Phoenix railfanning

T

TrainNut

Ditat Deus
Sep 15, 2004
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AZ
Every time I take the I-10 into downtown Phoenix, I always look off to the side and wish I could get down to the yard and take some pictures. Today, on our way back from the Arizona Gem and Mineral museum, we stopped off and found the locomotive maintenance facility. After properly obtaining permission from the train master, may I present these humble, so-so pictures taken with my cell phone on a beautiful overcast day.

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Cool, you were on the turntable?! How would one go about schmoozing the trainmast...... I mean obtaining permision to get in there, where do you find a trainmaster?​
 
Really all I did was drive up to the main building and asked some of the guys out front if I could take some pictures. He said just a sec and he disappeared inside. A couple of minutes later, I was being introduced to the train master. He told me that they had an inspection team coming in and if I wanted any pictures, I had about 5 minutes before they kicked any non essential people out of the maintenance area.
I was not actually on the turntable but peering over the fence at the southern quadrant of it. This overhead picture will give you a better idea...

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Now as far as schmoozing... perhaps a big ice chest of refreshing cold beverages could get me a cab ride??? Doubtful but I can still dream right?
 
wow, a green and black one, i always liked that paint job the best. did not know they ran them with the BNSF name tho,

how did you get the overhead pic?
 
Great pictures! I love BNSF and how they have so many different scheme locomotives. Makes for colorful pictures.

I wish there were some real trains close to here. For some reason, the 2000+ foot elevation change seemed to scare off the railroads.
 
That's cool, just where is that? I gotta start paying better attention. I'm pleased when I see something coming down the mainline along Grand Ave. One thing for sure, I don't get downtown that often.
 
Terrific shots! It really does look like you're on the table but I see from the overhead how close you can get. Nice place to take pictures!
Ralph
 
wow, those are some cool shots! I have a question about the overhead shot though, mainly what are those two long black rectangles? Places for workers to get under the loco? Leftover ash pits from when steam was around?
 
That's a good question. I wasn't there long enough to explore that area and I can't remember what was over there. I'm going to guess that they are work pits but can't say for sure. Next time I get down there, I'll make sure to check it out.
 
Whatever they are, they look like they're newly added. I'd guess that it's some new track. It appears to be some new ballast under them. Nothing else is ballasted around them though.:confused: :confused:
 
I don't see a locomotive shop anywhere where they could get the locomotives inside for work. I suspect those are maintenance pits for changing out locomotive wheels, oil changes, or whatrever other light maintenance they would do in that facility. I doubt if they do any heavy maintenance like overhauls without a full shop.
 
I recall visiting that yard back in '69 while on vacation and recall seeing Alco switchers working the yard..

Russ,I suspect they make light running repairs at Phoenix and send other repairs to Barstow.
 
Russ Bellinis said:
I don't see a locomotive shop anywhere where they could get the locomotives inside for work. I suspect those are maintenance pits for changing out locomotive wheels, oil changes, or whatrever other light maintenance they would do in that facility. I doubt if they do any heavy maintenance like overhauls without a full shop.
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Good spot, I bow to your superior knowledge on this one.:thumb: :thumb: Why though is there ballast around a pit? I'd think that would be the last place you'd want ballast. Or is that really ballast at all??
 
I remember going there when the roundhouse was still standing a'bet only two stall's but still! and there were two blue B&O diesels inside...a friend and I were given permission to go through both of them.
also missing is the open sided caboose shop that was to the west and just behind those two pits shown. some where i have a couple of shorts of the turn table sans fence,though nothing was on it at the time....shame!
That was a fun trip.
Heard that someone had put a diesel through the back wall thats why the tore down the rest of the roundhouse. true or not ? couldn't say.
 
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