Hear Ye - Hear Ye: Upper Deck Track Complete!

It is with great pleasure that the management and staff of the Great Northwestern Railway announce completion of the upper deck track work.  This important completion connects Chloride Junction with El Vado and Warm Springs.  Until now, our equipment and rolling stock were islanded.

A short work train has been working from the Chloride side.  As soon as the connection was made at El Vado, Powder River and Chugwater Alco C420 #1383 was able to be run over the new line.  The GNW has been accumulating lease charges on the locomotive as it had been stranded since the work on the new line started.

The following photos were taken by an anonymous railfan-photographer who chased 1383 over the new line.

The Alco working its way up previously existing track past the Sunset Motel.  The new track starts just to the right of this photo.

Climbing up out of El Vado, the line goes over former Mesa City  roadway and light industry.  The GNW purchased the land for the track realignment; businesses will be relocated at the railroad's expense.  Note the former pier used for the Black Water Falls connection.  The railway is negotiating with the local city planners to see if this needs to be removed.

Climbing the grade, and almost at the crest of the new cutoff, we see the C-420 passing by ATSF staging, 2 tracks that will see Santa Fe traffic onto the GNW.  This connection was one of the primary economic drivers for the new line.

The loco is going through a future "no man's land."  Unfortunately, due to the room configuration, there will be 2 discontinuities to 'following' a train on the layout and this will be one of them.  After climbing the grade, operators will have to jump around a peninsula and pick up their trains at Santa Fe Junction.  Our photographer caught this view for historic purposes.  This will soon be behind a backdrop.

Santa Fe Junction!  The Santa Fe connects to the left, and crosses the GNW.  The lead coming off the left and going to the back is the connection for through trains to the GNW.  When complete, the ATSF plans to run 2-4 trains per day over the new connection.

The old Alco pounds over the diamonds at Santa Fe Junction.

Immediately after the junction, the line comes into Rosita.  Rosita is an important point on the new line.  Santa Fe connection comes in on the lower left.  GNW on the lower right.  To the far left is the tail track of the interchange yard for the local (as yet unnamed) phosphate short line. 

Rosita offers a considerable operational enhancement.  Prior to this line coming in, there were no sidings of reasonable size between Chloride and El Vado.  Rosita offers a nearly 15' long siding.

As the Alco runs through Rosita, we can see the track arrangement on the other end.  The phosphate line is to the left; running track on the far left, and interchange track next one in to the right.  Rosita siding is next in, and the new main to the right.

Rosita also marks the top of the grade up from Chloride.  Here trains will set their retainers and bring up their dynamics to make the long and steep 3.5% drop down the hill.  Here we see our C420 passing the C&S test train at Wren Canyon.

Wren Canyon includes another siding to make the dispatchers life just a little easier.  It also is where the branch line to Black Water Falls starts - third track in from the right.  All the way to the left is the phosphate short line staging.

Looking back uphill, you can see Wren Canyon siding (left), line up to Black Water Falls (center) and phosphate short line staging (right).

Another visit to the stacked trackage connecting to the prior existing layout.  This will be largely hidden, except for the top track to Black Water Falls, and what will be the main below.

Running in dynamics, the Alco is drifting down the hill, almost to Chloride.  A GNW work train is up near at the connection to Black Water Falls, working the track tie-in there.

Back on to former track, almost down the hill.  The new cutoff adds about 80' of mainline; and over 175' of track.  Note the two main line track terminating to the lower right.  These will connect to the 'main' deck, which will be installed after the staging tracks are in; the lead for which is seen in the lower left.  Got all that?!  ;-)

Test trains will continue to run.  Following confirmation of the track, switch machines will be installed, as well as power wiring.  But for now, a celebration is in order!