Western Railroad Discussion > Iron ore train to Port of Guaymas, Sonora

In what might be the first of many, BNSF, Southwestern RR, and UP are coordinating on the movement of iron ore to the Port of Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. The symbol on UP is ODMNG (Ore Deming to Nogales). There was some thought this was either copper concentrate or oil (UP symbol "O" has different meanings depending on origin and destination) but has been determined to be 70+ cars of iron ore. Where the train originated on BNSF is unknown. The train should be in Tucson or close to Tucson by now.

Here is some good info on the future growth at the Port of Guaymas, published in the Tucson newspaper last year:

http://azstarnet.com/business/local/port-of-guaymas-set-to-expand/article_1faea8eb-20bf-5fa3-b22c-95d98727a374.html

This also helps explain UP's interest in the old line south from Benson, AZ.

Special thanks to my friend "the eye in the sky" (as I will now call him) for the symbol alert!



Allen



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/13 22:47 by bradleymckay.

Here we goooooo........things are about to start getting very interesting.

(If the US isn't interested in export / import, there are plenty of places where people would love those jobs.)

Have since been informed that the ore trains have been running since December. Didn't know anything about it until recently...


Allen

Where is Deming? Colorado?

Posted from Android

What's the origin? It must be in the north country if it is iron ore.....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/13 18:15 by jc76.

GTWMISteve Wrote:
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> Where is Deming? Colorado?
>

Deming is in New Mexico, northwest of El Paso where BNSF and UP can Interchange via the Southwest RR. This location maximizes BNSF's haul.

GTWMISteve Wrote:
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> Where is Deming? Colorado?
>
> Posted from Android


New Mexico

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deming,_New_Mexico

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

jc76 Wrote:
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> What's the origin?

Minnesota since BNSF is originating the shipment.

SOO6617 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GTWMISteve Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Where is Deming? Colorado?
> >
>
> Deming is in New Mexico, northwest of El Paso
> where BNSF and UP can Interchange via the
> Southwest RR. This location maximizes BNSF's haul.

Also a Flag stop for the Sunset Limited.

Gimme some car numbers :-)

The extra mileage may be made up by using Cape size ships

The original Santa Fe = Southern Pacific interchange at Deming on the Sunset Route opened in 1882 and is considered by historians to be the second transcontinental railroad in this country although this interchange never amounted to much as neither railroad had an incentive to shorthaul themselves,
Dick Eisfeller

Trains load at Fierro New Mexico on BNSF. Shipper is Southern Minerals Group and is based in Hanover NM. The last train to load on the 22nd and was symboled ODMNG-23. Was 72 loads, all UP system open top cars.

Given the remote area and route, makes complete sense it was unheard of until now. Rioute is 336 miles between the load and border.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/13 08:41 by PGR94.

PGR94 Wrote:
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> Trains load at Fierro New Mexico on BNSF. Shipper
> is Southern Minerals Group and is based in Hanover
> NM. The last train to load on the 22nd and was
> symboled ODMNG-23. Was 72 loads, all UP system
> open top cars.
>
> Given the remote area and route, makes complete
> sense it was unheard of until now. Rioute is 336
> miles between the load and border.


I dug around the internet and found this from last year:

http://en.prnasia.com/story/58344-0.shtml


Allen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/13 10:01 by bradleymckay.

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PGR94 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Trains load at Fierro New Mexico on BNSF.
> Shipper
> > is Southern Minerals Group and is based in
> Hanover
> > NM. The last train to load on the 22nd and was
> > symboled ODMNG-23. Was 72 loads, all UP system
> > open top cars.
> >
> > Given the remote area and route, makes complete
> > sense it was unheard of until now. Rioute is
> 336
> > miles between the load and border.
>
> Looks like no BNSF involvement. All Southwestern
> RR and UP, since the loadout is on SWRR.
>
> I dug around the internet and found this from last
> year:
>
> http://en.prnasia.com/story/58344-0.shtml
>
>
> Allen


BNSF handles accounting as the mine is BNSF closed with SW allowed to switch and serve on BNSF's behalf. The train is a BNSF-UP Cooperative effort.
overheard photos show groups of 8 hopper cars all over the SW north of Hurley for this service.

FWIW

PGR94 Wrote:

> BNSF handles accounting as the mine is BNSF closed
> with SW allowed to switch and serve on BNSF's
> behalf. The train is a BNSF-UP Cooperative
> effort.
> overheard photos show groups of 8 hopper cars all
> over the SW north of Hurley for this service.
>
> FWIW

I corrected my caption, thank you!

Ore is going to China, at the rate of 50,000 tons per month (per what I found on the internet).


Allen

PGR94 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Trains load at Fierro New Mexico on BNSF. Shipper
> is Southern Minerals Group and is based in Hanover
> NM. The last train to load on the 22nd and was
> symboled ODMNG-23. Was 72 loads, all UP system
> open top cars.
>
> Given the remote area and route, makes complete
> sense it was unheard of until now. Rioute is 336
> miles between the load and border.


Interesting. . . that's a stone's throw from the Santa Rita open pit copper mine. The first few miles of that route carried copper ore until sometime in the 70's when the Kennecott corporation built a pipeline to transport copper ore slurry. I never thought that someday iron ore would be carried on that line.

Wish I still had my Fierro picture on my laptop, totally stumped as a "Wherizit"
question. Branch goes through a couple ghost towns, looks like it was abandoned
forty years ago and ends up a canyon. Guess there was a reason to leave the track
in place.

http://www.aggregateresearch.com/articles/24482/Strategic-Minerals-makes-its-first-shipment-from-Cobre.aspx

Sounds like the project only has a life of 22 months....



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/13 19:40 by jc76.