Southern Transcon

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Southern Transcon is a main line of BNSF Railway comprising 11 subdivisions between Southern California and Chicago, Illinois. Completed in its current alignment in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, when it opened the Belen Cutoff in New Mexico (going through eastern New Mexico, northwestern Texas, briefly part of western Oklahoma and to Kansas) and bypassed the steep grades of Raton Pass (which passes through northeastern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado), it now serves as a mostly double-tracked intermodal corridor.

The Transcon is one of the most heavily trafficked rail corridors in the western United States: as of 2006^[update], an average of almost 90 trains daily (over 100 trains on peak days) passed over the section between Belen and Clovis, New Mexico, with each train typically 6,000 to 8,000 feet (1,800 to 2,400 m) long.^[1]

History

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed a railroad between Chicago and Southern California in the 1880s. The route, built in stages, was less than ideal, especially where it crossed Raton Pass and Glorieta Pass. The steep grades posed operational problems, including congestion, slow speeds, and the need for helper engines. As an interim solution, a second track, with a longer tunnel, was opened at Raton in 1908, but this simply added capacity, and the grades remained. In 1902 the Santa Fe began surveying a new cutoff that would bypass this segment entirely. Much of the route had already been constructed by subsidiaries, such as the Southern Kansas Railway, which built a branch to Amarillo, Texas, in the 1880s, and the Pecos Valley and Northeastern Railway, an 1899 extension from Amarillo to Pecos via Texico, New Mexico.^[2]

Belen Cutoff

To complete the line between Texico and a point northwest of Belen, New Mexico, the Santa Fe incorporated the Eastern Railway of New Mexico in October 1902, and began construction of the Belen Cutoff the next January. The entire line was completed on July 1, 1908, allowing through freight trains to bypass the 3–3.5% grades of the old line for the maximum grade of 1.25% (at Abo Canyon) on the new line. (Most passenger trains continued to use Raton Pass so as to serve Colorado.) The Pecos Valley and Northeastern (but not its Texas subsidiaries, because of Article X of the Texas Constitution) was consolidated into the Eastern in March 1907, and in January 1912, the property of the Eastern was conveyed to the Santa Fe.^[3]

Other improvements

To connect central Texas to this line, the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway completed the Coleman Cutoff, running southeast from Texico to the Santa Fe subsidiary Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway at Coleman, in 1914. A third line was almost completed in the 1920s and 1930s, when the Santa Fe built the majority of the planned Dodge City–Colmer (Colmer Cutoff), which would provide a second bypass of Raton (but not Glorieta), but construction stopped at Farley, and the line was torn up west of Boise City in 1942.^{[4]: 18–31}

The completion of the Belen Cutoff did not end improvements to the transcontinental route. The 47-mile (76 km) Ellinor Cutoff opened in 1924, cutting through the Flint Hills from the original main line at Ellinor, Kansas, southwest to El Dorado on the main line to Texas. This allowed trains bound for the Belen Cutoff to cut directly to Mulvane, bypassing Wichita to the southeast.^{[4]: 36–37} To the west, in Arizona, the Santa Fe constructed a new line between Williams and Crookton, bypassing the sharp curves and steep grades of the line via Ash Fork built by the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in the 1880s.^[3] The $19.3-million realignment opened on December 19, 1960, and the old line was abandoned west of the Phoenix connection at Ash Fork.^[4]: 53 Smaller improvements included installation of centralized traffic control on the Belen Cutoff in the 1940s.^[4]: 29 Also, by October 2018, the entire Southern Transcon was double-tracked, except for two bridges; and, projects were underway to add triple- and even quadruple-track along the busiest parts.^[5][6]

Constituent rail lines

v t e San Bernardino Subdivision
Legend
Cajon Subdivision 0 San Bernardino San Bernardino A Yard SCRRA Shortway Subdivision SCRRA San Gabriel Subdivision San Bernardino B Yard 2.1 SCRRA Shortway Subdivision 3.2 UP Alhambra Subdivision 7.1 SCRRA Perris Valley Subdivision 9.9 10.3 Riverside–Downtown 10.9 UP Los Angeles Subdivision 18.5 Riverside–La Sierra 23.8 Corona–North Main 26.9 Corona–West Santa Ana River 40.6 SCRRA Olive Subdivision Placentia 45.6 165.5 SCRRA Orange Subdivision 165.1 Fullerton Fullerton Lead 161.2 Buena Park La Mirada Yard 156.1 Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs 155.0 Santa Fe Springs Lead UP Los Nietos Subdivision 153.0 Brea Chemicals Lead 152.1 UP Los Nietos Subdivision UP La Hambra Subdivision Pico Rivera Yard 148.3 Commerce Commerce Yard Hobart Yard 144.5 UP San Pedro Subdivision 143.7 SCRRA River Subdivision Redondo Junction over the Los Angeles River 143.2 Harbor Subdivision Alameda Corridor

