Tracks Across Arizona

Producer: Pentrex

Locations: AZ

Timeframe: 2015

Length: 2 hours 30 minutes

Pentrex has a comprehensive tour of Arizona here. BNSF Transcon. UP Sunset Route. Shortlines and Tourist Trains. Exact year(s) not offered. Using show release date.

Arizona is an interesting State. Loaded with history. Santa Fe in the North. Southern Pacific across the South. Mountains with Ponderosa Pines. Deserts with Cactus. High deserts. Pentrex toured modern rail lines, in a 2 1/2 hour show.

A detailed Chapter Menu. Maps throughout. Narration ON/ OFF.

High quality Pentrex equipment. Modern, viewing standards. Natural audio. Narration by David Drui. Professional in all areas throughout the show.

The narrative is adequate. Somewhat lacking in details, by Pentrex standards. There are no train symbols, almost no locomotive types etc… Some of those little extra details. Still informative, just less. Consider, viewing the Trains and locations, is the top priority.

There is so much to see. Let’s break it down. Manageable chunks. Hit some highlights. To the trains…

BNSF Gallup Sub, Lupton – Holbrook

This program starts with BNSF Seligman Sub. We follow it, from East to West. Making side trips, for points of interest. Rejoining the mainline.

Begins at Lupton, with this BNSF sub. Amtrak #4 Southwest Chief. Intermodal traffic. Manifests. Busy line. We are going Westward 73 miles.

Apache Railway

All Alco powered Railroad. Action is at Snowflake. 81 leads a trio on a freight.

BNSF Gallup / Seligman Subs, Joseph City- Flagstaff

Another 79 miles of BNSF, are covered to Winslow. BNSF passes a Power Plant at Joseph City, with mixed units. Crew change point at Winslow. A small yard there.

The Seligman Sub has some spectacular scenery. The San Francisco Peaks at Flagstaff rise up, seemingly to the sky. Ponderosa Pine are unexpected to visitors. Arizona, is geographically diverse.

Flagstaff local with 2 silver Warbonnets. Compare the factory lettering vs. the re-lettered trailing diesel

Verde Canyon Railroad/ Black Mesa & Lake Powell

Verde Canyon Railroad operates at Clarkdale. A Tourist Line. Runs into a Wilderness area. Offers enclosed or open air cars. Even had a former Santa Fe Cupola Caboose. One scene only.

Black Mesa and Lake Powell. Electric Line. 80 mile length. Four power units from a Mexican Railroad. Mine train.

BNSF Seligman Sub, Riordan – Williams

Thirty miles to Williams. Another, very scenic section. Plenty of action shown in this area.

Grand Canyon Railway

Steam Locomotive for the Grand Canyon Railway.  The ex: Burlington Route Mikado, was converted to run on, vegetable oil. An F40 provides 50% power. Roundtrip, Williams to Grand Canyon.

BNSF Seligman Sub, Pan Canyon – Griffith

Last 100 miles on the Seligman Sub. High desert terrain. One train has brand new locomotives. Another has a meet, with a mixed Lashup.

Kingman Canyon is another highlight location. A good bit of time is spent in this place. Railfan paradise. Worthy!

Arizona and California Railroad

At Parker, the A&C is located. Genesse & Wyoming owns this line. BNSF interchange.

UP Sunset Route, Dome – Benson

Approximately 300 miles covered on this Southern route. A little East of Yuma. To East of  Tucson. Former SP tracks. Wellton has the Phoenix sub split off. Former SP signals. Heavy double stack traffic seen.

Multiple unit Lashups are the usual fare. A DPU or two, as well. Steam era water tanks still stand, in the desert. Gila Bend still has a Water Tank, for one spot.

Arrive at Tucson! This took awhile to make it here. A busy location for Union Pacific.

San Pedro and Southwestern

Two ex: Santa Fe GP30 engines. Hazmat chemical business. 7 1/2 miles in service.

UP Lordsburg Sub, Benson – Stein Mountain

Sunset Route. Another 60 miles to cross. More double stacks. Willcox still has an 1881 depot. The Amtrak Sunset train is seen.

Arizona Eastern

GE B39-8 units street run in Globe. Former SP power. Check the SP Steam Engine in the City Park! New Arizona Eastern owners, since 2011 are G&W.

Copper Basin Railway

At Hayden, GP39 units. Ore trains. Serves the Ray Mine. This 54 mile line does haul some other freight, as well.

Although the program displays plenty of freight cars. Graffiti has reduced these to little more, than a rolling ghetto.

Tracks Across Arizona

Pentrex has excellent Arizona coverage. At 2 1/2 hours. They almost need an Intermission! So much material. Roll across the Northern Transcon. Take the Sunset Route back Eastbound. See the interesting lines, that are in-between.

Yes, this is a Grand Tour. Does take some time. It is about as succinct as can be. Some items could have ran a little longer. Verde Valley for one, and Globe is a cool place. Overall, a very well done release. This is the best, overview of Arizona show!

Rating: 5 Stars