This abandoned railway was built as the Yuma Valley Railroad, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific, and was constructed in 1914 from a connection with the SP Sunset Route at Yuma to the border town of San Luis. For a majority of its route, it ran parallel to both irrigation canals in the area and the Colorado River, and served local ranches along the line.
The line was cut back from San Luis to Gadsden in 1952, with the remainder of the line abandoned by SP in 1980. However, local interests purchased the existing line (from Yuma to Gadsden) for the purposes of running a tourist excursion train during the fall, winter and spring seasons. The ride offers a two-hour narrated excursion in restored Pullman passenger cars behind a vintage GE 44-tonner, viewing local wildlife and agriculture along the route.
Thanks to Mike Palmer for contributing information about this route.