Our day started with a continental breakfast at the Best Western Desert Inn in Safford, Arizona before Randy, Marie and I first stopped at Circle K for supplies and goodies for today's trip. We drove south down US 191 to Interstate 10 and on east to Bowie. At the only grade crossing in town, we parked and met the rest of our group, I checked in with Sarah Jennings then helped Bart Jennings load the storage area of the bus with all the food and drink needed for two days of rare mileage trips on the Arizona Central's former Southern Pacific Globe and Clifton Branches.
I boarded that first bus while Randy and Marie waited for the second then we proceeded back up US 191 and turned west on US 70 for the trip to our train's boarding location in Claypool.
Globe Branch HistoryThe line was chartered to be built by the Gila Valley, Globe and Northern Railway on January 5th, 1895. The line was opened to Fort Thomas on May 1, 1895. With more major construction ahead slowing the building of the railroad, it reached Globe on December 1, 1898 and Miami in late 1899. Before it had reached Globe though, the line was acquired by the Arizona Eastern. It was the leased to the Southern Pacific in 1905 and then fully merged into the SP in 1924. In 1988, Kyle Railroad bought the line from the Southern Pacific. Kyle Railroad was then acquired by first the Lake States which then was acquired by Rail America. They sold off the Globe to Bowie line to the Permian Basin Railway on December 9, 2004. Beginning on December 13, 2008, excursion trains started, first with diesels then a steam engine from the Globe station to the Apache Gold Casino and Golf Resort.
The Trip
I left my bag and cooler on the ground and went to take pictures of our train before departure.
Arizona Eastern GP35 2503, ex. Union Pacific 795 nee Western Pacific 3017 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1965. Our train consisted of AZER 2503, former Santa Fe full dome 510 and former Illinois Central club-lounge- observation 3378 "Calumet Club". I then boarded and picked a chair in the "Calumet Club".
The view looking back to the tracks that the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company Industrial Railroad uses to interchange with the Arizona Eastern here at Transfer Yard.
The interior of "Calumet Club" before I returned outside.
The smelter at Miami.
San Luis and Rio Grande club-lounge-observation 3378 "Calumet Club", ex. Wisconsin and Calumet "Calumet Club", exx. Oregon, Pacific and Eastern, exxx. Black Hills Central, exxxx. Illinois Central 3378, exxxxxx. Illinois Central 3308 1951, nee Illinois Central 88-seat coach 2211 built by Pullman in 1918.
San Luis and Rio Grande full dome 510 "Sunset View", ex. Westours "Chulitna", exx. New York, Susquehanna and Western, exxx. Auto Train 522, nee Santa Fe 510 built by Budd Company in 1954.
A train was then coming down from the mine and smelter.
I climbed the hill for a view of our train in Transfer Yard.
Arizona Eastern GP35 2503.
We all set up a photo line to catch the train from the mine reversing into the yard.
Our train then reversed to pick us all up before we departed.
After leaving Claypool behind, we passed old mine buildings and tailings from the smelter.
The Railroad's shop with the steam engine which had a slight problem and was now waiting for the afternoon turns, while one of the diesels, a former Union Pacific engine in that paint, did the honors on the morning excursion trains.
Our train passed through a very scenic canyon.
We stopped and this would be the location of the first photo runby of the day.
The photo runby.
Passengers reboarding after a successful photo runby.
Looking back as our train approached Globe, Arizona.
Crossing this curved wooden trestle bridge.
Crossing the wooden trestle bridge over Pinal Creek before we entered Globe and started our street-running down Pine Street.
Our train ran down the middle of Pine Street in Globe.
The former Gila Valley, Globe & Northern, later Southern Pacific, Globe station built in 1911.
Our train and power in front of the station.
Reversing down Pine Street for our next photo runby.
Southern Pacific 2-6-0 1774 built by Burnham Williams in 1902. 1774 spent some time on the Southern Pacific subsidiary, the Arizona Eastern Railway between 1910 and 1924. The AZER ran from Miami, Arizona through Globe to an interchange with the SP at Bowie. After the SP absorbed the AZER in 1924, the locomotive was assigned to main line freight in Arizona and California. During World War II, it also hauled troop trains to military bases. After the war, it was assigned to the Miami-Bowie line for light passenger trains. 1774 was finally retired in 1956 having accumulated over three million miles in service in its fifty-five year operating life. The locomotive was presented to the City of Globe by the Southern Pacific on November 2nd, 1956 when it was run on a spur from the mainline to its current location in Veterans Memorial Park.
Running down Pine Street during our photo runby.
The rear of our train now back in front of the station and I went inside.
The interior of the Globe station with a large compass on the ceiling and an interesting ticket counter. I then returned outside to see the freight house.
The former Southern Pacific freight house, built in 1911 and now a museum. I reboarded the train, had my lunch and relaxed before we departed towards Bowie.
