The Transcon is one of the most heavily trafficked rail corridors in the western United States: as of 2006[update], an average of almost 90 trains daily (over 100 trains on peak days) passed over the section between Belen and Clovis, New Mexico, with each train typically 6,000 to 8,000 feet (1,800 to 2,400 m) long.[1]
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed a railroad between Chicago and Southern California in the 1880s. The route, built in stages, was less than ideal, especially where it crossed Raton Pass and Glorieta Pass. The steep grades posed operational problems, including congestion, slow speeds, and the need for helper engines. As an interim solution, a second track, with a longer tunnel, was opened at Raton in 1908, but this simply added capacity, and the grades remained. In 1902 the Santa Fe began surveying a new cutoff that would bypass this segment entirely. Much of the route had already been constructed by subsidiaries, such as the Southern Kansas Railway, which built a branch to Amarillo, Texas, in the 1880s, and the Pecos Valley and Northeastern Railway, an 1899 extension from Amarillo to Pecos via Texico, New Mexico.[2]
Belen Cutoffedit
To complete the line between Texico and a point northwest of Belen, New Mexico, the Santa Fe incorporated the Eastern Railway of New Mexico in October 1902, and began construction of the Belen Cutoff the next January. The entire line was completed on July 1, 1908, allowing through freight trains to bypass the 3–3.5% grades of the old line for the maximum grade of 1.25% (at Abo Canyon) on the new line. (Most passenger trains continued to use Raton Pass so as to serve Colorado.) The Pecos Valley and Northeastern (but not its Texas subsidiaries, because of Article X of the Texas Constitution) was consolidated into the Eastern in March 1907, and in January 1912, the property of the Eastern was conveyed to the Santa Fe.[3]
Other improvementsedit
To connect central Texas to this line, the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway completed the Coleman Cutoff, running southeast from Texico to the Santa Fe subsidiary Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway at Coleman, in 1914. A third line was almost completed in the 1920s and 1930s, when the Santa Fe built the majority of the planned Dodge City–Colmer (Colmer Cutoff), which would provide a second bypass of Raton (but not Glorieta), but construction stopped at Farley, and the line was torn up west of Boise City in 1942.[4]: 18–31
The completion of the Belen Cutoff did not end improvements to the transcontinental route. The 47-mile (76 km) Ellinor Cutoff opened in 1924, cutting through the Flint Hills from the original main line at Ellinor, Kansas, southwest to El Dorado on the main line to Texas. This allowed trains bound for the Belen Cutoff to cut directly to Mulvane, bypassing Wichita to the southeast.[4]: 36–37 To the west, in Arizona, the Santa Fe constructed a new line between Williams and Crookton, bypassing the sharp curves and steep grades of the line via Ash Fork built by the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in the 1880s.[3] The $19.3-million realignment opened on December 19, 1960, and the old line was abandoned west of the Phoenix connection at Ash Fork.[4]: 53 Smaller improvements included installation of centralized traffic control on the Belen Cutoff in the 1940s.[4]: 29 Also, by October 2018, the entire Southern Transcon was double-tracked, except for two bridges; and, projects were underway to add triple- and even quadruple-track along the busiest parts.[5][6]
