Passenger Trains > Pax Speeders from Phoenix to Superior AZ

I want some of McGuires peyote she's smoking in regards to double decker speeders carrying the Sun City crowd out to Superior.

The Arizona Republic, Feb. 2, 2009

Democrat state Rep. Barbara McGuire says pending federal land swap could
lead to a passenger rail line from Phoenix to Superior, opening eastern
Pinal County to easy reach of Phoenix.

The Magma Arizona Railroad Company's rail line, which already exists,
could provide easy access for seniors to the Valley and bring tourism in
both directions, said the Kearny legislator.

"This rail would channel revenue in both directions from the Valley to
eastern Pinal County," McGuire said. "The rail would make it easier and
more cost-effective for non-drivers and seniors to travel to Phoenix, to
access air travel, shop and see their doctors."

The rail also would provide access to a nearby medical campus in Queen
Creek and Apache Junction and Central Arizona Community College, she said.

Currently owned by Resolution Copper, the rail originally hauled cattle
and copper on 30.2 miles of track to and from the Southern Pacific main
line in Magma, between Florence and Queen Creek, McGuire said.

Local, county and state government representatives and Resolution Copper
are interested in establishing a passenger collection point at Superior
for people traveling to Phoenix from areas like Globe, Kearny and
Superior. The rail also could eventually connect to Metro Light Rail in
Phoenix, she added.

"This low-cost rail line is a common-sense way to generate revenue and
aid people in transportation," McGuire said, suggesting that low-cost
speeder cars could be used for the line. "I plan to work with Resolution
Copper to make sure this rail line is as efficient as possible for all
economic venues."

The Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act includes
transfer of land from the federal government to Resolution Copper for
mining operations. In return, Resolution Copper would transfer to the
government more than 5,500 acres of conservation lands.

McGuire is asking Congressional leaders to consider the rail in the land
swap and suggests that it could also be incorporated into transportation
within the federal stimulus package.

McGuire said the rail was built as a 3-foot gauge line and was converted
to standard gauge in 1923.

Originally headquartered in Superior, the company primarily hauled
cattle and copper on 30.2 miles of track.

The Australian mining giant Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP)
purchased the Magma Copper Company and its lines in 1996 and suspended
rail operations on this line a year later, McGuire told Arizona's
Congressional delegation in a letter.

McGuire said "speeder rail cars," similar to double-decker buses with a
rail undercarriage and powered by propane or other form of clean energy
would be cost-efficient since the rail already is in place.

I admit she sounds high on something other than double-decker buses<g>, but is peyote smoked? I thought it is mainly chewed and swallowed, preferably with something sweet since it's supposedly extremely bitter.

I hasten to emphasize I have no firsthand experience......

lowwater

Don't look now but the double Decker company is out of business.

I doubt that this matters, but Magma Arizona doesn't go to Apache Junction or Mesa -
It runs from Superior to Magma, which is near the middle of nowhere. Oh well, it's not real money, it's stimulus cash, eh??

TIOGA PASS