A short train but a lot of moves today in Odessa

Today’s in-bound train is pretty short, a MP box car fro Drill-Tex, a MP covered hopper for JP Jones Drilling Mud, and a empty LPG tank to exchange with the loaded one at the loading spot.  Spotting that tank car complicates switching as it has to go into the only “wrong way” spur.  Cars going

Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend RR Freight Depot

I had hoped to learn a lot more history about this structure, but it wasn’t to be. So I will just share a lot of photos I recently took over a few days in Ajo, AZ with minimal narrative. (All photos (c) CE Hunt, 2024 but the photo of the sign.) I love this building.

Bad Storm South of La Linda

The local from Marathon arrives in La Linda. The consist is a no surprise mix, but today, a surprise is an early spring storm that is building. The crew saw a lot of lightning down in Mexico as they neared La Linda and they are a bit anxious, hoping they can get their switching chores

Keeping the Oilfield Supplied

The Oil City local has arrived light engine and has coupled into two empty box cars. Two loaded tank cars are added to the consist. Next it’s down the Drill-Tex spur to pull two empty covered hoppers and a box car.  A MKT covered hopper has not been unloaded and will have to be re-spotted.

The Tuscon, Cornelia and Gila Railroad

RailsWest is all about laid back, easy railroading. The TC&GB must have been pretty relaxed railroading most of the time. In the early 1900s, the Phelps-Dodge Copper Company sought to connect their New Cornelia Copper Mine in Ajo (pronounced “AY-ho”) with smelters in Tuscon, AZ. Since Tucson was located on Southern Pacific’s Sunset Route, Phelps-Dodge

Oil Boom Changing Odessa, Texas in 1974

By B Smith Today’s local serving this spur west of Odessa has left the in bound cars on a siding on the main and proceeded up the spur light engine.  The short length of the run-around track at the end of the spur usually means the crew choses to make two trips up the spur,

1970s Texas & Pacific action in West Texas

The year is 1974, the location is a spur track ten miles west of Odessa, Texas. In the heart of the Permian Basin oil fields. But some cattle is still run on the surrounding ranch land, mainly as a tax write-off to help offset the profits from oil and gas well royalties. We catch a

Laid Back Railroading – Southern Style (Part 1)

By Brian K The St. Tammany & Gulf (St.T&G) is not a real railroad, only a fictitious one, a short line that first took up residence in my mind about 50 years ago.  I won’t delve into all the whys and wherefores of how the name came about.  Suffice to say it reflects the locales

Pecos! 1978-1984

By B. Smith I feel really fortunate to have witnessed the PVS when it was still a true short line, serving quite a number of customers receiving one or two cars at a time.  Sure, the gravel quarry was its main source of income, but it didn’t neglect the occasional rail shipper/receiver.  A shadow of

A couple of delays for the Oil City local today

Tony, the conductor, halted the local on its way from Bakersfield to Oil City to have a chat with Mandy and April.  They are often riding their horses near the tracks.  The brakeman says Tony is sort of sweet on Mandy.  Wonder what will be written in the delay report? After a short delay to