View source for Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad

{{Short description|Former railway line in Arizona}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}{{more footnotes|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox rail
|railroad_name     = Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad
|logo              =
|logo_size         =
|logo_alt          =
|system_map        = Black Mesa and Lake Powell RR Map.png
|map_caption       =
|map_size          = 300px
|map_alt           =
|image             = Blackmesaandlakepowellmay2007.jpg
|image_size        = 300px
|image_caption     = Eastbound train on the Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad, May 19, 2007. Note the [[Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México]] (N de M) livery on the locomotives
|image_alt         =
|marks             = BLKM
|locale            = [[Navajo Nation]], [[Northern Arizona]]
|start_year        = {{Start date|1973}}
|end_year          = {{End date|2019}}
|predecessor_line  =
|successor_line    =
|gauge             = <!-- This needs to be able to handle two current gauges. -->
|old_gauge         = <!-- This needs a separate line -->
| electrification  = 50 kV AC, 60 Hz, overhead catenary
|length            ={{Convert|73|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lassen |first=David |title=Last run for the 'finest railroad' |work=[[Trains Magazine]] |publisher=[[Kalmbach Media]] |year=2019 |volume=79 |publication-date=November 2019 |pages=7 |language=en |issn=0041-0934 |issue=11}}</ref>
|hq_city           = [[Page, Arizona]]
|website           = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
}}
The '''Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad''' {{Reporting mark|BLKM}} was an electrified [[private railroad]] operating in [[Northern Arizona]], [[United States|USA]] within the [[Navajo Nation]] which transported [[coal]] {{convert|78|mi|0}} from the [[Peabody Energy]] [[Kayenta Mine]] near [[Kayenta, Arizona]] to the [[Navajo Generating Station]] [[power plant]] at [[Page, Arizona]]. It was completely isolated from the national rail network and did not connect to any other railroad.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Ingles |first=David |title=The loneliest ugly duckling? |work=[[Trains Magazine]] |publisher=[[Kalmbach Media]] |year=2000 |volume=60 |location=[[Milwaukee]] |pages=90 |language=en |issn=0041-0934 |issue=10}}</ref> As a result, like [[Rapid transit|metros]], [[Light rail|light rails]], and [[Tram|trams]], it was not controlled by the [[Federal Railroad Administration]].
The line was constructed in the early 1970s and was the first railroad to be electrified at 50,000 volts. It was owned by the [[Salt River Project]] and the co-owners of the [[Navajo Generating Station]].
==Operation==
The line was electrified by means of [[50 kV AC|50,000]] V, 60 Hz, [[overhead line|overhead catenary]] with electricity supplied by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority.
During normal operations, the railroad operated three round trips per day.<ref name=shutdown>{{cite news|url=https://navajotimes.com/biz/ngs-coal-train-operators-will-miss-best-job-in-the-world/|title=NGS coal train operators will miss 'best job in the world'|last=Allen|first=Krista|newspaper=Navajo Times|date=August 22, 2019|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref> Between 1973 and 1976, six [[GE E60|E60CFs]] locomotives were purchased new. In 1975, the company took delivery of two [[Morrison–Knudsen]] [[M-K TE70-4S|TE70-4S]] units.<ref name=":0" /> The only diesels on the railway would be scrapped by the mid-1990s.<ref name=":0" />
In 1999, some 1982/83 built E60C-2s were purchased from [[Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México]] and overhauled including conversion from 25 kV.<ref>Unique Arizona electrified line to close ''[[The Railway Magazine]]'' issue 1422 September 2019 page 96</ref>
Forty new [[aluminum]] [[Hopper car|coal hoppers]] were purchased from [[FreightCar America]] to replace some of the aging fleet of 30 year-old FMC and Ortner hoppers.{{when|date=August 2020}} The coal hoppers traveled an average of {{Convert|400|mi|km|abbr=on}} on a single day compared to the average American freight car which traveled {{Convert|58|mi|km|abbr=on}} on average a day.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lassen |first=David |title=Last run for the 'finest railroad' |work=[[Trains Magazine]] |publisher=[[Kalmbach Media]] |year=2019 |volume=79 |publication-date=November 2019 |pages=7 |language=en |issn=0041-0934 |issue=11}}</ref>
The railroad's final delivery to the Navajo Generating Station was August 26, 2019. The power plant was shut down in December 2019 due to competition from cheaper energy sources.<ref name=shutdown />
The electrical components of the railway were dismantled between winter 2019 and fall 2020, but the tracks have remained in place to be evaluated for future use.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Krista |date=November 21, 2019 |title=NGS breathes its last; decommissioning starts |url=https://navajotimes.com/reznews/ngs-breathes-its-last-decommissioning-starts/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125194846/https://navajotimes.com/reznews/ngs-breathes-its-last-decommissioning-starts/ |archive-date=November 25, 2021 |access-date=March 12, 2022 |website=[[Navajo Times|Navajo Times Online]]}}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portal|Railways}}
* [[List of Arizona railroads]]
* [[Mine railway]]
* [[Navajo Mine Railroad]] - another (formerly electric) railroad on Navajo land
* [[Deseret Power Railroad]] - another electric railroad servicing a power plant in Colorado and Utah
== References ==
* {{cite book | author=Walker, Mike| title=Steam Powered Video's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America: Arizona & New Mexico|publisher=Steam Powered Publishing|location=Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom| year=1995| isbn=1-874745-04-8|page=6}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.trainweb.org/southwestshorts/bmlp.html| author=Carr, Wes|title = Black Mesa & Lake Powell| publisher = trainweb.org| access-date = March 14, 2006}}
{{reflist}}
* {{cite web |url=http://railetindustrie.com/page2013.htm| author=Patrick, Etiévant|title = Rail & Industrie n°34 - Black Mesa & Lake Powell railroad| publisher = railetindustrie.com| access-date = December 1, 2008}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad}}
* {{cite web |url=http://algomacentral.railfan.net/bmlp.htm| author=Ellis, Ted|title = Black Mesa & Lake Powell Railroad| work = Photos of the BMLP | publisher = railfan.net| access-date = March 14, 2006}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.trainweb.org/bobx/Trains_BLKM.htm|title = Trains - Black Mesa & Lake Powell| publisher = trainweb.org| access-date = March 14, 2006}}
{{Arizona railroads}}
{{Coord|36|33|15|N|110|31|35|W|type:landmark_region:US|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Mesa Lake Powell Railroad}}
[[Category:Defunct Arizona railroads]]
[[Category:Electric railways in Arizona]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1973]]
[[Category:Railway lines closed in 2019]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in Arizona]]
[[Category:2019 disestablishments in Arizona]]
[[Category:Mining railways in the United States]]