v t e Cajon Subdivision
Legend
Needles Subdivision Barstow Yard Mojave Subdivision Mojave Northern Railroad Victorville Lucerne Valley Subdivision UP Mojave Subdivision Silverwood Tunnel No. 1 removed 2008 Tunnel No. 2 removed 2008 Cajon Pass Keenbrook Arrow Maintenance Facility SCRRA San Gabriel Subdivision San Bernardino A Yard San Bernardino SCRRA Shortway Subdivision San Bernardino Subdivision SCRRA San Gabriel Subdivision

v t e Needles Subdivision
Legend
Cajon Subdivision Barstow Barstow Yard UP Cima Subdivision Klondike Arizona and California Railroad Needles Seligman Subdivision
Amtrak Southwest Chief

v t e Seligman Subdivision
Legend
Needles Subdivision Needles Yard California Arizona Colorado River Kingman Grand Canyon Railway Phoenix Subdivision Williams Junction (closed 2018) Flagstaff Winslow Yard Winslow Gallup Subdivision
Amtrak Southwest Chief

v t e Gallup Subdivision
Legend
to Seligman Subdivision 284.5 East Winslow Little Colorado River 275.4 West Hibbard 273.0 East Hibbard 265.4 Manila 262.4 Joseph City 259.6 Chola (Main 1 Only) 258.6 Penzance 255.5 West Holbrook Apache Railway 253.3 East Holbrook 243.5 Arntz 235.0 West Adamana 232.0 East Adamana 222.8 Bibo 219.2 Pinta 215.9 West Coronado Jct Coronado Subdivision 214.8 East Coronado Jct 202.2 Cheto 192.6 West Houck 190.0 East Houck 176.1 Lupton Arizona New Mexico Puerco River 167.0 West Defiance Defiance Subdivision 165.0 East Defiance 161.3 West Gallup 157.6 Gallup 156.5 East Gallup 151.6 Zuni 143.0 Perea Continental Divide Campbell Pass elev. 7,244 ft (2,208 m) 128.8 Gonzales 125.6 Thoreau 118.5 West Pegs 117.7 East Pegs 114.8 West Baca Lee Ranch Subdivision 113.3 East Baca 98.3 West Grants 94.3 East Grants 82.7 McCartys 71.1 Laguna 58.7 Marmon 47.2 Suwanee Rio Puerco 33.9 Rio Puerco 27.4 Dalies To the west mileage measured from Albuquerque Glorieta Subdivision 10.1 Dalies 5.5 Felipe 0.6 Aragon 0.0 Belen Jct to Clovis Subdivision
Amtrak Southwest Chief

v t e Clovis Subdivision
Legend
to Gallup Subdivision New Mexico Rail Runner Express Belen station NMRX 897.6 Belen Jct 897.3 Hadley 896.9 Belen 895.6 El Paso Jct El Paso Subdivision 894.8 Jarales Rio Grande River 889.0 Madrone 884.2 Bodega 882.1 Becker 879.3 Beevers 876.8 West Sais 875.0 East Sais Abo Canyon 870.3 Scholle 867.4 Kayser 862.4 Abo Summit Abo Pass 854.8 Mountainair 853.5 White 850.0 Broncho 847.3 Sarrett 839.9 Willard 834.2 Silio 830.2 CP 8302 828.0 Lucy 825.1 Gauna 823.0 Culebra 817.7 Dunmoor 815.6 West Pedernal 814.1 Pedernal 812.6 East Pedernal 812.5 CP 8125 807.8 Negra 797.8 Carnero 792.7 Tejon UP Tucumcari Subdivision 789.2 West Vaughn 788.5 Vaughn 781.7 CP 7817 772.8 Joffre 769.0 Duoro 765.0 CP 7650 761.4 Cardenas 758.1 CP 7581 756.1 Buchanan 750.5 Largo 743.2 Yeso 737.0 Evanola 732.1 Curry 730.5 CP 7305 728.1 Ricardo 724.7 McGregor 722.2 Agudo 719.7 CP 7197 Pecos River 717.4 Fort Sumner 715.5 Bailey 706.4 La Lande 697.0 Tolar 685.9 Cantara 678.0 Melrose 669.7 Grier 660.0 Gallaher 658.6 West Clovis 657.9 Potter Carlsbad Subdivision 657.6 Clovis 655.7 East Clovis to Hereford Subdivision

