FMI and AZER between Morenci and Clifton, AZ.

FMI and AZER between Morenci and Clifton, AZ.

Freeport-McMoRan Industries operates a large copper mine up in the desert mountains of Morenci Arizona. FMI relies heavily on the company’s own railroad to transport goods up and down the treacherous mountain grade the line traverses to reach the carriers only railroad connection down at the bottom of the mountains in Clifton, a small town in the valley of the mountains where FMI interchanges with the Arizona Eastern. One early March 2019 morning we view the operations of the FMI, and were treated with a total of 3 different trains all in one day making moves up and down the pass to swap cars with the AZER. All 3 trains were powered by various unique EMD GP38 models in a variety of schemes. Watch and listen and the dynamics howl and the brakes squeal to keep trains at a safe speed down the steep grade, and get a hard work out through the notches to get back up to the mine. For the third train we climbed up another mountain to view the operation as a whole, seeing the FMI descending from Morenci to Clifton, the AZER pulling cars in and out of town, and the FMI heading back up. This was one of the coolest operations I have ever seen.