Abandoned Rails: The Roy Branch

(Forwarded from the Dawson Railway Company)

The abandoned railroad route between Tucumcari and French, known as The Roy Branch, of which 44.819 miles have been abandoned, was once operated in New Mexico by the Dawson Railway Company and the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Historic ICC Abandonment Filings

SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD
Docket Number: 18641	Date: 8/30/1954	Section: 1(18)
App. of Dawson Railway Company and Southern Pacific Company, its lessee, for permission to abandon and remove a portion of the Roy Branch owned by Dawson Railway Company, extending from Milepost 1696.857, at Roy, to the end of the branch at Milepost 1741.676 at French, a distance of approximately 44.819 miles, located in Harding and Colfax Counties, New Mexico. [Granted 295 ICC 199] [Denied 295 ICC 273]
Length: 44.819 miles	Citation: 295 ICC 199, 295 ICC 273

SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD
Docket Number: 21591	Date: 5/8/1961	Section: 1(18)
Appl. for auth. to aband. the Roy Branch, Rio Grande Div'n., from Tucumcari, and the end of that branch line at French, a distance of approx. 114.070 mi., together with sidings, spur tracks and appurtenances., all in Quay, SanMiguel, Harding and Colfax Counties, New Mexico.
Length: 114.07 miles	Citation:

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This line is still intact and continues westward for many miles up the Vermejo River valley and terminates at the old York Canyon coal mine. This line was once abandoned and removed with the closing of the mines at Dawson, NM (site of the second worst coal mining disaster in US history in 1913). When the York Canyon mine was opened, the rail was reconstructed. That mine, too, has been closed.

The mine was closed in 2002, The property was subsequently sold to Ted Turner. He runs his Bison on it now.

Tucumcari to French

The Roy Branch

Historic ICC Abandonment Filings

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