Western Railroad Discussion > origin of BNSF name Pica , AZ

Pica, Arizona is a former water stop for ATSF steam trains before a climb up to Yampai Summit about 4 miles to the west. My question is where does the name Pica come from. In medical terms it refers to an eating disorder whereby an individual ingests things of no nutitional value-ice, starch, metal, blah, blah, blah. I seriously doubt the correlation between the medical definition and the RR site but have no explanation otherwise. Interestingly, the RR site is located about 300 yards off of old US 66. A short ways up old 66 on the north side of the highway there is aturnoff with a white overhead gate that reads PICA CAMP and the turnoff appears to head into the nearby Aubrey Cliffs. Does anyone have any valid information about the origin of Pica, Arizona.

PICA -- 

Pica in the printing industry is also a unit of measurement -- 6 picas are very close to one inch.

How many of the old printers here have kept their "pica pole" line gauge?

Watts local

Thing is Pica AZ was and still somewhat is, a mining town. 

Out 

There is also the small rabbit like animal properly called the Pika, but in older days also spelled Pica. Found in the mountains of the western states.

Not sure if this will help or not, but a book about the history of that line (Railroads of Arizona, Vol. 4) mentions that Pica was known as Picacho until 1907. Possibly could have been shortened to Pica to avoid confusion with Picacho on the SP Sunset Route. 

arizonaBNSF Wrote:
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> Not sure if this will help or not, but a book
> about the history of that line (Railroads of
> Arizona, Vol. 4) mentions that Pica was known as
> Picacho until 1907. Possibly could have been
> shortened to Pica to avoid confusion with Picacho
> on the SP Sunset Route.

I believe this is the correct answer.  The letters "pica" start a lot of spanish words, so its very likely that when the application to the post office for a new location was submitted for Picacho or some other pica-starting name, the post office rejected it due to the name already existing and simply shortened it to just Pica.

wattslocal Wrote:
> How many of the old printers here have kept their
> "pica pole" line gauge?

i still have mine! But we called it a Pica Pull, in that you would always have one to pull from your pocket.

I also have a 'stick,' and some slugs in a box somewhere.
 

arizonaBNSF Wrote:
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> Not sure if this will help or not, but a book
> about the history of that line (Railroads of
> Arizona, Vol. 4) mentions that Pica was known as
> Picacho until 1907. Possibly could have been
> shortened to Pica to avoid confusion with Picacho
> on the SP Sunset Route.

The US Post Office made many towns change their names because it was the same or very close to another town's name in the same state.
Probably the case here. 

Pica in Latin = a bird called a "magpie". There you have it.

SantaFeRuss

Aren't there two Pica's on the Santa Fe?

mococomike Wrote:
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> Aren't there two Pica's on the Santa Fe?

But are they in the same state?

Not that I am aware.  The 1986 list of Santa Fe Stations shows just the one.  It seems that in some cases the US Post Office when presented with a request for a post office from a new community with the same name as another town in the same state, wouldn't just reject the name but instead would rename the town itself....many new towns would just accept this instead of trying to come up with a new name.  Other times, the Post Office would reject almost every name submitted.  One Texas town, after having six names rejected, replied to the Post Office that this town should "just remain Nameless", thus the town of Nameless, Texas was born.

PHall Wrote:
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> mococomike Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Aren't there two Pica's on the Santa Fe?
>
> But are they in the same state?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/20 17:15 by BNSF6400.

This was found in a document the Santa Fe produced something in the 1960's I believe.  The entire document, over 300 pages, describes the origin of almost every Santa Fe station name on their Coast Lines (west of Albuquerque).

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Thanks to all of you spending your time researching this.  I find it to be very interesting.