The Potash Local | Nathan D. Holmes

Every Friday, a local job leaves Grand Junction in the mid-morning for one of the most scenic standard gauge branches on the Rio Grande system – the Cane Creek Branch. This 38 mile branch leaves the mainline at Brendel, UT (otherwise known as Crescent Junction) and stretches southwards toward Moab, eventually reaching a salt mine at a location appropriately called Potash. The line runs right between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and passes through many of the beautiful red sandstone geographic features associated with those two national treasures. Having a little vacation to burn before the end of May 2007, I decided to take Friday off and go chase the Potash Local.

Sitting between US Highway 191, Utah Highway 279 and the Colorado River just north of Moab is the site of the former Atlas Mineral Corporation’s Moab Uranium Mill. (Here on Google Maps…) Founded in the 1950s to mine a nearby rich uranium ore body, the mill closed in 1984 and left some 12 million tons of tailings behind, all mildly radioactive due to all manner of left over radioisotopes. While capped, the threat remained that the pile would be swept into the Colorado by flooding. In 2001, the Department of Energy assumed responsibility for cleaning up the site.

The current plan is to load tailings into special covered railcars on a new spur at the east end of Bootlegger Tunnel. The mill was located just below the east end of the Bootlegger Tunnel and across Utah Highway 279, making rail a convenient and safe way to haul out the toxic and mildly radioactive tailings, and just a short haul by truck up the hill from the site. From there, the waste will travel 30 miles north to Brendel (aka Crescent Junction), where it will be unloaded and deposited into an engineered storage cell for permanent disposal. The haul will occur, obviously, over the former Rio Grande Cane Creek Branch. To facilitate this operation, two ex-US Army Baldwin/Whitcomb RS4TC switching locomotives are being brought in.

The first of the two RS4TCs – OHFX 1250 – was on Friday, Apr 27, 2007’s Potash Local. The RS4TC was a military-specific model built by Baldwin/Whitcomb in the mid-1950s. They were officially Whitcombs, having Whitcomb serial numbers, but were built at the Eddystone, PA, Baldwin plant (according to Jay Reed’s Critters Dinkies & Centercabs and a post on Trainorders.com). Various sources list them between 400-500 horsepower. OHFX 1250, as well as 1258 (which was still in Grand Junction with brake problems that day) will be delivered from a uranium mill cleanup site in Fernald, Ohio. These units are already considered contaminated, and will be stored in a fenced area at the far end of the branch. The two locomotives will be used to assist in loading up uranium tailings from the former Atlas Mineral Corporation Moab Uranium Mill.

Just as I arrived at Westwater to wait on the local, UP 8056 showed up eastbound dragging an empty coal train across the desert. Yes, empty, based on the springs on the cars.

The dispatch promptly announced that 8056 would go in the hole for two - BNSF's M-DENSTO using its trackage rights over the Rio Grande, followed shortly by the Potash Local. Here's M-DENSTO. — The dispatch promptly announced that 8056 would go in the hole for two – BNSF’s M-DENSTO using its trackage rights over the Rio Grande, followed shortly by the Potash Local. Here’s M-DENSTO.

And following only a short few minutes behind is the Potash Local, lead by UP 3364 and 3751, both SD40-2s that have actually spent their entire careers on the UP.

These guys wasted no time across the desert. I thought I might catch them at Cisco, but found only red over red on the east end signal, indicating they'd already passed the control point. Here they are just east of Thompson, UT. — These guys wasted no time across the desert. I thought I might catch them at Cisco, but found only red over red on the east end signal, indicating they’d already passed the control point. Here they are just east of Thompson, UT.

Both the M-DENSTO and Potash Local met Amtrak 6 (running a bit over two hours late) at Thompson. The DS couldn't get the East Thompson switch to lock up in reverse, though, so Amtrak wound up backing out of the siding before heading east again. Here it is just east of town. — Both the M-DENSTO and Potash Local met Amtrak 6 (running a bit over two hours late) at Thompson. The DS couldn’t get the East Thompson switch to lock up in reverse, though, so Amtrak wound up backing out of the siding before heading east again. Here it is just east of town.

