Route Features

Run8's BNSF Seligman Sub West route is roughly 150 miles long and extends the Run8 network from Needles, CA to Seligman, AZ. The route features a double mainline with seperated grades at various places and there are several large industries that are served by locals along the route including the massive Kingman Industrial Park east of Kingman. Amtrak's popular Southwest Chief's #3 and #4 will run at 90MPH in many places and they also change crews at Kingman, AZ. Yes, this may be another desert route but it is an extremely scenic one that runs along the historic highway US Route 66 which spans from the breathtaking Colorado River crossing to the beautiful Crozier Canyon and the scenic Pinon Forests beyond.

AMTRAK'S SOUTHWEST CHIEF #3 COMING INTO KINGMAN, AZ

Route Operations - Dispatching

Although the Seligman Sub West has double track the entire route, there are some dispatching issues. All priority trains such as Amtrak and Z trains should stay on main 1 between Griffith and Berry. Main 2 in this area is quite windy and slows down to 30 MPH in spots. So try to plan your routing to keep slower traffic on main 2 and high priority on main 1. If Amtrak 3 and 4 will have a meet between Griffith and Berry, one can go down main 2, and will do a station stop (and crew change) with the door of a coach right on the crossing at the depot.

AI Amtrak trains are setup to make a 6-min crew change stop at the Kingman Depot on both tracks. Main 1 trains will stop along the platform, while Main 2 trains will stop with a passenger car door over the road crossing (this will work for trains with a 2 loco and a baggage car as the first 3 cars, followed by superliners).

The #3 is scheduled at Kingman at 11:46 pm and the #4 at 1:28 AM, so under normal operations the two would never meet in this area. Then at Needles all Amtrak trains should take main 3 into the depot.

AMTRAK'S SOUTHWEST CHIEF #3 CROSSING THE COLORADO RIVER INTO CALIFORNIA

Route Operations - Defect Detectors

There are several detectors on the Seligman Sub. As is typical for BNSF they do not report as the rear of the train clears the detectors unless there is a defect, except at the following locations:

MP 571.2 & 561.5 - these protect the Colorado River Bridge at MP 565.9 and will have a radio read out for all trains when they clear the detector.

MP 473.9 & 452.1 - (there are 3 sets of normal detectors between these) protect the tunnel at MP 457.4 and will have a radio read when they clear.

The strange looking device on both sides of main 1 just west of MP 516 is an Acoustic Bearing Detector (ABD). It listens to the bearings of the locomotives and cars going by, and if they detect the early sounds of bearings going bad the system contacts the equipment owner so they can have them inspected/replaced.

More documentation about the BNSF Seligman Sub West can be found in the User Guide by selecting the Run8 Help Button from the program's main menu after installing the route.

A HOT SANTA FE TOFC TRAIN CROSSING THE COLORADO RIVER BOUND FOR CHICAGO