Passenger Trains > Grade percent west of El Paso.

When the west bound Sunset Limited leaves El Paso it has to climb a steep grade to reach the summit.  Is there a name for this area(summit) and what is the grade percent? Would make for great photography.

I like the area around Benson, AZ

Unless you have the UP Tucson Div track charts,
it's going to be hard to decide what's the toughest
westward climb between El Paso and Yuma.
They're all short enough that momentum could
be a big factor. SP charts didn't show actual
grades (except on the 1/4-inch-to-100 feet charts).

But somewhere around 1.4%, for a few miles.

One of the SP sidings used to be called "Lizard" just West of ELP. Kind of a catchy name, no?  Not sure if UP has double tracked that area by now or if they even kept the old name.
Rough, rugged, hot country- really close to the Int'l border too.

Don't forget Steins ! West of Lordsburg.

waymongrimes Wrote:
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> When the west bound Sunset Limited leaves El Paso
> it has to climb a steep grade to reach the
> summit.  Is there a name for this area(summit)
> and what is the grade percent? Would make for
> great photography.

Wouldn't call it a hard pull at all, nothing between El Paso and the yard at Santa Teresa exceeds 0.6%.  The four passes on "The Stormy" section of the line, Lordsburg and points west to Tucson (Steins, Railroad Pass [Razo], Dragoon, and Mescal) all have  max grades of 1.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 1.6% respectively.

This is all double track for hundreds of miles now.

Has anyone mentioned the new intermodal yard they are building West of El Paso?
It looks like they are trying to get out of downtown.  I forgot how close the SP faciltiy was
to the East side of downtown.  I'm sure the city would be happy with that move.
Here is a shot of an engine at the new facility.  Lots of site preparation!

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OldPorter Wrote:
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> One of the SP sidings used to be called "Lizard"
> just West of ELP. Kind of a catchy name, no?  Not
> sure if UP has double tracked that area by now 

All two main track from Estrella (south of Phoenix/west of Maricopa) to El Paso. 

UP Sunset Area, Lordsburg Subdivision Grade Chart



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/17 23:21 by GenePoon.

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