And a parting shot showing it headed out across the desert towards Cisco... The cut behind the train and barely visible grade beyond is one of the Grande's earlier alignment through here, possibly even dating back to the narrow gauge. — And a parting shot showing it headed out across the desert towards Cisco… The cut behind the train and barely visible grade beyond is one of the Grande’s earlier alignment through here, possibly even dating back to the narrow gauge.

With the time it took me to wait for Amtrak to get going and then climb down off the hill east of Thompson, the local had already completed switching out the fuel tankers at Brendel by the time I got there. I found them on the branch, waiting for the brakeman to walk back to the head end after returning the mainline switch to normal.

And we're off to Potash, down the Cane Creek Branch. The mainline can be seen in the background. As I understand it, the storage cell for waste material coming up from Moab is supposed to be built between the mainline and the Bookcliffs in the background right about here. — And we’re off to Potash, down the Cane Creek Branch. The mainline can be seen in the background. As I understand it, the storage cell for waste material coming up from Moab is supposed to be built between the mainline and the Bookcliffs in the background right about here.

And the real reason I decided to go chase that Friday - one of two ex-Army Whitcomb RS4TC units headed for Potash. These are OHFX 1250 and 1258, and will be used in switching cars that will carry contaminated tailings from Moab up to the Brendel (Crescent Junction) containment cell. 1258 was still stuck in Grand Junction with inoperative brakes, but 1250 - the Cap'n Jack - went that day. — And the real reason I decided to go chase that Friday – one of two ex-Army Whitcomb RS4TC units headed for Potash. These are OHFX 1250 and 1258, and will be used in switching cars that will carry contaminated tailings from Moab up to the Brendel (Crescent Junction) containment cell. 1258 was still stuck in Grand Junction with inoperative brakes, but 1250 – the Cap’n Jack – went that day.

A look at the other side of OHFX 1250, the conductor's side of Cap'n Jack. — A look at the other side of OHFX 1250, the conductor’s side of Cap’n Jack.

The northernmost 20 miles of the 38 mile branch are relatively dull. They're basically a mild grade over a hill, basically running through high desert terrain. Here's one of several old steel trestles on that section of the route. — The northernmost 20 miles of the 38 mile branch are relatively dull. They’re basically a mild grade over a hill, basically running through high desert terrain. Here’s one of several old steel trestles on that section of the route.

Near the Moab airport, the line starts the descent towards the Colorado River canyon and Moab on this broad S-curve, sweeping under US Highway 191.

If you ask me, the real scenery starts at Seven Mile, located near milepost 21 and the line's only siding. It used to have both an LP gas terminal and an ore dock, but neither is used today. As you can see by the heat waves, it's already nearly 80 degrees and only a bit after 1300h. — If you ask me, the real scenery starts at Seven Mile, located near milepost 21 and the line’s only siding. It used to have both an LP gas terminal and an ore dock, but neither is used today. As you can see by the heat waves, it’s already nearly 80 degrees and only a bit after 1300h.

Seven Mile does still receive loads of one kind - tank cars full of brine for the highway department. Today's local will stop and pick up a couple empty tank cars. They haul in brine for the highway department to shoot on the roads. I imagine it's more for dust control than de-icing in these parts, though 191 does indeed see snow from time to time. — Seven Mile does still receive loads of one kind – tank cars full of brine for the highway department. Today’s local will stop and pick up a couple empty tank cars. They haul in brine for the highway department to shoot on the roads. I imagine it’s more for dust control than de-icing in these parts, though 191 does indeed see snow from time to time.

Past Seven Mile, the line starts into a deep vertical cut through the rock to continue the drop down the canyon. At the south end, it bursts forth near some spectacular rock formations. Trains creep through this cut due to the danger of rocks on the track.

