I’m interested in modeling the Seligman Sub on the BNSF transcon line and I’m trying to research rail customers and local operations in the division. So I’m keen to find an appropriate TEAM manual or ATSF/early BNSF era CLIC charts for the division and if possible local schedules. I understand that some of this info may be sensitive and or proprietary so any info, even if anecdotal, is appreciated!
Flagstaff, AZ has a Purina dog food plant with a large number of inbound hoppers, a SCA tissue plant, some other small industries, plus a decent sized oil distro center. Just to the east of the city is a cinder pit also. To the west they are turning an Army National Guard Depot into an industrial zone to encourage growth in terms of trucking distro centers and other companies but im not 100% sure whats moved in. I havent been out there to see what is built but from the highway you can see the development.
Hello and a belated thanks. I have identified as I recall about 30 rail served customers on the sub, mostly by comparing google earth, Bing Maps and my 1995 ATSF track chart of the sub. I don’t have all of the customers identified or what kind of cars are delivered at those customers (which is why I need a ATSF CLIC or the BNSF TEAM charts). I also have some info about the local schedules from a couple years ago with as I recall two or three roadswitchers (two in the Kingman area and one in flag) and three locals: 071, 081 and 091. But I don’t have any firm data on the current local schedules or the customers they serve. Thanks for the info!
I model Winslow-Flagstaff in '72, but I've also been out there twice in the last three years. My track plan is based on the USGS maps of the era, so I'm very much 'into' the sidings, what moved, and in what kind of cars. The only other 'industry of note' at Flag that I'll mention is that the fuel distributor (or whatever that is) on the south side in the "Y" area is active and still receiving tank cars. That's the remnant area of the Southwest Lumber Industries tracks, shows on Google Earth. Everything to do with wood products in Flag that was 'fun to model' is gone now. The millsite is razed, and the last time I was out there in 2009 they were busily demolishing the lumberyard across from the depot. I'd highly advise that you check out Google Earth and Bing Maps as a good source, most times the photography is now so good that you can identify cars - particularly the birdseye views on Bing Maps. I think you've seen that but the Flag area is particularly well covered. Biggest nice surprise that I got when I was out there in 2009 was finding two 'minimally patched' GP60's in red warbonnet with the "Santa Fe" intact parked at Flag as either local power or helpers. Just for a minute, beam me back to 1995. Flag also hosts (for no obvious reason) a 'caboose' / shoving platform. I don't know what they're switching locally that they need it, but there's one parked there. In Nov. 2009 it was an extended-vision ex-BN green car.
Seligman Sub & Rand: I lived in the Flagstaff area from October 1978 to August 1988. Feel free to write me anytime. Ed in Kentucky
One of the most interesting practices they've done out there (and I've seen it more in videotapes than firsthand) is the practice of 'block swapping' on the Phoenix trains. Back in the 70's pretty much everything in and out of Phoenix went east into Winslow, which meant some stuff going west went about 80 miles east first to Winslow from , then back west again. As part of the plan to take as much classification load of of Winslow as possible, traffic up out of Pheonix dropped blocks in available passing sidings and spurs and picked up Pheonix bound return blocks. Different destinations out of Phoenix in various destinations were preblocked and dropped, picked up by the next available train in that direction. A lot of that traffic got left around Flag, particularly the sidings at Winona to the cinder pit. Basically if you had a long siding that wasn't blocking a crossing, it was used as a yard track for preblocked cuts. That's not a typical switching operation anywhere else, but there its very typical. The other thing I've seen is power...and a lot of it, equally parked around Flag for trains to pick up headed uphill to the Divide and used for downhill dynamic braking to Needles. Eastbounds can drop off excess power for westbounds to use. Again, that is the kind of operation that typically would be done at Winslow on the 'classic' railroad plan, but ATSF was distributing this activity all across the line between Williams Jct. and Winslow. And yet, when I have been out to Winslow, there's obviously still traffic being handled there, and activity going on, and the yard is by no means empty. But there's usually no 'switcher' working the yard like there was in the early 70's.
That area out in Camp Navajo to the west of Flagstaff; BNSF wants to make an intermodal distro site. Found a map of planned sites and like the ones i sent you before from ADOT rail reports.
There is a staggering amount of trackage back in that base. Seems like a natural to redevelop, being right on I-40. On a related note: Does anyone know the history of the water tower next to the cinder pit? Is it train related?
At Bellemont? Or are you talking the cinder pit at Winona? I didn't think there was a tank there. The surviving ATSF water tanks 'usually' ended up getting saved because they were linked in with residential water supplies in the immediate area. The one at Bellemont (Navajo) is in that group the last I heard.
campp: What water tower are you referring to? The Bellemont water tank was used by local residents for water. My Platoon Sergeant of the time lived in Parks, AZ (Maine on the Railroad) and used to get his water at the Bellemont tank. There used to be a large stone slab over a pit out at East Darling, it was likely part of a water system for steam locomotives. This was located near the west switch at the overpass for Townsend Winona Road. Former Flagstaff, Winona and Bellemont resident
Local schedules were published in Kevin EuDaly's 1993 or 1995 ATSF book. Not sure which and no time to dig out the book at this moment.
