History:
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The Tempe Industrial Lead is one of two lesser seen Southern Pacific branch lines. Don't
let the word "branch line" fool you though. This track used to be the mainline of the Maricopa and Phoenix Railroad company (1880-1910). The line stretched from what is now Tempe Junction (just south of the Tempe Town Lake) to the village of Maricopa, a station along the Southern Pacific Railroad's sunset route, where it interchanged with the Espee. Between the 1910s, and 1920s, the mainline was relocated further east into a route that perfectly bisected Chandler, running perpendicular to most if not all roads it crossed. The tracks south of Chandler Blvd railroad crossing were either torn up or rerouted with only the industrial sidings serving the various factories and warehouses being left intact.
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In spite of this, the line still sees one daily local freight train that serves around four customers.
Here are some pictures of the trains that my friends and I have seen operating here.
West Chandler
The LKK21 arrives at Brenntag Pacific Chemicals with a string of centerbeams in tow.
The Kyrene Local pulls a string of tank cars out from the siding.
The LKK21 gives a horn show as it gets ready to depart.
1494 and 1105 pull onto the runaround track.
LKK21 pushes a line of tank cars onto its consist after pulling some out from the mill siding.
UP 2018 pulls a line of tankers out of the chemical mill.
UP 1091 and 2018 arrive at the West Chandler Industrial Park and prepare to begin switching.
1091 and 2018 push a string of tank cars onto their consist after pulling them out from Brenntag Pacific.
UP 1091 and 2018 prepare to shove some loaded centerbeams into UFP's siding.
UP 2018 and 1091 leave Chandler on their way back to Phoenix.
Conductor Brandon reenacts a scene in the Little Mermaid (1989; 2023) as the LKK21 Departs.
UP 1013 gets ready to head North.
UP GP60 1051 decouples the lead centerbeam from the consist to comply with federal regulations mandating that at least one car be between a locomotive and a freight car carrying hazardous materials.
The LKK21 recouples its consist in preparation for departure.
UP GP60E 1105 and GP40N 1494 push their lumber loads into the nearby lumberyard siding at UFP Phoenix.
1494 and 1105 drag a long string of freight cars to the crossing as the brakeman prepares to disembark and throw the switch.
Having finished at Brenntag Pacific Chemical Mill, the LKK21 heads north on its way to Phoenix.
804 and 2018 shove back into Brentagg Pacific.
LKK21 prepares to shove some lumber loads into the UFP Siding.
With their work done, the local heads to the north end of the industrial park to drop off their cars before returning light to Phoenix.
LKK21 picks up the cars they left behind on the longer Chandler Blvd Runaround Track.
UP 1013 and 651 shove back to pick up their consist.
The last car of KK21 disappears into the distance as the train makes its way back North to Phoenix.
LKK21 returns to Phoenix.
South West Chandler
The Kyrene Local arrives in the Industrial Park as it heads towards the southern end of its afternoon-evening roundtrip led by a now rebuilt ex-SP GP40-2 1377.
Northbound and Down: LKK21 emerges from under the overpass on its northbound journey with a friendly conductor in the cab and four freight cars in tow.
KK21 heads south to perform additional switching in the more southern parts of the industrial park.
LKK21 finishes switching the south UFP Lumber Yard.
UP 2018 switches the UFP South Lumber Yard.
Meeting the Enemy: LKK21 continues south, passing a stopped semi-truck as it heads toward Allison St Siding. The engine will then move to the other end of the cars and the train will work there before heading back north.
Headed Home: The last car of LKK21 disappears into the distance as the train heads back to do additional switching at the northern end of the industrial park.
Having run around their consist, the LKK21 shoves south to their next customer.
UP 1091 and 2018 run around their consist using the Allison Rd Runaround Track (Remote Siding on UP Timetables).
With their newly made consist ready, the LKK21 heads north to perform additional switching at Brenntag Pacific.