A Freeport McMoRan train drops downgrade into Clifton, Arizona, on the morning of October 28, 2020. The train will be interchanged to the Arizona Eastern Railway in the compact yard at Clifton. High above is part of the sprawling copper mining complex of Freeport McMoRan, along with the company town of Morenci. Visible above the power, on the right and through the middle of the scene is the old abandoned grade of narrow gauge Shannon Arizona Railroad, later upgraded and standard-gauged, and used by Phelps-Dodge as the rail link between Morenci and Clifton until 1965, when the new line used today was put into service. This old grade featured two switchbacks and is now a hiking trail, while current railroad is still steep, with 3-5% grades.
