This area is kinda new for me, and wasn't on the last rendition of the Radio Page. I wanted to make it a bit more informative for everybody from the casual scanner listener to the die-hard railfanner. You'll find frequency lists, photos taken by me, and links to other web sites with additional information about the current and former rail lines in the region.
The area is served by two major rail lines, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific. Southwestern is a short line operating on old AT&SF trackage out around the Silver City/Deming area. There's also a link to the departed El Paso & Southwestern "Southline".
BNSF's El Paso Subdivision of the Southwest Division snakes down from Albuquerque, generally following the river (except around Elephant Butte Reservoir, where it ducks around the other side of the Caballo Mountains) down through Las Cruces to its terminus in El Paso.
Okay, I'm partial to the old AT&SF, considering I've always lived less than a couple of miles from their tracks for the last 30 years.
BNSF Frequencies (El Paso subdivision)
This list was derived mainly from FCC license information, and contains frequency information and mileposts for the line from Belen, NM to the El Paso yard.
Some of my pictures of action on the El Paso subdivision.
Whiskey Sierra Charlie's Photo Gallery of the BNSF El Paso Subdivision
Wes Carr, currently a BNSF dispatcher, shows his photos of various BNSF trains along the El Paso sub. This is what my pictures aspire to be.
BNSF Timetables and Rule Books
BNSF's timetables show detailed information about all of their subdivisions, including radio frequencies in use, mileposts, road grades, speed limits, and other things. It makes good reading while you're waiting on that train!
CLIC Bulletin No. 9, El Paso Subdivision (revised August 1988)
Russell Crump has transcribed a sketch of the El Paso yard and placed it online.
El Paso is a major hub for Union Pacific's southwestern operations. It sits on UP's east-west trackage acquired from the merger with Southern Pacific, with the Lordsburg subdivision running west to Arizona, and the Valentine subdivision running east through west Texas. The Carrizozo subdivision runs north through Alamogordo to connect to UP's trackage in northern New Mexico. Amtrak uses the Lordsburg and Valentine subdivision trackage to operate its Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle passenger service, while BNSF has trackage rights on the Carrizozo and Valentine subdivisions.
Because Union Pacific operates on the old Southern Pacific lines, the old SP frequencies are still in use.
This list was derived mainly from FCC license information. It contains frequency information and some mileposts for the Lordsburg, Valentine, and Carrizozo subdivisions.
Some of my pictures of the Union Pacific (mostly on the Lordsburg sub).
UPRR Timetables, General Orders and Bulletins
UP's timetables show detailed information about all of their subdivisions, including radio frequencies in use, mileposts, road grades, speed limits, and other things.
Southwestern operates on track bought from the old AT&SF. It connects the Phelps Dodge copper mines in the Silver City, NM area to the Union Pacific Lordsburg sub at Deming, then along the old AT&SF Deming sub, northeast from Deming to the BNSF El Paso sub at Rincon.
Southwestern's only frequency is 160.380.
Southwestern Railroad Pictures
Some pictures I've taken of the Southwestern Railroad.
Wes Carr gives a bit of history of the Southwestern Railroad along with some pictures.
The old "Southline" from El Paso to Douglas, AZ saw its last train in 1961 and was later completely removed. Ghosts of the Southline chronicles the history and the surviving structures of this gone, but not forgotten, rail line.
I'm also building my own Southline gallery. While I only have pictures of the Columbus, NM depot, I have seen the foundations of the old railroad towns between Columbus and Santa Teresa, NM for myself, and I do plan on adding them when I can.