the original on March 24, 2009.
- Lockhart, Larry (2008-12-30). "Trip back in time: Excursion train offers look at travel of another era". Tri-Valley Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28.
- "The Copper Spike Train Excursion Travel Guide". 3 March 2017.
- "Train Schedule and Fares". Copper Spike Train Excursion. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011.
- "Copper Spike Train Excursion Information". Facebook. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- "Genesee & Wyoming Inc to acquire Arizona Eastern Railway". Rail.co. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- "Genesee & Wyoming completes Arizona Eastern acquisition". Progressive Railroading. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- "Arizona Eastern Railway Company Photographic Roster". RR Picture Archives. Archived from the original on 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- Whisenant, David (6 March 2014). ""Streamliners at Spencer" adds another entry". WBTV. Retrieved 27 January 2015.