Western Railroad Discussion > Inter-California Railroad (SP) main line

I can’t find any pictures of this line south of the border and I have lots of questions.

When was the line completed from Niland all the way to Araz Junction?

How much did the Sonora-Baja California Railroad (SBC) pay SP for the Inter-California in 1960?

When did SBC abandon the line east of Pascualitos Wye?

What was the point of purchasing this line from SP? Did SBC just want to gain control of the track between Pascualitos Wye and Calexico?

Sometime in the 1950s, SP stopped using the line as a through route. They abandoned the easternmost section of the line between Araz Junction and Algodones in 1958.

Does UP still own this right of way?

After 1958, all eastbound SD&AE freight trains were forced to reach Yuma via the Niland Wye and the single-track Sunset Route.

Did F-units ever run on the Inter-Cal Line in the 1950s or was it just steam locomotives?

Did FNM or does Ferromex have trackage rights on UP between Calexico and Plaster City? This will allow Ferromex to interchange directly with Baja California Railroad (Tecate beer).

Thank You.



Edited 15 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/20 14:06 by Sp1110.

Yes on F units.

FNM did not cross the border and was nowhere near Plaster City.

Out 

You have to remember the rules about railroads in Mexico are completely different.  The Sonora-Baja California was a government owned railroad and I believe the Mexican government nationalized most of its railroads at some point in the early 20th century.  Its possible that Inter-California no longer owned its tracks south of the border, instead leasing the tracks from Mexico.  If that is the case, Mexico may have simply taken over control of the Inter-California when Southern Pacific pulled out.

The Trainline, the quarterly publication of the SP History & Technical Society, ran an extensive series of articles on the Inter Cal a few years back.
You might find it in their second digital compendium of issues, plus a lot more that would be fun to read and learn, plus plenty of great photos.

That sounds great. I should look for that. Thank you.

Technically there were 3 Inter-Cals: Inter-California Ry in California, Inter-California Ry. in Mexico, and Inter-California Southern Railway Co.  Both the Inter-California Ry. in California and Mexico were incorporated in 1904, with the Inter-California in California running from Niland to Calexico (including branches) and the Inter-California in Mexico running from Mexicali to Algodones. The purpose of the Inter-California was three-fold: serve the agriculturally rich Imperial Valley (which the SP, under Harriman, saved from flooding), make a connection with the SD&A (later SD&AE), and provide a low-grade route for eastward freights (thereby avoiding 1% Iris hill east of Niland). Both the Inter-California Ry. in California and the Inter-California Ry. in Mexico were leased to the Southern Pacific Co.

In 1930, the SP formed Compania Del Ferrocarril Inter-California Del Sur S.A, or Inter-California Southern Railway Co. to build from from  Pascualitos to Medanos, Sonora, about 42 miles. The purpose was to tap the agricultural area south of Pascualitos. Apparently the SP never realized the return on investment, at least to its liking, and eventually sold it to the Mexican government on June 23, 1941, which then became the Ferrocarril Sonora-Baja California (SBC). By the time of the sale, the SBC had built to Puerto Penasco. Incidentally, the Inter-California Del Sur had its own operating time-table, of which three were issued.

What doomed the Inter-California as a through route was completion of CTC between Thermal and Colorado (Yuma) in 1956 and the diesel locomotive -- Iris hill was no longer an impediment. D.J. Russel was a relentless cost-cutter, and any duplication of routes usually met the chopping block. For example, the installation of CTC between Mescal and Anapra eliminated the South Line via Douglas as a through route. 

Not sure how much the SP sold the Inter-California in Mexico to the SBC, but apparently the SBC had no use of the line between Pascualitos and Algodones because eventually it was abandon. What's ironic is that when the SP operated the Inter-California, the Mexican government order SP to provide local passenger service from Mexicali to Algodones. 

The Inter-California lasted long enough to be included in the CTC of 1956 because  Araz Jct. shows on the board, and before the UP resignaled Araz, a keen-eye could detect where the lower B-unit diverging signal, for the Inter-California was placed. 

As for photos on the Inter-Cal in Mexico, they are rare. As mentioned by railstiesballast, the SP Historical and Technical Society ran an article. Also Tom Dill's "Southern Pacific's Sunset Route" has a couple color photos at Mexicali, Packard and Algodones
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/20 22:44 by BCHellman.