Arizona Central Railroad


The Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad is an Arizona short-line railroad that operates from a connection with the BNSF Railway at Drake, Arizona. The AZCR runs from Drake to Clarkdale, Arizona. An excursion train also runs on the line through Verde Canyon and is operated by the same owners under the Verde Canyon Railroad. The AZCR is owned by David L. Durbano.

Traffic

The AZCR handles 1,500 cars per year of inbound coal to the Phoenix Cement Company and shipping outbound cement. The Verde Canyon Railroad carries 100,000 passengers per year.

History

Verde Valley Railway

From 1913 to 1989 the line was operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. On November 17, 1911, the Verde Valley Railway was chartered as a non-operating subsidiary of the Santa Fe Railway. Construction from Cedar Glade to Clarkdale was immediately commenced on February 13, 1912, and was completed on February 1, 1913, at a total cost of $1,286,061. It was built to support the copper mines at Jerome, Arizona. On December 31, 1942, the Verde Valley was conveyed to the Santa Fe Railway by deed.
On April 14, 1989, the Santa Fe Railway sold the Clarkdale branch to David L. Durbano. The new railroads were named the Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad for freight and the Verde Canyon Railroad for passenger service. Passenger service resumed in November 1990.

Motive power

The AZCR has seven locomotives that were all built by originally by EMD. The railroad has one EMD GP7, two EMD GP9 , a pair of former ICG Paducah-rebuild GP26's recently acquired from the Cimarron Valley Railroad, and a pair of EMD FP7s

Route

The route is nestled between two national forests and adjacent to a designated wilderness area, follows the Verde River the entire way and features a long tunnel and many bridges.