# Phoenix Subdivision (Union Pacific Railroad)

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.

## History

The rail line between Wellton and Phoenix was built by the Southern Pacific Railroad, with passenger service commencing in 1928.$^{:15}$ The line was downgraded to a branch line in 1997, as most traffic was rerouted via Maricopa.$^{:15}$

### Sunset Limited Bypassing of Phoenix

On June 2, 1996, the Sunset Limited was rerouted to a more southerly route between Tucson, and Yuma, Arizona, bypassing Phoenix. Union Pacific, which had acquired Southern Pacific earlier in the year, wanted to abandon a decaying portion of its Phoenix–Yuma "West Line", particularly the Roll Industrial Lead, that had previously been used to serve Phoenix due to deteriorating track conditions and very little freight traffic. By then the Sunset Limited was almost the only train using the Wellton Branch, and service was slow and bumpy along this worn-out section. UP demanded that Amtrak pay for the maintenance, which they would not do. Thus by June 1996, the Sunset Limited was bypassing Phoenix, and UP promptly put the 64-mile midsection of the Wellton Cutoff out of service. This made Phoenix one of the nation's largest cities without direct passenger service; although the designated Phoenix-area stop is in Maricopa, a suburban community about 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Phoenix. Amtrak Thruway service, run by Stagecoach Express, connects the two cities.

### Proposals to Reopen the Wellton Branch

Since its closure, officials have intermittently considered different options for how to reopen the line and restore Sunset Limited direct passenger service to Phoenix and potentially launch LA intercity service. The most recent study was conducted by ADOT in an effort to understand the existing condition of the Wellton Branch and to develop improvement scenarios and capital cost estimates for freight and passenger rail service between Arlington and Wellton, a distance of 90.8 miles (146.1 km). In that study, it was determined that current freight demand along the Wellton Branch line/ Phoenix Subdivision does not warrant re-opening the Wellton Branch and that Re-opening this corridor solely for passenger service is not cost effective.
Results of ADOT's Wellton Branch Railroad Rehabilitation Study :
| | Track grade | Freight max speed | Passenger max speed | Total Est. Cost (millions) | Avg. Cost/Route mile (millions) |
| 1 | Class 2 Track | 25 mph | NA | $165.4 | $1.8 |
| 2 | Class 3 Track | 40 mph | 60 mph | $194.8 | $2.1 |
| 2A | Class 3 w/PTC | 40 mph | 60 mph | $266.0 | $2.9 |
| 3 | Class 4 Track | 60 mph | 79 mph | $420.3 | $4.6 |

## Phoenix Intermodal Terminal

Phoenix Intermodal Terminal was announced in November 2023, and operation began on February 1, 2024. The facility is located in UP's Phoenix Yard and will serve shipments coming from the Port of Los Angeles. Drayage service will be provide by Duncan & Sons, a local logistics firm.