Western Railroad Discussion > Southwestern RR vacating the Carlsbad Sub

Effective January 17,2017 BNSF will assume operations on the Carlbad Subdivision after cancelling the 12 year lease to the Southwestern Railroad.BNSF advertised system wide for engineers and trainmen offering a 25,000 relocation bonus to move to Carlsbad, New Mexico.There seems to be a significant amount of traffic on the line from the potash and salt mines plus oilfield equipment including the very profitable unit sand trains. The only other instance that I am aware of BNSF taking back a spinoff was the Washington Central.There, WC employees were prior righted and top and bottomed on the BNSF Northwest Rosters.The Southwest Railroad employees are headed for furlough status. The first shot is one of the potash mine locals leavig Carlsbad. The second view is the same train leaving Loving Junction for the Loving Industrial Spur. The last image is the Local at Nash Draw Junction on the Loving Industrial Spur headed  for Mosaic Minerals.All pictures from January of 2017. Bill Webb 

---

---

---

And we got Silsbe,TX back on Jan 4, from WATCO/Timberrock. 

A few years back they also took back the Nebraska Northeastern.

In Montana, BNSF took back the Montana Western and Yellowstone Valley outfits.
Dave in Missoula

Is it possible that some of the Soutwestern employees could be former BNSF employees?

Is Southwestern RR connected with one of the larger shortline holding companies?

It looks like they're still operating the Whitewater Branch on the other side of the state.

http://www.southwesternrr.com/

With two bad wrecks under their belt, both of which appear to have been caused by human error, that might have been a reason why BNSF re-assumed operations.   

Interestingly they're still operating the line with the worst wreck. Be interesting to see what the future
of the Hurley copper operation might be, could be the reason BNSF hasn't jumped in on the Western line
as well.

Out

It sounds like the shortlines do not do a good job negotiating the lease; they build traffic back up and BNSF takes it over.

DFWJIM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is it possible that some of the Soutwestern
> employees could be former BNSF employees?

Of course. It is a "Second Chance Railroad".

Posted from Android

Is MRL next?
 

      BNSF may obviously be taking this back over because of shortcomings by the SouthWestern. Has nothing to do with the shortline bulding the business up and the BNSF then taking it away. It was a 'lease', BNSF still had ownership and most likely had to go in and straighten things out.

It would take more than $25K to get me to move to Carlsbad. Not exactly garden city USA. Are the Southwestern Railroad employees just kicked out to the curb?

Great bunch Bill.
JB

The word that BNSF will be back in town has been out and that is peaking interest for new businesses looking for rail service, so I heard.

Posted from Android

rrpreservation Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is Southwestern RR connected with one of the
> larger shortline holding companies?

They are part of Western Rail Group: www.thewesterngroup.net/

Of note, on or about 12/16/16, a company called New Mexico Central filed with the STB that it is advertising jobs (locomotive engineers, conductors, etc.) on the Whitewater Division.  It looks like Western is giving up on New Mexico entirely.  Anyone know anything about New Mexico Central?

Thanks for the responses regarding other properties BNSF took back.I guess I am a victim of my own small world syndrome ,meaning only familiar  with where  you worked.Anyway, anyone know what happened to the shortine employees elsewhere.I know the Butte guys got prior right but no mainline seniority and  also a different contract.Bill Webb

irhoghead Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It would take more than $25K to get me to move to
> Carlsbad. Not exactly garden city USA. Are the
> Southwestern Railroad employees just kicked out to
> the curb?

True, but with the caverns in their back yard, it's a tourist mecca--not.