southern, transcon, main, line, bnsf, railway, comprising, subdivisions, between, southern, california, chicago, illinois, completed, current, alignment, 1908, atchison, topeka, santa, railway, when, opened, belen, cutoff, mexico, going, through, eastern, mexi. The Southern Transcon is a main line of BNSF Railway comprising 11 subdivisions between Southern California and Chicago Illinois Completed in its current alignment in 1908 by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway when it opened the Belen Cutoff in New Mexico going through eastern New Mexico northwestern Texas briefly part of western Oklahoma and to Kansas and bypassed the steep grades of Raton Pass which passes through northeastern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado it now serves as a mostly double tracked intermodal corridor Southern TransconBNSF ES44DC No 7520 leads on the Southern Transcon in the Mojave Desert CaliforniaOverviewOwnerBNSF RailwayLocaleSouthwestern and Midwestern United StatesTerminiLos Angeles CaliforniaChicago IllinoisServiceTypeInter city railFreight railOperator s BNSF RailwayAmtrakHistoryCompleted1908Built byAtchison Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayTechnicalTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gauge The Transcon is one of the most heavily trafficked rail corridors in the western United States as of 2006 update an average of almost 90 trains daily over 100 trains on peak days passed over the section between Belen and Clovis New Mexico with each train typically 6 000 to 8 000 feet 1 800 to 2 400 m long 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 Belen Cutoff 1 2 Other improvements 2 Constituent rail lines 3 Passenger trains 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed a railroad between Chicago and Southern California in the 1880s The route built in stages was less than ideal especially where it crossed Raton Pass and Glorieta Pass The steep grades posed operational problems including congestion slow speeds and the need for helper engines As an interim solution a second track with a longer tunnel was opened at Raton in 1908 but this simply added capacity and the grades remained In 1902 the Santa Fe began surveying a new cutoff that would bypass this segment entirely Much of the route had already been constructed by subsidiaries such as the Southern Kansas Railway which built a branch to Amarillo Texas in the 1880s and the Pecos Valley and Northeastern Railway an 1899 extension from Amarillo to Pecos via Texico New Mexico 2 Belen Cutoff edit To complete the line between Texico and a point northwest of Belen New Mexico the Santa Fe incorporated the Eastern Railway of New Mexico in October 1902 and began construction of the Belen Cutoff the next January The entire line was completed on July 1 1908 allowing through freight trains to bypass the 3 3 5 grades of the old line for the maximum grade of 1 25 at Abo Canyon on the new line Most passenger trains continued to use Raton Pass so as to serve Colorado The Pecos Valley and Northeastern but not its Texas subsidiaries because of Article X of the Texas Constitution was consolidated into the Eastern in March 1907 and in January 1912 the property of the Eastern was conveyed to the Santa Fe 3 Other improvements edit To connect central Texas to this line the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway completed the Coleman Cutoff running southeast from Texico to the Santa Fe subsidiary Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe Railway at Coleman in 1914 A third line was almost completed in the 1920s and 1930s when the Santa Fe built the majority of the planned Dodge City Colmer Colmer Cutoff which would provide a second