The UP Gila Sub is the ex-Southern Pacific Sunset Route that runs 255 miles from Yuma, AZ, to Tuscon, AZ. When I found out of a possible signal replacements coming this summer, I made plans to go get the remaining SP signals. Now going to Southern Arizona in May isn't my idea of fun, but the signal plans made it now or never. Plus UP has been putting double track in along this route, and those plans also have replaced alot of the old SP signals. Roughly only 85 miles of original SP trackage is left with old signals along the Gila.
The classic place is the area around Wellton, 38 miles east of Yuma. Here 3 old cantilever signals still guard movement along 16 miles of double track between Wellton and Dome. An eastbound train from TICTF – Terminal Island, CA, bound to Wilmer, TX, (Dallas Intermodal Terminal) accelerates after a westbound has just cleared the east end of double track. The Gila Mountains loom in the background.
