Southwestern Railroad Divide Crossing

USA / New Mexico / Silver City /
 railway, summit, mining
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The Southwestern Railroad operates into the Phelps Dodge open pit copper mine at Tyrone, which is just west of the Divide. This was a former ATSF branch acquired in 1990. I believe this line opened in 1969, and is at approximately 6000'. The El Paso and Southwestern had a line to Tyrone which was abandoned in 1934, and may have crossed the Divide. America's railroads built 31 crossings over the Divide, and this mine spur handles the lightest traffic of the 10 remaining U.S. crossings.
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Coordinates:   32°38'53"N   108°20'50"W
This article was last modified 17 years ago