bypass of Raton but not Glorieta but construction stopped at Farley and the line was torn up west of Boise City in 1942 4 18 31 The completion of the Belen Cutoff did not end improvements to the transcontinental route The 47 mile 76 km Ellinor Cutoff opened in 1924 cutting through the Flint Hills from the original main line at Ellinor Kansas southwest to El Dorado on the main line to Texas This allowed trains bound for the Belen Cutoff to cut directly to Mulvane bypassing Wichita to the southeast 4 36 37 To the west in Arizona the Santa Fe constructed a new line between Williams and Crookton bypassing the sharp curves and steep grades of the line via Ash Fork built by the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in the 1880s 3 The 19 3 million realignment opened on December 19 1960 and the old line was abandoned west of the Phoenix connection at Ash Fork 4 53 Smaller improvements included installation of centralized traffic control on the Belen Cutoff in the 1940s 4 29 Also by October 2018 the entire Southern Transcon was double tracked except for two bridges and projects were underway to add triple and even quadruple track along the busiest parts 5 6 Constituent rail lines editvteSan Bernardino Subdivision Legend nbsp nbsp Cajon Subdivision nbsp nbsp 0 San Bernardino nbsp nbsp nbsp San Bernardino A Yard nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp SCRRA Shortway Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp SCRRA San Gabriel Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp San Bernardino B Yard nbsp nbsp 2 1 SCRRA Shortway Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp 3 2 UP Alhambra Subdivision nbsp nbsp 7 1 SCRRA Perris Valley Subdivision nbsp 9 9 nbsp 10 3 Riverside Downtown nbsp nbsp nbsp 10 9 nbsp nbsp UP Los Angeles Subdivision nbsp 18 5 Riverside La Sierra nbsp 23 8 Corona North Main nbsp 26 9 Corona West nbsp Santa Ana River nbsp nbsp 40 6 SCRRA Olive Subdivision nbsp Placentia nbsp nbsp nbsp 45 6165 5 SCRRA Orange Subdivision nbsp nbsp 165 1 Fullerton nbsp nbsp Fullerton Lead nbsp 161 2 Buena Park nbsp La Mirada Yard nbsp 156 1 Norwalk Santa Fe Springs nbsp nbsp 155 0 Santa Fe Springs Lead nbsp nbsp UP Los Nietos Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp 153 0 Brea Chemicals Lead nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 152 1 UP Los Nietos Subdivision nbsp nbsp UP La Hambra Subdivision nbsp Pico Rivera Yard nbsp nbsp nbsp 148 3 Commerce nbsp nbsp Commerce Yard nbsp nbsp Hobart Yard nbsp nbsp nbsp 144 5 UP San Pedro Subdivision nbsp nbsp 143 7 SCRRA River Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp Redondo Junctionover the Los Angeles River nbsp nbsp 143 2 Harbor Subdivision nbsp Alameda Corridor vteCajon Subdivision Legend nbsp Needles Subdivision nbsp Barstow Yard nbsp nbsp Mojave Subdivision nbsp nbsp Mojave Northern Railroad nbsp Victorville nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Lucerne Valley Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp UP Mojave Subdivision nbsp Silverwood nbsp nbsp nbsp Tunnel No 1 removed2008 nbsp nbsp nbsp Tunnel No 2 removed2008 nbsp nbsp Cajon Pass nbsp Keenbrook nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Arrow Maintenance Facility nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp SCRRA San Gabriel Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp San Bernardino A Yard nbsp nbsp San Bernardino nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp SCRRA Shortway Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp San Bernardino Subdivision nbsp SCRRA San Gabriel Subdivision nbsp vteNeedles Subdivision Legend nbsp Cajon Subdivision nbsp