Arizona and California Railroad

Infobox SG rail
railroad_name=Arizona & California Railroad
logo_filename=Acr logo.pnglogo_size=
marks=ARZC
locale=Mojave Desert - Phoenix, Arizona and branch to Blythe, California
start_year=May 9, 1991
end_year=present
old_gauge=
hq_city=Parker, ArizonaThe Arizona & California Railroad Reporting mark|ARZC is a short line railroad that was a subdivision of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). The ARZC began operations on May 9, 1991, when David Parkinson of the ParkSierra RailGroup purchased the line from the Santa Fe Railway. ParkSierra Railgroup was purchased in January 2002 by RailAmerica, the current owner of the ARZC.

Route

At Cadiz, California, the ARZC begins with an interchange with the BNSF and continues southeast across the Mojave Desert to Ripley, then east to cross the Colorado River Arizona/California stateline at Parker, Arizona. The railroad continues east to Matthie (near Wickenburg, Arizona). At Matthie the ARZC has trackage rights over the BNSF line to Phoenix. The ARZC trackage rights are over the north-south BNSF line that connects Phoenix to BNSF's mainline at Williams. It also has a branch that runs from Rice south to Blythe and then terminates at Ripley.

The ARZC is 297 miles (478 km) long consisting of the following segments:
* 190 mile (306 km) mainline from Cadiz, CA (BNSF interchange) - Parker, AZ - Matthie, AZ (BNSF interchange).
* 57 miles (92 km) of trackage rights over the BNSF Railway from Matthie - Phoenix, AZ.
* 50 mile (80 km) branch line from Rice - Blythe - Ripley, CA.

History

The ARZC was originally constructed between 1903-1907 by the Arizona and California Railway. The line between Matthie, AZ, and Parker opened in June 1907. By 1910 the line reached Cadiz, California.

References

* [http://www.railamerica.com/railmaps/ARZC.htm Official ARZC Map]
* [http://algomacentral.railfan.net/AZCal.htm Pictures of early ARZC trains]
* [http://www.movie-trains.com/arizonaandcalifornia.html Movies filmed on ARZC]
* [http://domino.bnsf.com/website/shortlin.nsf/e631ecf5f61f7f3e8625651500721a6a/356f8b0fa1451f61062565940072a87c?OpenDocument BNSF Railway Shortline Partner ARZC Profile]