Any Railfan Spots in the Four Corners Area?

[SilverSpike]

We are going on a family vacation at the end of March to the Four Corners area and including the states Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Does anyone live in these areas and / or know of favorite rail fan sites for viewing prototype activity while we are out there?

Thanks,

Ryan

[Anonymous]

The Four Corners is the greatest railroad lacunae in the lower 48 states. Your choices in March, before the Durango & Silverton begins its season, will be very limited. The only thing that's easy to reach and see from public roads that's in the immediate area is the Black Mesa & Lake Powell, but be forewarned that you could easily wait 8 to 12 hours until a train goes by. There's a very short mine railroad at the Four Corners Power Plant near Farmington, but I have no idea if that is visible from public roads or lands. To the north, the first thing you'll come across is the former D&RGW main line across the Green River Desert, with one to two daylight moves (eastward Amtrak is the only guaranteed train), the Cane Creek Branch from Brendel (Crescent Jct.) to Potash (near Moab), Friday's only; and the Montrose Branch -- don't know when it runs, but probably tri-weekly past Delta. To the west, you have to go almost to Nevada to reach the UP's LA&SL. To the south, the former Santa Fe main line has trains galore -- that's where I'd head if I wanted to see trains go by.

OS

[dldance]

I travel through that area quite frequently. The two areas with the most RR action are each about 2 to 3 hours from the 4 corners:
- Gallup NM is about 100 miles south and is on the BNSF Transcon (formerly Santa Fe). Lots of mainline railroading here including an Amtrak each way.
- Soldier Summit UT is about 150 miles to the north west is the former D&RGW corssing of the Wastach Mountains. While UP now owns it, most of what I have seen are BNSF trains on trackage rights, and Utah RR coal trains - west of Helper. These is a nice coal mining/railroading museum in Helper.

I have never been able to see the 4 corners power plant railroad as it is not near a major highway. I did see the Potash local on the Cane Creek branch once last year. The train is rare but the scenary it runs through is spectacular (Arches National Park).

dd

[mudchicken]

BMLP clearly visible at the SE end of the line near Cow Springs (NM 98 at US-160)....Yard for waiting power NW of Cow Springs is north of the highway about 300 yards. (Not at the mine) Ya-ta-He! bubba!

[dldance]

thanks, mudchicken, I will look for it next trip in a couple of weeks.

dd

[bnsfkline]

The railroad Near Farmington is the Navajo Mine Railroad. It operates 2 unit trains with 2 types of power. 2 ALCo C425's bought new in 1969, and two Former Amtrak E60C's. I was able to ride in the cabe on one of the Alcos, DS0091, in 2001, since my Uncle works for Four Corners Power. Unless you have contacts, you cant get in.

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bnsfkline

The railroad Near Farmington is the Navajo Mine Railroad. It operates 2 unit trains with 2 types of power. 2 ALCo C425's bought new in 1969, and two Former Amtrak E60C's. I was able to ride in the cabe on one of the Alcos, DS0091, in 2001, since my Uncle works for Four Corners Power. Unless you have contacts, you cant get in.

Quite correct Jim - But the highway and the rail line come very close to each other in places. The catenary helps in a spotting sense and they leave the engines stacked with the empty trains out by Cow Springs on a regular basis when the dragons at Page are well fed. Ryan may be in for culture shock out in the great-wide-empty and family priorities may kill wandering off towards Page AZ & Lake Powell this time of year.

Wait till the lack of water, Kudzu, trees and anything green kicks in![:D]

[SilverSpike]

Thanks guys for the rail fan sites tips!

We are going to ride that Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, AZ to the GC and back. I was just wondering if there were any places to see major consist activity while driving in the "Great Wide Open". We have only booked our strating and finishing days for the trip, and have left the middle wide open, so I may be able to sneakin another rail fan site, "opps, we got lost" at least once, maybe!

Thanks,

Ryan

[edbenton]

Try Clovis NM there is a nice small museum there at the old Santa Fe depot there along with a nice hobby shop that has a scanner to monitor trains coming thourgh action is roughly 80-90 trains a day plus clovis is a crew change point so they are not running at speed so you can see them getting moving again quite a sight to see on a stack train headed east worth the trip lots of hotels and other stuff for you to do and lots of shopping downtown to keep the wife happy.

[chad thomas]

One of my favorite spots in Arizona is just east of Williams (the GCry terminal) where the BNSF Peavine line (to Pheonix) splits away from the transcon. It's a great spot for photos. This spot is in a forrest area, a nice change from the desert. I couldn't give you directions but it's not hard to find. The Santa Fe mainline used to be the one thats in front of the Grand Canyon's Williams depot. Back in the 60's? they built the crookton line change. Now the main splits off just east of Williams and takes a more northern route connecting back to original about 40 miles west. As you leave Williams going north on the GCRY you will go under the BNSFmain (on a huge fill) about a mile from the station.
Anyway good luck on your vacation.

[spbed]

here is the BNSF for the area you are interested in

http://www.bnsf.com/about_bnsf/html/division_maps.html