v t e Hereford Subdivision
Legend
to Clovis Subdivision 655.7 East Clovis 653.2 Crooks 649.1 West Texico 647.6 CP 6476 646.8 CP 6468 New Mexico Texas 646.0 Texico Slaton Subdivision 633.8 Bovina 627.2 CP 6272 624.7 East Parmerton 622.2 West Friona 621.8 Friona 619.7 East Friona 616.5 West Black 614.7 Black 614.1 East Black 612.3 CP 6123 608.1 West Summerfield 607.8 Summerfield 605.9 East Summerfield 601.3 West Hereford 600.4 Hereford 594.5 Joel 558.0 Dawn 578.9 CP 5789 571.8 CP 5718 570.9 Lubbock Jct Plainview Subdivision 569.5 Canyon 561.2 Hanley 558.3 Zita 555.9 West Amarillo 554.0 Amarillo Dalhart Subdivision 552.7 West Tower Red River Subdivision 552.2 East Tower Boise City Subdivision 550.5 Eastern to Panhandle Subdivision

v t e Panhandle Subdivision
Legend
to Hereford Subdivision 550.5 Eastern 538.2 CP 5382 531.4 CP 5314 526.0 Panhandle 523.2 CP 5232 510.3 CP 5103 505.9 Kings Mill 500.8 West Pampa 498.7 Pampa 497.3 CP 4973 494.0 CP 4940 481.4 Codman 476.9 Miami 469.7 Lora 463.5 Mendota 458.6 Canadian Canadian River 446.7 Clear Creek 444.1 Glazier 438.4 Coburn 428.3 CP 4283 Texas Oklahoma 417.8 Goodwin 410.5 Shattuck 406.7 Gage 401.5 Oleta 398.3 Fargo 390.8 Tangier 386.3 Gerlach 379.7 Woodward North Canadian River 368.9 Curtis 356.8 Belva 351.2 Heman Cimarron River 345.2 Waynoka 342.2 East Waynoka 336.4 West Avard Avard Subdivision 335.9 Avard 335.4 East Avard Salt Fork Arkansas River 328.9 Noel 319.5 Brink 313.2 Loder Oklahoma Kansas 309.1 West Kiowa 307.2 CP 3072 306.9 Kiowa 305.5 East Kiowa Medicine Lodge River 299.8 Hazelton 292.2 Crisfield 287.4 West Attica Victoria & Southern RR 285.6 Attica 283.3 Eula 271.3 Harper 266.5 Danville 264.2 Argonia Chikaskia River 254.1 Milan 251.8 Hertog 243.5 Roland UP Enid Subdivision Blackwell Northern Gateway 238.5 CP 2385 238.0 Wellington to Emporia Subdivision

v t e Emporia Subdivision
Legend
to Panhandle Subdivision 238.0 Wellington 237.0 SK Junction 230.6 Cicero Ninnescah River 226.5 Belle Plaine 222.2 CP2222 Arkansas River 221.8 West Junction Arkansas City Subdivision 220.7 CP2280 (Arkansas City Sub) 219.9 CP2272 (Arkansas City Sub) Arkansas City Subdivision 215.8 East Junction 211.6 Rose Hill 205.4 Salter 201.8 West Augusta Whitewater River Douglass Subdivision 185.3 CP1853 183.3 East Augusta 176.5 O.D. 172.8 El Dorado (Tower B) 171.2A East El Dorado 165.5 Chelsea 158.4 Aikman El Dorado Lake 154.2 Cassoday Walnut River 144.4 Matfield Green 136.1 Bazar 130.3 Gladstone Cottonwood River 127.1 CP1271 La Junta Subdivision 124.7 Ellinor 115.3 Merrick 111.9 Emporia 111.3 NR Junction Topeka Subdivision Neosho River 107.1 Wiggam 93.8 Lebo 87.6 Ridgeton 78.0 East Melvern Marias des Cygnes River 59.9 West Ottawa 57.1 Ottawa 55.8 East Ottawa 45.5 Wellsville Logistics Park Kansas 34.1 Gardner 26.1 Olathe 19.5 Craig 14.8 West Holiday Topeka Subdivision 13.5 Holiday 11.0 Morris 8.7 CP87 7.4 CP74 7.1 Turner 5.8 CP58 5.5 CP55 4.8 Argentine 4.0 CP40 3.9 CP39 3.5 CP35 2.7 CP27 1.9 CP19 to Highline Bridge 1.7 Santa Fe Junction Kansas Missouri Begin Emporia Subdivision Fort Scott Subdivision Kansas City UP Coffeyville Subdivision Blue River KCS Pittsburg Subdivision UP Sedalia Subdivision KCS Mexico Subdivision Kansas City Terminal Railway to Marceline Subdivision
Amtrak Southwest Chief Amtrak Missouri River Runner

