Apache Railway facts for kids
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Snowflake, Arizona |
| Reporting mark | APA |
| Locale | Holbrook–Snowflake, Arizona |
| Dates of operation | 1917– |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
The Apache Railway (APA) is a special kind of railroad in Arizona. It connects Holbrook to the Snowflake Mill near Snowflake, Arizona. This journey is about 38 miles long.
The railway was bought by Catalyst Paper in 2008. But the Snowflake paper mill closed in 2012. This meant less work for the railway. In 2015, some new owners, including Aztec Land & Cattle Company and Midwest Poultry Producers, L.P., bought the railway. This saved it from closing down. Today, the Apache Railway mostly earns money from fixing and storing train cars. They are also working to get more freight business.
Contents
History of the Apache Railway
The Apache Railway company started in 1917. They began building the rail line from Holbrook south. It reached Snowflake in 1918. The line was extended further south to McNary in 1920.
From 1931 to 1936, during a tough time called the Great Depression, the railway faced money problems.
Fun with the White Mountain Scenic Railroad
A special tourist train called the White Mountain Scenic Railroad ran on part of this line. It used old steam trains to take passengers on fun trips. These trips started in 1964. They went from McNary to a logging camp called Maverick, AZ.
Over time, the tracks became bumpy. So, the trips became shorter. Later, the train ran from Pinetop Lakes to Bell Siding. In 1976, the White Mountain Scenic Railroad stopped running here. Its trains moved to Heber City, Utah for another tourist ride. The tracks from Maverick to McNary were removed in 1982. This happened after the sawmill in McNary closed.
By the 1980s, the Apache Railway was the only logging railroad left in Arizona. The tracks from Snowflake to McNary were no longer used after 1982.
Saving the Railway
In 2012, the company that owned the railway and the paper mill announced they would close. A company named Hackman Capital planned to take apart the railway. But local leaders wanted to keep the train service. They tried to buy the railway to save it.
After some legal steps, the Aztec Land & Cattle Company helped. In 2015, they and Midwest Poultry took over the Apache Railway. This kept the railway running and saved it from being closed down.
How the Railway Operates Today
In 1996, the Apache Railway moved about 16,000 train cars each year. They carried things like:
- recycled paper materials
- wood for paper
- wood chips
- coal
- paper products
- chemicals
- grain
By 2018, the railway's main work changed. Now, they mostly:
- repair train cars
- clean train cars (both wet and dry cleaning)
- store train cars
About 90% of their money comes from these services. Only about 10% comes from actually moving freight. In 2018, they started repairing tank cars and got a lot of business right away!
Passenger Train Rides
The Apache Railway used to offer rides for people. This passenger service stopped in the 1950s. In 1954, a mixed train (carrying both people and goods) ran on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It would leave McNary in the morning and arrive in Holbrook around noon. Then it would return to McNary in the evening.
Train Engines (Motive Power)
The Apache Railway uses special train engines. These are called ALCO Century 420 (C420) and C424s.
Here are the engines they have:
- APA 81 - C420
- APA 82 - C420
- APA 83 - C420
- APA 84 - C420
- APA 97 - M424
- APA 98 - M424
- APA 99 - M424
Railway Route
Here are the main stops on the Apache Railway line:
- Holbrook (where it connects with the BNSF Railway)
- Blair
- Snowflake Pig Farm
- Tours
- Snowflake Junction
- Apache Railway Shops
- Snowflake Paper Mill (Catalyst Paper)
- Snowflake Junction
- Snowflake
Old Routes No Longer Used
Some parts of the railway are no longer used. These sections were abandoned in 1980. They included stops like:
- Snowflake (where it connected with the old Standard Lumber company)
- Taylor
- Silver Lake
- Bell Siding
- Sponseller (with tracks going into the forest)
- Pinetop Lakes (with tracks going into the forest)
- McNary (where it connected with Southwest Forest Industries)
- Camp 28 (with tracks going into the forest)
Also, a short section of track used to run from south of Tours to Snowflake. Today, the line goes from Tours to Snowflake Junction.
