Phoenix Subdivision (Union Pacific Railroad)

For the similarly named BNSF line, see Phoenix Subdivision (BNSF Railway).

Phoenix Subdivision
UP Phoenix Yard at Sunset in March 2024 with Chase Field in the background
Overview
Owner	Union Pacific Railroad
Locale	Arizona
Termini	Eloy, AZ Wellton, AZ
Connecting lines	Copper Basin Railway Magma Arizona Railroad Phoenix Subdivision (BNSF)
Website	https://www.up.com/
Service
Type	Inter-city rail Freight rail
Operator(s)	Union Pacific Railroad
History
Completed	1928
Technical
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map 🔴 Phoenix Subdivision (UP) ⚫ Inactive Portion 🔵 Gila Subdivision 🟠 Phoenix Subdivision (BNSF) Show interactive map Legend Roll Industrial Lead Gila Subdivision Gila River Roll Industrial Lead Phoenix Subdivision to Palo Verde (West Phoenix industrial spurs) Salt River Spur BNSF Phoenix Subdivision Phoenix Union Station Valley Metro Rail Phoenix Yard & Intermodal Terminal PHX Sky Train Valley Metro Rail Salt River Tempe Tempe Industrial Lead Chandler Industrial Lead Magma Arizona Railroad Copper Basin Railway Coolidge Gila Subdivision Show diagram map

The Phoenix Subdivision is a railroad line in the U.S. state of Arizona owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The southeast end of the line connects to the Gila Subdivision near Eloy, runs northeast to Phoenix, and becomes the Roll Industrial Lead, running southwest before reconnecting to the Gila Subdivision at Wellton. ^[1] As of 2010 ^[update] , eighty miles (130 km) of the line between Roll and Arlington are out of service and used for car storage. ^{[2] : 15}

The railway is used by almost exclusively for freight movements, with about four trains per day as of May 2018 ^[update] . ^[3] The McElhaney Cattle Company maintains trackage rights over the western six miles (9.7 km) of the line, with traffic consisting of grain cars. ^{[2] : 15}

On October 9th 1995, saboteurs intentionally derailed the Sunset Limited near the town of Palo Verde. The perpetrators have never been caught.

Amtrak ran the Sunset Limited on the route until June 1996 ^{[2] : 15} when Union Pacific wanted to reduce upkeep costs on the west end of the line; passenger service was rerouted to Maricopa. ^[4] The line is part of a system of proposed commuter rail lines in the Phoenix metropolitan area and could be reopened to support that. ^[5]

History

The rail line between Wellton and Phoenix was built by the Southern Pacific Railroad, with passenger service commencing in 1928. ^{[2] : 15} The line was downgraded to a branch line in 1997, as most traffic was rerouted via Maricopa. ^{[2] : 15}

Sunset Limited Bypassing of Phoenix

See also: Sunset_Limited § Bypassing_of_Phoenix

On June 2, 1996, the Sunset Limited was rerouted to a more southerly route between Tucson, and Yuma, Arizona, bypassing Phoenix. Union Pacific, which had acquired Southern Pacific earlier in the year, wanted to abandon a decaying portion of its Phoenix–Yuma "West Line", particularly the Roll Industrial Lead, that had previously been used to serve Phoenix due to deteriorating track conditions and very little freight traffic. By then the Sunset Limited was almost the only train using the Wellton Branch, and service was slow and bumpy along this worn-out section. ^[6] UP demanded that Amtrak pay for the maintenance, which they would not do. ^[7] Thus by June 1996, the Sunset Limited was bypassing Phoenix, and UP promptly put the 64-mile midsection of the Wellton Cutoff out of service. This made Phoenix one of the nation's largest cities without direct passenger service; although the designated Phoenix-area stop is in Maricopa, a suburban community about 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Phoenix. Amtrak Thruway service, run by Stagecoach Express, connects the two cities. ^[8]

Proposals to Reopen the Wellton Branch

Since its closure, officials have intermittently considered different options for how to reopen the line and restore Sunset Limited direct passenger service to Phoenix and potentially launch LA intercity service. The most recent study was conducted by ADOT in an effort to understand the existing condition of the Wellton Branch and to develop improvement scenarios and capital cost estimates for freight and passenger rail service between Arlington and Wellton, a distance of 90.8 miles (146.1 km). ^[9] In that study, it was determined that current freight demand along the Wellton Branch line/ Phoenix Subdivision does not warrant re-opening the Wellton Branch and that Re-opening this corridor solely for passenger service is not cost effective. ^{[10] [11]}

Results of ADOT's Wellton Branch Railroad Rehabilitation Study ^{[10] [11]}

	Track grade	Freight max speed	Passenger max speed	Total Est. Cost (millions)	Avg. Cost/Route mile (millions)
1	Class 2 Track	25 mph	NA	$165.4	$1.8
2	Class 3 Track	40 mph	60 mph	$194.8	$2.1
2A	Class 3 w/PTC	40 mph	60 mph	$266.0	$2.9
3	Class 4 Track	60 mph	79 mph	$420.3	$4.6

Phoenix Intermodal Terminal

Phoenix Intermodal Terminal was announced in November 2023, ^{[12] [13]} and operation began on February 1, 2024. ^[14] The facility is located in UP's Phoenix Yard and will serve shipments coming from the Port of Los Angeles. ^[15] Drayage service will be provide by Duncan & Sons, a local logistics firm. ^[16]

References

1. Bourque, Scott (September 23, 2019). "Q&AZ: What Happened To The Railroad Line West Of Phoenix?". KJZZ 91.5. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
2. "Wellton Branch Railroad Line" (PDF). Maricopa Association of Governments. December 14, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 18, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
3. 2018 Regional Commuter Rail System Study Update (PDF), Maricopa Association of Governments, May 2018, p. 2-45, archived from the original (PDF) on May 18, 2023
4. Johnston, Bob (February 27, 2024). "FRA releases long-distance study interim report, invites comments". Trains . Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
5. Bourque, Scott (September 23, 2019). "Q&AZ: What Happened To The Railroad Line West Of Phoenix?". KJZZ . Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
6. "The Curious Case of the Union Pacific's Wellton Branch: Opportunity in the 'Phoenix West Line'". RailPAC: Rail Passenger Association of CA & NV. November 22, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
7. Johnston, Bob (February 27, 2024). "FRA releases long-distance study interim report, invites comments". Trains . Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
8. "Sunset Limited Schedule; Effective November 3, 2019" (PDF). Amtrak. November 3, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
9. "Wellton Branch Rail Rehabilitation Study". ADOT . 2014. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
10. "Wellton Branch Rehabilitation Study - Brocure" (PDF). ADOT . March 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
11. "Wellton Branch Railroad Rehabilitation Study - 2014 Final Report" (PDF). ADOT . March 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
12. Stephens, Bill (December 8, 2023). "Union Pacific to open new international intermodal terminal in Phoenix". Trains . Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
13. Jensen, Audrey (December 1, 2023). "Union Pacific intermodal railyard in Phoenix sets opening date in 2024". Phoenix Business Journal . Retrieved March 2, 2024.
14. "Union Pacific opens Phoenix intermodal facility". Trains . February 8, 2024. Archived from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
15. "Phoenix Intermodal Terminal". Union Pacific . Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
16. Marsh, Joanna (November 29, 2023). "Union Pacific to operate international intermodal terminal in Phoenix". FreightWaves. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2024.

Sources

• Pry, Mark; Andersen, Fred (December 2011). "Arizona Transportation History" (PDF). ADOT . Archived (PDF) from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2024.