As of the present day, the City of Chandler's only rail service comes from Union Pacific's (UP) LKK30 Freight Train, which is often referred to as the KK30 or the Chandler Local.
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Originally Constructed in the 1910s, the Chandler Industrial Lead Branch Line was once a branch line of the Arizona & Eastern Railway, and in 1923, a new line was built from Picacho to Chandler via Coolidge, creating the mainline of the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) until 1960, when the mainline was rerouted via the preexisting rails in Gilbert, effectively making this a full-circle trip as it is once again a branch line. It starts at McQueen Junction in Mesa near Baseline Railroad Crossing. The line heads directly south, passing the famous "Espee Park" named so in honor of the railroad that once served the town.
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Post 1964, the branch would see at least two trains - a sugar beet unit train for the Spreckels Sugar Beet Plant and the Magma Turn. After the plant closed in 1984, the Magma Turn (a smaller Tucson to Phoenix Freight Train) remained the sole train who used the branch and only served it once a week beginning 1986 as SP was trying to shed branch lines following the failed SP-ATSF merger. They did this by raising the rates in an attempt to discourage customers from using the railroad, allowing them to abandon the Chandler Branch and have it removed. However, that never happened as by 1996, the Southern Pacific merged with the Union Pacific and UP saw potential in the Chandler Industrial Lead. Service was ramped up to six days per week, although this was downgraded to five times per week in the 2000s; exact year unknown.
Today, the Chandler Local serves four customers, three of which are located in the City Of Chandler. These are the CEMEX Cement Storage Facility, 84 Lumber Yard, and the Chandler Team Track.
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Previously, the train would continue south, passing Hunt Hwy Railroad Crossing and taking a near 45 degree turn and continuing along what was once the mainline towards the Native American Reservation at Ramona Farms, referred to as Dock or San Tan on the Union Pacific schedules where they would switch freight cars at a local pesticide and fertilizer plant.
Between December 2016 and March 2017, the fertilizer and pesticide plant was decommissioned and the final train pulled a single tank car out of Dock in March 2017. The site has been razed as of April 2018, but the track south of Hunt Hwy Railroad Crossing continued to be used as there was still the Gold Canyon Candle plant to serve. Between 1910 and 1964, the track used to continue past Dock and would skirt the southern side of Mt. Rock Peak and continued winding through the desert until it turned almost perfectly south at a junction north of Coolidge where it meets up with the current mainline. This was changed as the area was prone to mudslides and suffered multiple washouts.
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The train tracks between Dock and Coolidge were removed in 1964 but the old trackbed is still clearly visible from satellite images.
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During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Gold Canyon Candle went out of business and the tracks south of the southern entrance to the Serape Railroad Station Passing Siding haven't seen use since then.
As of late 2020, the local runs no further than the Serape Passing Siding (at Chandler Heights Railroad Crossing) and sometimes turns at the Chandler Passing Siding (near the now-demolished Chandler Train Station), the latter of which is significantly less common as of mid-2020 due to the siding in question being occupied with freight cars as CEMEX has significantly expanded their business. A safe bet is to catch the train at either CEMEX or 84 Lumber.
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Train traffic patterns affect the local's behavior so a scanner is the best method of monitoring the train's progress.
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These are photos of various rail activity at each of the crossings within the area.
All photos organized by location.
Chandler Station
This is a cement storage facility built near the now long-gone Chandler Train Station. The LKK30 drops off loaded cars here and picks up empties. Before 2020, the Chandler Passing Siding was sometimes empty as the facility did not always require work, so the local would sometimes turn here and shove south to its next customer. However, the siding has been filled up more often as of 2020 due to CEMEX's expansion. Their inbound loads won't all fit on their siding and some must wait in the queue, that is the passing siding, which is therefore, now useless (as a runaround track that is), so the local is more likely to turn at Chandler Heights/Serape.
The LKK30 Freight Train begins its journey north. It is powered by UP GP40-2 1484 and has three cars in tow.
S Delaware St Runs Parallel to the railroad and thus allows for some unique pacing shots.
The engines prepare to reverse after dropping off the cement hoppers.
The Chandler Local arrives at CEMEX with a single ex-WP GP40-2 1545 on the point with a long string of cement hoppers.
Brandon signals Jim to slow down as he rides on the back of UP 1545, which is about to couple onto the remaining cars.
The LKK30 departs CEMEX and will turn at Chandler Heights before heading North.
The LKK30 leaves CEMEX heading North and will drop its cars off at Baseline Junction before tying up for the day.
Brandon guides the KK30 as it picks up a second cut of empty cement hoppers.
Once the KK30 leaves, the CEMEX Trackmobile begins switching more cement hoppers into place for unloading.
My conductor friend, Brandon, gives me a "high-five" and "knuckle punch/fist bump." What a kind and friendly man he is!
The KK30 backs into the storage siding where all the cement hoppers will be dropped off.
The Chandler Local is now ready to depart for Chandler Heights.