With the high midday light, I decided to skip ahead to the other side of Bootlegger Tunnel. This is near milepost 30.7, on the south/west side of the tunnel, just before the track enters the huge cut near milepost 31.

Standing at the south/west end of the mile 31 cut, watching the local in the distance as the track drops down towards the Colorado River.

Just outside the Intrepid Mining salt plant, near the end of the line. There are a few shots between 16 and 17, but it took me so long to climb down from the cut that this was the soonest I could catch up.

Once at the salt plant, the first order of business was to drop the empty covered hoppers coming in. Then, the crew brought the power to the very end of the track in order to run around the train and push the Whitcomb into its storage area. One of Intrepid's employees was there to open the gates, and invited me up on to their property to get better shots of the move. — Once at the salt plant, the first order of business was to drop the empty covered hoppers coming in. Then, the crew brought the power to the very end of the track in order to run around the train and push the Whitcomb into its storage area. One of Intrepid’s employees was there to open the gates, and invited me up on to their property to get better shots of the move.

OHFX 1250, like its twin 1258, is considered contaminated after participating in a uranium mill cleanup in Fernald, OH. Both will be stored in a fenced Department of Energy pen at the very end of the branch.

Here comes the local, pushing 1250 to the end of the line.

And into the storage pen it goes... — And into the storage pen it goes…

This is where the branch ends - on a high bit of fill above the tail end of Utah Highway 279. — This is where the branch ends – on a high bit of fill above the tail end of Utah Highway 279.

With 1250 stored, the empties dropped and the loads picked up, the crew prepares to leave the Potash yard for the trip back to Grand Junction, CO.

Shooting at the end of the branch in the afternoon is tough - the train is generally either in the shadows of the canyon or moving away from the sun. Here it is about a mile out of Potash, just about to head into one of the narrower (and darker) parts of the canyon. — Shooting at the end of the branch in the afternoon is tough – the train is generally either in the shadows of the canyon or moving away from the sun. Here it is about a mile out of Potash, just about to head into one of the narrower (and darker) parts of the canyon.

My favorite shot of the whole trip, just outside the south/west end of the mile 31 cut. I wouldn't have gotten this if I hadn't dropped to the ground in pain after my leg cramped from running up the steep dirt trail. — My favorite shot of the whole trip, just outside the south/west end of the mile 31 cut. I wouldn’t have gotten this if I hadn’t dropped to the ground in pain after my leg cramped from running up the steep dirt trail.

A bit wider view from the same shot, showing some of that great red sandstone in the background.

Back on the east/north side of Bootlegger Tunnel, the line again runs mostly in afternoon shadows until a few miles south of Seven Mile, when it's possible to get this great shot back down the canyon. — Back on the east/north side of Bootlegger Tunnel, the line again runs mostly in afternoon shadows until a few miles south of Seven Mile, when it’s possible to get this great shot back down the canyon.

Much closer to Seven Mile, and nearly off the scenic section of the line.

And back out into the high desert, as the line crosses the big deck girder bridge just south of the Seven Mile grade crossing (near milepost 22).

My last shot for the day, a few more miles up the line. The line is out of the red sandstone at this point, up into the whites, browns, and pinks of the normal Utah desert terrain. The La Sal Mountains can be seen - still with snow on the peaks - in the background. This was where I left the train for the day, heading south back towards Moab. — My last shot for the day, a few more miles up the line. The line is out of the red sandstone at this point, up into the whites, browns, and pinks of the normal Utah desert terrain. The La Sal Mountains can be seen – still with snow on the peaks – in the background. This was where I left the train for the day, heading south back towards Moab.

All photographs in this trip report were taken with a Canon EOS 20D using either a Canon 24-105mm F4 L IS/USM or a Canon 75-300mm f4-5.6 IS/USM.

This work is copyright 2024 by Nathan D. Holmes, but all text and images are licensed and reusable under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Basically you’re welcome to use any of this as long as it’s not for commercial purposes, you credit me as the source, and you share any derivative works under the same license. I’d encourage others to consider similar licenses for their works.