Black Mesa & Lake Powell Railroad
Last fall, on our vacation out west, we were traveling between Monument Valley AZ, and the Grand Canyon. Out of the blue a huge concrete silo and railroad appeared on the west side of the road. This was a puzzle! I didn't think we would encounter a railroad until we reached the Grand Canyon, where a former AT&SF branch went south to Williams AZ.
1. Mystery railroad beside highway near Shonto AZ. 10-19-2024.
2. USGS Kayenta quad, 1984, 100,000 scale. Northeast of AZ 98.
3. I later determined this railroad to be the Black Mesa & Lake Powell, an isolated electrified line built to haul coal from the Peabody Energy Kayenta to a power plant.
4. Looking southwest at the same location near Shonto AZ.
5. Abandoned Highway 98 crossing near Cow Springs AZ.
6. As they haven't lifted the rail from the concrete ties, maybe this line will be used again?
7. Black Mesa and Lake Powell RR Map.
8. Conveyor belt line crossing the highway and railroad from the surface mine to the silo.
9. Conveyor belt line crossing. View 2.
10. Conveyor belt line crossing. View 3.
11. Unit train storage silos at Peabody Energy's abandoned Kayenta Mine. They are still standing, but the conveyor has been removed.
12. Silo at night.
13. BM&LP leaving mine with coal train for power plant in 2019. The operation shut down shortly thereafter. All of the above images were obtained off the internet.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young