Phoenix Subdivision (Union Pacific Railroad)

Phoenix Subdivision
UP Phoenix Yard at Sunset in March 2024 with Chase Field in the background
Overview
OwnerUnion Pacific Railroad
LocaleArizona
Termini
Connecting lines
Websitehttps://www.up.com/
Service
TypeInter-city rail
Freight rail
Operator(s)Union Pacific Railroad
History
Completed1928
Technical
Number of tracks1
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map
Roll Industrial Lead
Roll Industrial Lead
Phoenix Subdivision
(West Phoenix industrial spurs)
Salt River Spur
Phoenix Yard & Intermodal Terminal
Tempe
Tempe Industrial Lead
Chandler Industrial Lead
Coolidge

The Phoenix Subdivision is a railroad line in the U.S. state of Arizona owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The southeast end of the line connects to the Gila Subdivision near Eloy, runs northeast to Phoenix, and becomes the Roll Industrial Lead, running southwest before reconnecting to the Gila Subdivision at Wellton. As of 2010, eighty miles (130 km) of the line between Roll and Arlington are out of service and used for car storage.:15

The railway is used by almost exclusively for freight movements, with about four trains per day as of May 2018. The McElhaney Cattle Company maintains trackage rights over the western six miles (9.7 km) of the line, with traffic consisting of grain cars.:15

On October 9th 1995, saboteurs intentionally derailed the Sunset Limited near the town of Palo Verde. The perpetrators have never been caught.

Amtrak ran the Sunset Limited on the route until June 1996:15 when Union Pacific wanted to reduce upkeep costs on the west end of the line; passenger service was rerouted to Maricopa. The line is part of a system of proposed commuter rail lines in the Phoenix metropolitan area and could be reopened to support that.