Barstow nbsp nbsp Barstow Yard nbsp nbsp UP Cima Subdivision nbsp nbsp Klondike nbsp nbsp nbsp Arizona and California Railroad nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Needles nbsp nbsp Seligman Subdivision nbsp Amtrak Southwest Chief vteSeligman Subdivision Legend nbsp Needles Subdivision nbsp Needles Yard nbsp nbsp CaliforniaArizona Colorado River nbsp nbsp Kingman nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Grand Canyon Railway nbsp nbsp nbsp Phoenix Subdivision nbsp nbsp Williams Junction nbsp closed2018 nbsp Flagstaff nbsp nbsp nbsp Winslow Yard nbsp Winslow nbsp nbsp Gallup Subdivision nbsp Amtrak Southwest Chief vteGallup Subdivision Legend nbsp to Seligman Subdivision nbsp 284 5 East Winslow nbsp Little Colorado River nbsp 275 4 West Hibbard nbsp 273 0 East Hibbard nbsp 265 4 Manila nbsp 262 4 Joseph City nbsp 259 6 Chola Main 1 Only nbsp 258 6 Penzance nbsp 255 5 West Holbrook nbsp nbsp Apache Railway nbsp 253 3 East Holbrook nbsp 243 5 Arntz nbsp 235 0 West Adamana nbsp 232 0 East Adamana nbsp 222 8 Bibo nbsp 219 2 Pinta nbsp 215 9 West Coronado Jct nbsp nbsp Coronado Subdivision nbsp 214 8 East Coronado Jct nbsp 202 2 Cheto nbsp 192 6 West Houck nbsp 190 0 East Houck nbsp 176 1 Lupton nbsp ArizonaNew Mexico nbsp Puerco River nbsp 167 0 West Defiance nbsp nbsp Defiance Subdivision nbsp 165 0 East Defiance nbsp 161 3 West Gallup nbsp 157 6 Gallup nbsp nbsp 156 5 East Gallup nbsp 151 6 Zuni nbsp 143 0 Perea nbsp nbsp Continental Divide Campbell Passelev 7 244 ft 2 208 m nbsp 128 8 Gonzales nbsp nbsp nbsp 125 6 Thoreau nbsp nbsp 118 5 West Pegs nbsp nbsp nbsp 117 7 East Pegs nbsp nbsp 114 8 West Baca nbsp nbsp Lee Ranch Subdivision nbsp 113 3 East Baca nbsp 98 3 West Grants nbsp 94 3 East Grants nbsp 82 7 McCartys nbsp 71 1 Laguna nbsp 58 7 Marmon nbsp 47 2 Suwanee nbsp nbsp nbsp Rio Puerco nbsp 33 9 Rio Puerco nbsp 27 4 Dalies To the west mileage nbsp measured from Albuquerque nbsp nbsp Glorieta Subdivision nbsp 10 1 Dalies nbsp 5 5 Felipe nbsp 0 6 Aragon nbsp 0 0 Belen Jct nbsp to Clovis Subdivision nbsp Amtrak Southwest Chief vteClovis Subdivision Legend nbsp to Gallup Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp New Mexico Rail Runner Express nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Belen station NMRX nbsp 897 6 Belen Jct nbsp 897 3 Hadley nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 896 9 Belen nbsp nbsp nbsp 895 6 El Paso Jct nbsp nbsp El Paso Subdivision nbsp 894 8 Jarales nbsp Rio Grande River nbsp 889 0 Madrone nbsp 884 2 Bodega nbsp 882 1 Becker nbsp 879 3 Beevers nbsp 876 8 West Sais nbsp 875 0 East Sais nbsp Abo Canyon nbsp 870 3 Scholle nbsp 867 4 Kayser nbsp 862 4 Abo nbsp nbsp Summit Abo Pass nbsp 854 8 Mountainair nbsp 853 5 White nbsp 850 0 Broncho nbsp 847 3 Sarrett nbsp 839 9 Willard nbsp 834 2 Silio nbsp 830 2 CP 8302 nbsp 828 0 Lucy nbsp 825 1 Gauna nbsp 823 0 Culebra nbsp 817 7 Dunmoor nbsp 815 6 West Pedernal nbsp 814 1 Pedernal nbsp 812 6 East Pedernal nbsp 812 5 CP 8125 nbsp 807 8 Negra nbsp 797 8 Carnero nbsp 792 7 Tejon nbsp nbsp nbsp UP Tucumcari Subdivision nbsp 789 2 West Vaughn nbsp 788 5 Vaughn nbsp 781 7 CP 7817 nbsp 772 8 Joffre nbsp 769 0 Duoro nbsp 765 0 CP 7650 nbsp 761 4 Cardenas nbsp 758 1 CP 7581 nbsp 756 1 Buchanan nbsp 750 5 Largo nbsp 743 2 Yeso nbsp 737 0 Evanola nbsp 732 1 Curry nbsp 730 5 CP 7305 nbsp 728 1 Ricardo nbsp 724 7 McGregor nbsp 722 2 Agudo nbsp 719 7 CP 7197 nbsp Pecos River nbsp 717 4 Fort Sumner nbsp 715 5 Bailey nbsp 706 4 La Lande nbsp 697 0 Tolar nbsp 685 9 Cantara nbsp 678 0 Melrose nbsp 669 7 Grier nbsp 660 0 Gallaher nbsp 658 6 West Clovis nbsp 657 9 Potter nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Carlsbad Subdivision nbsp nbsp 657 6 Clovis nbsp nbsp nbsp 655 7 East Clovis nbsp to Hereford Subdivision vteHereford Subdivision Legend nbsp to Clovis Subdivision nbsp 655 7 East Clovis nbsp 653 2 Crooks nbsp 649 1 West Texico nbsp 647 6 CP 6476 nbsp 646 8 CP 6468 nbsp New MexicoTexas nbsp nbsp 646 0 Texico nbsp Slaton Subdivision nbsp 633 8 Bovina nbsp 627 2 CP 6272 nbsp 624 7 East Parmerton nbsp 622 2 West Friona nbsp 621 8 Friona nbsp 619 7 East Friona nbsp 616 5 West Black nbsp 614 7 Black nbsp 614 1 East Black nbsp 612 3 CP 6123 nbsp 608 1 West Summerfield nbsp 607 8 Summerfield nbsp 605 9 East Summerfield nbsp 601 3 West Hereford nbsp 600 4 Hereford nbsp 594 5 Joel nbsp 558 0 Dawn nbsp 578 9 CP 5789 nbsp 571 8 CP 5718 nbsp nbsp 570 9 Lubbock Jct nbsp Plainview Subdivision nbsp 569 5 Canyon nbsp 561 2 Hanley nbsp 558 3 Zita nbsp 555 9 West Amarillo nbsp 554 0 Amarillo nbsp nbsp Dalhart Subdivision nbsp 552 7 West Tower nbsp nbsp Red River Subdivision nbsp 552 2 East Tower nbsp nbsp Boise City Subdivision nbsp 550 5 Eastern nbsp to Panhandle Subdivision vtePanhandle Subdivision Legend nbsp to Hereford Subdivision nbsp 550 5 Eastern nbsp 538 2 CP 5382 nbsp 531 4 CP 5314 nbsp 526 0 Panhandle nbsp 523 2 CP 5232 nbsp 510 3 CP 5103 nbsp 505 9 Kings Mill nbsp 500 8 West Pampa nbsp 498 7 Pampa nbsp 497 3 CP 4973 nbsp 494 0 CP 4940 nbsp 481 4 Codman nbsp 476 9 Miami nbsp 469 7 Lora nbsp 463 5 Mendota nbsp 458 6 Canadian nbsp Canadian River nbsp 446 7 Clear Creek nbsp 444 1 Glazier nbsp 438 4 Coburn nbsp 428 3 CP 4283 nbsp TexasOklahoma nbsp 417 8 Goodwin nbsp 410 5 Shattuck nbsp 406 7 Gage nbsp 401 5 Oleta nbsp 398 3 Fargo nbsp 390 8 Tangier nbsp 386 3 Gerlach nbsp 379 7 Woodward nbsp North Canadian River nbsp 368 9 Curtis nbsp 356 8 Belva nbsp 351 2 Heman nbsp Cimarron River nbsp 345 2 Waynoka nbsp 342 2 East Waynoka nbsp 336 4 West Avard nbsp nbsp Avard Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 335 9 Avard nbsp 335 4 East Avard nbsp Salt Fork Arkansas River nbsp 328 9 Noel nbsp 319 5 Brink nbsp 313 2 Loder nbsp OklahomaKansas nbsp 309 1 West Kiowa nbsp 307 2 CP 3072 nbsp 306 9 Kiowa nbsp 305 5 East Kiowa nbsp Medicine Lodge River nbsp 299 8 Hazelton nbsp 292 2 Crisfield nbsp 287 4 West Attica nbsp nbsp Victoria amp Southern RR nbsp 285 6 Attica nbsp 283 3 Eula nbsp 271 3 Harper nbsp 266 5 Danville nbsp 264 2 Argonia nbsp Chikaskia River nbsp 254 1 Milan nbsp 251 8 Hertog nbsp nbsp 243 5 Roland nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp UP Enid Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Blackwell Northern Gateway nbsp 238 5 CP 2385 nbsp 238 0 Wellington nbsp to Emporia Subdivision vteEmporia Subdivision Legend nbsp to Panhandle Subdivision nbsp 238 0 Wellington nbsp 237 0 SK Junction nbsp 230 6 Cicero nbsp Ninnescah River nbsp 226 5 Belle Plaine nbsp 222 2 CP2222 nbsp Arkansas River nbsp 221 8 West Junction nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Arkansas City Subdivision nbsp nbsp 220 7 CP2280 Arkansas City Sub nbsp nbsp 219 9 CP2272 Arkansas City Sub nbsp nbsp nbsp Arkansas City Subdivision nbsp nbsp nbsp 215 8 East Junction nbsp 211 6 Rose Hill nbsp 205 4 Salter nbsp 201 8 West Augusta nbsp Whitewater River nbsp nbsp Douglass Subdivision nbsp 185 3 CP1853 nbsp 183 3 East Augusta nbsp 176 5 O D nbsp 172 8 El Dorado Tower B nbsp 171 2A East El Dorado nbsp 165 5 Chelsea nbsp 158 4 Aikman nbsp El Dorado Lake nbsp 154 2 Cassoday nbsp Walnut River nbsp 144 4 Matfield Green nbsp 136 1 Bazar nbsp 130 3 Gladstone nbsp Cottonwood River nbsp 127 1 CP1271 nbsp nbsp a, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,