v t e Marceline Subdivision
Legend
to Kansas City Terminal Area and Emporia Subdivision 444.4 Congo 442.6 Sugar Creek 440.7 Cement City 442.6 Courtney 436.5 Eton UP River Subdivision 434.0 Atherton 426.3 West Sibley Sibley Railroad Bridge over the Missouri River 421.7 Floyd NS Kansas City District 417.9 CA Junction 411.3 Henrietta 405.6 Hardin 396.6 Norborne 388.8 WB Junction NS Kansas City District 386.4 Carrollton 374.3 Bosworth 360.7 Mendon 354.6 Rothville 349.3 West Marceline 346.9 East Marceline Brookfield Subdivision 341.5 Bucklin 330.9 West Ethel 329.3 East Ethel 322.9 Elmer 313.2 La Plata 306.4 Gibbs 300.3 Hurdland 292.0 W Baring 282.4 Rutledge 276.8 Gorin 272.3 Wyaconda 264.8 West Medill 263.0 East Medill Des Moines River Missouri Iowa 256.0 Revere 246.2 Argyle Hannibal Subdivision 237.2 Ortho 236.2 West Fort Madison 234.3 Fort Madison to Chillicothe Subdivision
Amtrak Southwest Chief

v t e Chillicothe Subdivision
Legend
to Marceline Subdivision 234.3 Fort Madison 234.0 East Fort Madison Fort Madison Toll Bridge over the Mississippi River Iowa Illinois 230.7 Niota 218.9 Lomax 208.9 Stronghurst 204.6 Media 200.7 Smithshire 191.9 Ormonde Ottumwa Subdivision 186.0 Cameron 184.4 CP1844 Galesburg Terminal Barstow Subdivision Mendota Subdivision 173.7 Yost 158.4 Williamsfield 153.5 Laura 149.5 Monica 144.7 Princeville 139.5 CP 1359 UP Peoria Subdivision 138.1 Edelstein 132.0 West Chillicothe IAIS Peoria Branch 129.1 East Chillicothe Illinois River 119.5 Wilbern 116.0 La Rose 109.9 Toluca 106.5 Ruff 102.1 Leeds 95.8 Ancona Vermilion River 91.5 CP915 Streator Illinois Rail Net Fox River Branch 84.4 Kernan 79.8 Ransom 74.8 Kinsman 70.8 Verona 66.1 Mazon 58.2 Coal City 57.2 Pequot 52.5 Lorenzo Kankakee River 50.3 Blodget Ord 49.7 CP496 48.0 Drummond Logistics Park Chicago 46.5 CP465 46.2 CP460 41.5 Plaines 37.5 Joliet Metra Rock Island District CN Leighton Subdivision 32.7 Lockport 29.3 Romeo 27.8 Union Oil Co 26.0 Thomas Steel Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal Des Plaines River 23.0 Argonne 19.3 CP193 17.6 CP176 17.0 Willow Springs 15.5 CP155 14.4 Harbor IHB Main Line 12.8 McCook to CN Waukesha Subdivision via alongside BRC Kenton Line (proposed) Des Plaines River Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal BRC Kenton Line 5.9 Corwith ←CN South Bend Subdivision via Corwith Yard CN Waukesha Subdivision (proposed)→ 4.7 Begin Chillicothe Subdivision to CSX Blue Island Subdivision and CN Waukesha Subdivision
Amtrak Southwest Chief

The Southern Transcon railroad corridor is made up of the following BNSF rail lines which are referred to as subdivisions, in order from west to east.^[7]

Subdivision	State
San Bernardino	California
Cajon
Needles
Seligman
	Arizona
Gallup
	New Mexico
Clovis
Hereford	Texas
Panhandle	Texas
	Oklahoma
	Kansas
Emporia	Kansas
Marceline	Missouri
	Iowa
Chillicothe
	Illinois

Passenger trains

Parts of the route are utilized by passenger rail services — BNSF does not operate regular passenger trains outside of the Chicago Subdivision.

Amtrak's Southwest Chief runs once daily in each direction on the Transcon, but via the Raton Pass. The Pacific Surfliner also operates between Los Angeles and Fullerton. Until its cancellation in 1997, Amtrak's Desert Wind used the Southern Transcon between Los Angeles and Barstow. The proposed Coachella Valley Rail train from RCTC, which is anticipated to be operated by Amtrak, would initially run two roundtrips a day over the Transcon from LA Union Station to the Colton Crossing.

Southern California's Metrolink commuter rail trains utilize the route between Los Angeles and San Bernardino. These include the Orange County Line (between Los Angeles and Fullerton), 91/Perris Valley Line (between Los Angeles and Highgrove), and Inland Empire–Orange County Line (between Atwood and San Bernardino).

See also

• Northern Transcon
• Central Corridor (Union Pacific Railroad)
• Fort Madison Toll Bridge

References

External links

• A user-made map of the full route on Google My Maps