3 SP Flats Preserved in Arizona

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Apr 18, 2022 9:47 pm

From the Arizona Railway Museum's Facebook page today:

Quote:

After many years (decades?), the three SP MOW cars (two panel track bulkhead flat cars and a wood deck flatcar) were rescued from Gila Bend. SPMW 7005, SPMW 7035 and SPMW 5047. These cars were donated to the Arizona Railway Museum and the Arizona State Railroad Museum. These cars were landlocked in Gila Bend, AZ after the Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend ceased operations and the interchange switch was removed. The three cars were disassembled in Gila Bend and moved by truck to Chandler, AZ (and reassembled). ASRM will eventually make arrangements to move their car up to Williams, AZ.

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:21 pm

Coincidentally I was down there last Saturday, photographed the cars in Gila Bend and followed the line to Ajo. Interesting that almost everything is intact, and there is an SW and what looks like a GP-30 behind the fence in Ajo. Tracks leading into the fence are buried. I noticed the placard from the museum stuck to the cars asking that they not be scrapped and saved for the museum.

ted66 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:10 pm

Folks,
This is just a wild ass guess, but I think they are being acquired for the trucks and other hardware, needed for car bodies at the museum.

Ted Miles, narrow gauge preservationist

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2022 8:11 pm

Could be Ted as they didn't seem to be anything unusual or rare. The trucks weren't either but rather routine looking roller bearing heavy duty Bettendorfs. They were all lettered SPMW and may have been planned for track removal that never happened. I wonder if the track is left in "just in case" the mine is restarted?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2022 10:58 pm

nedsn3 wrote:

Could be Ted as they didn't seem to be anything unusual or rare.

More museums need to stop preserving the "unusual and rare" and work on saving the "everyday"--the plain-Jane GP38-2, the Railbox car, the commuter/Amfleet car, etc.

I don't know specifically what either museum has in mind for these cars, but the Chandler museum has both a 25-ton ex-Army derrick and a 120-ton SP steam derrick (non-operational) and its accompaniment tool/flat car, and I hear through the back grapevine that ASRM has been approached regarding an operable big derrick......

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2022 12:33 am

Are there any hopes/plans for preserving the what I think is a GP-30 and SW of some model now at Ajo?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:16 am

I have been told, second- and third-hand, that both the GP30 and the SW9 at Ajo have been claimed by, or donated to, the ASRM in Williams. The ASRM guys have taken to not confirming stuff like this until it's being loaded on the truck, however.

Both Williams and Chandler have a couple TC&GB pieces of rolling stock to represent the railroad, however, and I'm not sure a GP30 is a priority for either place, and Williams already has an ex-SP SW9 in their collection...........

linkthebutler · **Joined:** Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:29 am **Posts:** 267

"...and Williams already has an ex-SP SW9 in their collection..."

I think you talk about the EMD NW2 SP1317 blt 1941,
because SP never had SW9, T&NO had 5.

The EMD sitcher in Ajo is probably the SW7 new for Phelps Dodge #6 blt 1951 later
Tucson Cornelia and Gila Bend #53 (maybe upgrated to SW1200 but I am not sure).

jayrod · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2022 8:41 am

A 2016 aerial on Google Earth shows two geeps and an SW. What happened to the second geep?

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2022 1:01 pm

The units are fenced so you can't get too near them. I could only see the SW and GP-30, the third unit was hidden behind them. I'd post a few pics if I could figure out how. Lots of rail left in the ground and signs of some activity in Ajo but not much. Interesting town.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:50 am

linkthebutler wrote:

"...and Williams already has an ex-SP SW9 in their collection..."

I think you talk about the EMD NW2 SP1317 blt 1941,
because SP never had SW9, T&NO had 5.

The EMD sitcher in Ajo is probably the SW7 new for Phelps Dodge #6 blt 1951 later
Tucson Cornelia and Gila Bend #53 (maybe upgrated to SW1200 but I am not sure).

This is what happens when you're juggling records on eight diesels, six steamers, and three cabooses simultaneously........