Southern Pacific          Lost Dutchman

 

The two different railroads are depicted with an interchange at Tempe AZ in a “could have been” alternate history. It is August of 1967, and cotton, citrus, and copper reign.

The modeled Southern Pacific is close to the actual line between Phoenix and Chandler. Locations include Tovrea, Tempe, Normal, Mesa, Chandler, with staging representing Phoenix and Tucson. Tempe actually had 3 branches; the Kyrene(1), Terrace, and the Creamery branch. In the alternate history, the SP spun off the branches as well as the Tempe engine facility to the Lost Dutchman RR.

The Lost Dutchman is a bridge line / tourist railroad owned by an eccentric Cajun billionaire with minority interest held by both the Southern Pacific and the Great Northern. The branches have been rationalised and freight traffic further developed so that the line is self-supporting. The tourist operation is the special interest of the Cajun. As a result, a significant amount of “heritage” equipment is preserved and operated. Steam engines from a handful of roads are kept at the Tempe roundhouse and there are historic freight and passenger car paint schemes in service as well. (continued below)

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Trackplan

 

Continued

The Kyrene extends south from Tempe, serving the industrial park at Peterson, Oncroy Ridge, Tyrell industries at Helena, Marathon Steel at Kyrene, and then the new industrial park at Aptakisic. The Dutchman has redeveloped the area south of Kyrene by subletting it to the Chicago Shortline Association(2), and they named Aptakisic after an area near Chicago. The raised area near the center is the only intact section that could be saved from the famous GSV (in Phoenix) of Ed Ravenscroft(3). That entire area is now the Aptakisic Artificial Shrub Corp, and will get a chain-link fence at some point. The roundhouse and turntable (also from the GSV) serve as overflow from the main shops in Tempe. The elevated track represents a grade separation project over State Highway 347. The plate girder bridges were saved from the original 1947 GSV layout in Chicago.

Future construction will complete the interchange in Tempe and run the LD to the north. Locations will be Hayden Mills, Galveston, Uvalde, Gringo Junction(4), Ephrata, and Eden Perdu (all in Arizona). There will also be an inland car ferry operation (a la Slocan) on Saguaro Lake from Butcher Jones Landing to Port Evangeline. Eden Perdu is a division point and will have a yard, major car shops(5), and Baker Paper Mill No.6. Staging and the Santa Fe interchange will be at “Two Guns”, just west of Winslow and south of Canyon Diablo.

Traffic is managed by conventional CC&WB, control is DCC. Jobs currently work Tempe Yard, the Engine Terminal, and Locals on the Kyrene and SP. No dispatcher (yet). Welcome!

1 The Kyrene was the actual original line to Phoenix, built in the 1880’s.
2 Consortium: Glencoe Skokie Valley, Central of Wisconsin, and Colorado Northern
3 Aptakisic appeared in the Sep 72 MR p.41
4 Home of the “Monsters of Gringo Junction”.
5 “LD” devices are made and fitted here. The LD emblem is commonly seen on freight cars.