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New Mexico Short Line Railroads: A Complete Guide

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Arizona Eastern Railway (reporting mark, AZER):  The Arizona Eastern is a large operation utilizing more than 200 miles of trackage between Clifton and Miami, Arizona while it briefly enters New Mexico. 

For more many years the property was owned by Southern Pacific before spun-off to RA in 2001.  In 2004 it was sold to Permian Basin Railways, which subsequently sold it to G&W in 2011.  Traffic today includes copper, chemicals, agricultural, and forest products.

Santa Fe Southern Railway (reporting mark, SFSR): This short line provides freight and excursion service over the former AT&SF's Santa Fe branch between Santa Fe and the transcontinental main line at Lamy, 18 miles in all.  It has been in operation since 1992.  It now operates a tourist train known as the Sky Railway.

Santa Teresa Southern Railroad (reporting mark, STS): This short line, a division of Iron Horse Resources, began service in 2012 to serve the Santa Teresa Intermodal Park in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

Southwestern Railroad (reporting mark, SW): This short line, a division of Jaguar Transport Holding, has operated since 1990 (originally part of The Western Group) over former Santa Fe trackage.  

It began in 1990 by operated the ex-AT&SF property north and west of Whitewater to serve Phelps Dodge's open-pit copper mines at Chino and Tyrone, and the smelter at Hurley.  It then reached Deming to the south in 1994 (27 miles) by acquiring more AT&SF trackage.

In 2001 it picked up 60 miles between Rincon and Deming from Burlington Northern Santa Fe, another former component of the Santa Fe.

Its property forms a rough "V" and its traffic remains based in the copper industry.  The railroad is headquartered in Deming with interchanges carried out via BNSF.

Texas-New Mexico Railroad (reporting mark, TNMR): The Texas-New Mexico is owned by Iowa Pacific Holdings and operates just over 100 miles of trackage (formerly, Texas & Pacific/Missouri Pacific) between Monahans, Texas and Lovington, New Mexico with a connection to the Union Pacific at the former location.  

The trackage is former Texas & Pacific/Missouri Pacific.  It was sold to RailTex in 1989 by UP, acquired by RailAmerica in 1999, and then purchased by Permian Basin Railways in 2002 before its takeover by Iowa Pacific.  

Its traffic currently consist of oilfield chemicals and minerals, construction aggregates, industrial waste, and scrap.  In 2011 the road embarked in a major upgrading of the property to handle increased freight demands.