The KK30 arrives back at CEMEX to pick up some empty hoppers.
The LKK30 arrives at CEMEX after leaving 84 Lumber and recouples to its consist.
The Chandler Local leaves CEMEX for Baseline Junction, where it will park its cars at a nearby siding and finish the day.
The Chandler Local leaves CEMEX on their return trip to Mesa.
LKK30 shoves into the storage siding to drop off the cement hoppers.
LKK30 Backs up to pick up the brakeman before proceeding to Chandler Heights.
The brakeman rides on the side of the locomotives as the LKK30 shoves into the CEMEX Siding.
Another shot of UP 1484 heading north with three cars in tow.
The local arrives at CEMEX with GP60 1016 and GP40-2 1374 on the point and a long line of loaded cement hoppers and other cars in tow.
The KK30 departs CEMEX for Chandler Heights, where it will turn and head back up North. Jim, a friendly engineer, is operating the train today.
The LKK30 drops off the loaded cement hoppers as Brandon, a friendly conductor, guides the train into place.
Jim and Brandon, the engineer and conductor, wave from the cab of GP40-2 1545.
The KK30 is now back at CEMEX and is picking up empty hoppers.
The LKK30, headed by GP40-2s 1451 and 1545, has arrived at CEMEX on its northbound journey and prepares to pick up the empty cement hoppers.
The Chandler Local departs CEMEX and heads to Baseline Junction to finish their work for the day.
The Chandler Local arrives at CEMEX with an unusual consist in tow behind GP40-2s 1545 and 1451.
The LKK30 uncouples its cement hoppers and gets ready to shove them onto the storage track.
Having disconnected the loaded cement hoppers, the LKK30 couples its remaining cars.
A going away shot of the KK30 leaving for the runaround track at Chandler Heights.
I got a chance to say goodbye and Merry Christmas to my conductor friend before heading North to catch them at Baseline.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR, FOGLEBERG!!!" - my conductor friend, Brandon's best quote of the year 2022.
The LKK30 arrives at CEMEX and prepares to drop off its cement loads.
UP GP40-2s 1451 and 1545 arrive at CEMEX with the LKK30 or Chandler Local in tow.
1451 and 1545 pull off the CEMEX Storage Siding.
The Chandler Local arrives at CEMEX South and prepares to switch the cement hoppers.
Pacing UP 1082 and the Chandler Local with an ATSF Express Reefer Boxcar that is headed for the Arizona Railway Museum.
Willis/84 Lumber and Soilworks
These are the Southern-most customers on the Chandler Industrial Lead Branchline, not counting the Arizona Railway Museum which only sees very rare private car transfers and equipment deliveries as well as the Chandler Local's locomotives being parked at the Museum for their bi-annual railroad fair.
The local switches 84 Lumber and Soilworks with a friendly engineer in the cab.
Another shot, this time of the empty centerbeam wagons.
The LKK30 pulls a string of empty centerbeam flatcars and boxcars from 84 Lumber Yard and will drop off loaded ones.
After dropping off the lumber loads and picking up the empties, the KK30 prepares to shove a lone argon tank car to the SoilWorks Recycling Facility. The engines are UP GP60 1047 and GP40-2 1494.
Now finished at SoilWorks and 84 Lumber, the LKK30 heads north to perform additional switching at CEMEX, Mesa, and later Queen Creek and Gilbert.
The local pulls empty centerbeams out of 84 Lumber.
The Chandler Local shoves its gondolas to the SoilWorks Recycling Center to switch more cars.
The KK30 shoves a long line of loaded centerbeams and boxcars into the 84 Lumber Sidings.
The Chandler Local switches cars at 84 Lumber. One of the cars is a gondola, which was parked there due to Maintenance Work rendering the SoilWorks Siding, its intended destination, inaccessible.
The Chandler Local switches at 84 Lumber yet again. This shot is so similar to the one directly above it. Just look at them side by side!
The brakeman, Doug, rides on the back of the train as the LKK30 shoves back towards SoilWorks Recycling.
The LKK30 arrives at 84 Lumber and prepares to set out its lumber loads and pick up the empties. The train is powered by GP40-2s 1494 and 1545.
The local pushes more loads into 84 Lumber before uncoupling.
The Chandler Local pulls a string of empty centerbeam flatcars out of 84 Lumber.
The LKK30 sounds its horn as it approaches Willis Road Railroad Crossing on its way to do additional switching at CEMEX.
Jim gets a surprise: a CHRISTMAS CARD FROM ME!
The LKK30 prepares to shove one of its gondolas out of the way so it can drop off another loaded centerbeam flatcar.
The LKK30 pulls a string of empty centerbeams flatcars and boxcars (off-screen) from 84 Lumber's two sidings.
The empty centerbeam flatcars and boxcars will be uncoupled and so that the loaded centerbeam flatcars and boxcar can be "spotted" or dropped off.
The local prepares to shove a cut of loaded centerbeams into 84 Lumber.
