This video was originally published by Trains as part of the Locomotive 2017 DVD.
BNSF Needles Subdivision stretches from the Arizona/California state line at Needles west to Barstow, California across almost 170 miles of desert that tests man and machine every day in the struggle to keep the railroad moving.
For the majority of its existence, the Needles Subdivision was the domain of the Santa Fe Railway, one of BNSF’s merger partners in 1995 (check date-it’s correct), Santa Fe purchased the subdivision from Southern Pacific in 1884 and Santa Fe added a second main track in the 1920s.
Part of Santa Fe’s famed ‘transcon’ from Chicago to California, the route still acts as a conduit for east-west traffic as it sends dozens of trains across it each way coming to and from California destinations to major hubs in the Midwest, and south and southeast parts of the United States. The Needles Subdivision is a mixture of almost every kind of commodity you can find on the rails today short of regular coal traffic.
The eastern 100 miles or so of the Needles Subdivision is the most challenging for trains. Heading west from Needles, trains endure a grueling 30-mile climb up a 1.4 percent grade to the top at Goffs. Eastbound trains have a slightly easier, but longer climb to Goffs as they struggle uphill almost 44 miles from just west of Cadiz to Goffs with grades not exceeding 1.1 percent. The second hill encountered by westbound trains is the grade to Ash Hill. Rising up from 800 feet above sea level at Bagdad to almost 2000 feet at Ash Hill, the main line climbs up out of the desert floor on a steady 1.4 percent grade.
Westbound grades were held in check by engineers at two locations when the railroad added the second track by grade separating the main lines between Siberia and Klondike, and Ibis and Bannock, in both cases swinging the new main line out and away from the existing track to keep the grade for westbound traffic at a manageable 1.4 percent. The original main line in each location uses a shorter and more direct route, featuring grades that approach 2.3 percent.
The railroad uses X mileposts between Siberia and Klondike on Main Two since its almost four miles shorter between these two stations.
With long sustained climbs in both directions and a three speed railroad: 90mph for Amtrak, 70mph for intermodal and automotive, and 55mph for freight and bulk trains, the railroad must provide ample power for trains to keep things fluid across the desert. Even with CTC Two main track and ample crossovers, traffic can get backed up due to things such as maintenance of way working on the track or the dispatcher sorting out trains by priority.
With the widespread use of distributed power on BNSF, manned helpers on westbound trains from Needles are gone, and many of the trains have some sort of distributed power in place on both east and westbound trains. This allows increased train sizes and assists in safe train handling in mountainous territory such as the Needles Subdivision.
One unique operation on the Needles Subdivision is the Cadiz local. Based out of BNSF’s Barstow yard, the train is tasked with interchanging cars with short line Arizona and California Railroad at Cadiz. Power for the local has been mostly rebuilt GP60Ms, now designated GP60M-3s by BNSF. These locomotives once dominated the priority intermodal trains across the Needles Subdivision, hauling mile-long trains of piggyback trailers at 70mph. While they still see mainline duty, their new owner has relegated them to secondary service across the system.
At Cadiz, the Arizona and California is picking up its cars and begins to head east while a BNSF crew puts its cars together. Off in the distance, another intermodal train makes its way across the desert.
At Amboy, the last rays of daylight illuminate the hillside as the Cadiz Turn is up to track speed, passing an eastbound train at Saltus, disappearing over the ridge in the distance.
The action on the Needles Subdivision at times is non-stop, as yet another eastbound prepares to pass the Cadiz Turn as the local clears Amboy.
As day turns to night in the desert, the parade of trains continues as vehicles pass by on Interstate 40 in the distance. Four GEVOs sail downgrade in the twilight hauling yet another hot intermodal train bound for points east.
The Needles Subdivision will play an important part in providing an important corridor for BNSF’s east-west traffic across the United States for years to come.
