Nostalgia & History > Texas Tuesday: Paisano Pass

One of the more obscure major mountain grades in the US hides in plain sight in West Texas.  Due to its remote location, presumably, I hardly ever see photo coverage of SPs Sunset Route crossing of Paisano Pass. 

But it's a piece of cake to chase, just be on the lookout for lime-sherbet colored Chevy Blazers.  You are very close to the Mexican border.  Such vehicles are much favored by Border Patrol people, and you WILL be checked out by them when your stop alongside the road.

Here, and SP freight and Amtrak's Sunset Limited, both westbound in January of 1986.

Enjoy.

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Passed through the area on the way to Big Bend.  Really beautiful country.

I've enjoyed photographing trains there during trips to Texas. I was never lucky enough to catch action on the former Santa Fe line to Presidio that connects there.

TonyJ Wrote:
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> I've enjoyed photographing trains there during
> trips to Texas. I was never lucky enough to catch
> action on the former Santa Fe line to Presidio
> that connects there.

​I beleive this line has been on and off active over the last few decades.  When I visited in about 1994, I beleive it was inactive.   I thought it was revived some time later but not sure of current status. 

Even in the 1980s when these shots were taken, the ATSF line was almost impossible to catch in action.

There was an article in Trains about about a year or so ago; the old Orient line north of Alpine around San Angelo etc was pretty active with aggregate, fracking and oil company traffic. I think the line south of the ex-SP was occasionally seeing 10 mph mow extras like once a month or less in the interest of keeping it going but no traffic since the bridge at Presidio/Ojinaga was torched some years before by one of the Cartels to keep the line from being restored as they like the remoteness of the region for obvious reasons. It sure would be cool if they could restore service but it feels a long shot. 

I belive the border bridge has been rebuilt.

That line needs new ties  and better rail. 

mundo Wrote:
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> That line needs new ties  and better rail. 

​A visit on April 17, 2016 revealed some new ties had been recently installed at both Alpine and Paisano. Also noted that the rails were not rusty, indicating something had passed over the trackage somewhat recently. No equipment was at either location during my visit.

Some photos from Hwy 90 at Paisano are attached. The first two are looking towards the UP mainline and the last one is looking towards Mexico.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/16 20:25 by ble692.

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Here are some photos at Alpine also on April 17, 2016.

1) The former Santa Fe & later South Orient depot.
2) The former SP depot, now serving as the UP yard office and Amtrak station.
3) A westbound UP Z train changing crews.

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