With the empties now out of the way, the KK30 can now drop off the loads.
The engines have now decoupled and are now ready to back down onto the remaining cars.
The LKK30 has now cleared the switch at 84 Lumber and can now begin to reverse once the switch is realigned.
The Chandler Local prepares to depart and my conductor friend, Brandon, screams my nickname, "FOGLEBERG!"
The LKK30 leaves 84 Lumber and heads north on its way to perform additional switching at CEMEX.
1545 and 1451 drop off the brakeman and conductor before pulling forwards to back down into the facility.
The Chandler Local switches 84 Lumber with an ex-WP GP40-2 rebuild on the point.
LKK30 pushes a string of loaded centerbeam flatcars and boxcars into 84 Lumber's sidings.
Having finished at 84 Lumber, the Chandler Local pulls a string of Argon Tank Cars out of the Soilworks Recycling Mill.
LKK30 backs a line of centerbeam flatcars into 84 Lumber.
LKK30 returns to Mesa.
The Chandler Local proceeds north to perform additional switching at CEMEX and finish up at Mesa.
1035 and 1016 backs down onto their consist.
GP60s 1047 and 1016 switch cars at 84 Lumber.
Arizona Railway Museum
In 2006, the Arizona Railway Museum moved from its old location in downtown Chandler due to a lack of available space for its growing collection of historic railroad equipment. Its current location is near Ryan Road Railroad Crossing. The siding leading into the museum is used whenever a museum receives a rolling donation (railroad cars or locomotives that can run on a mainline railroad) or when UP sends the Chandler-based Switcher Engine to be displayed temporarily at the museum for their bi-annual (annual in 2020 and before) railway fair known as Arizona Railway Day. In 2017 and before, private passenger railcars stored at the museum would be moved by the Chandler Local to Mesa Yard, transferred to Tucson on the Magma Local (abolished in 2020 due to PSR), before being coupled to the rear of the Sunset Limited. This was discontinued in 2018-19 (exact year unknown) when Amtrak removed Tucson as a private railcar add/remove stop. Now private railcars must go to San Antonio or Los Angeles to get coupled on, kinda useless, especially if that's where you're headed.
UP 1016 and 1047 slowly enter the AZRM premises via their lead siding.
The Switchmaster tows the baggage car into the museum.
UP 1082 meets KCC 81.
KCC 81 tows the reefer to its new home.
UP 1451 and 1051 tow a UP Tool Car ex-Baggage Car to the Arizona Railway Museum and pass the Switchmaster.
Arizona Railway Musuem's Kennecott Copper Plymouth backs up to position for delivery of an ATSF Express Reefer Boxcar.
The ATSF Reefer is shoved into the Museum Spur.
The LKK30 leaves the museum on its way to 84 Lumber.
Serape
As of 2020, the Serape Passing Siding is the end of active trackage on the Chandler Industrial Lead Branchline. Before March 2017, the Chandler Local would sometimes run further South to the Native American Reservation (referred to as Dock on UP Schedules) to switch the fertilizer plant there. If that was the case, they would use the Dock Passing Siding to turn around for the journey North. The contract was terminated in December 2016 with the last train to Dock running in March 2017, removing a single tank car. My conductor friend, Brandon, and allegedly Henry (the brakeman who formerly worked the KK21), pulled the last car out of Dock. In 2020, Gold Canyon Candler near Riggs Road Railroad Crossing went out of business due to the pandemic, leaving Serape as the last stop for the Chandler Local.
Doug walks back as the Chandler Local begins the runaround maneuver at Chandler Heights.
Brandon is such a friendly conductor. My nickname from his is "FOGLEBERG!"
The LKK30 leaves the runaround track Northbound.
The LKK30 runs its two locomotives off the runaround track and back onto the ladder before recoupling to their consist.
LKK30 gets ready to recouple to its consist.
The last car of the Chandler Local bears a red flag as the train slowly heads north to do additional switching at 84 Lumber.
The Southbound Chandler Local arrives at the Chandler Heights Runaround Track with GP60 1016 and GP40-2 1451 on the point and six cars loaded with lumber and plywood in tow.
The LKK30 uncouples from its consist and heads to the south end of the siding.
The LKK30 runs its engines off of the runaround track.
The LKK30 reverses its engines to couple on to the consist.
With the runaround move now completed, the LKK30 heads north with 1451 leading.
1545 Runs around her consist before making the trip North.
LKK30 runs around its consist at Chandler Heights Siding.
An Alternate Angle of 1016 arriving at Chandler Heights
The LKK30 returns to the northern end of the train with the large boxcar now on the head end.
My conductor friend Brandon waves to me and my friend Louis (ArizonaRails).
KK30 backs down to recouple the train and head north.
A going-away shot of the Chandler Local on its way to do additional switching at 84 Lumber.
1545 and 1451 pull off of the Chandler Heights Runaround Track before recoupling to the North end of their consist.
LKK30 arrives at Serape being led by UP 1451 with UP 2018 trailing second out.