FLAGSTAFF, AZ AREA; THE ARIZONA MINERAL BELT RAILROAD TUNNEL

                     FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: THE  ARIZONA MINERAL BELT RAILROAD TUNNEL

COPYRIGHT; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (5/10/22)

         (Normally, I would not stray too far from the topic of this Blog, the Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company and Williams, Arizona. However, I am making another exception to my guiding principle and inspiration. This post covers a somewhat obscure note in the history of the Mogollon Rim country.) 

    As with any adventure into the forest, consult a good road map. be prepared; the area is remote, and the road can be very rough. Another 4x4 adventure. 

                                                                                    *****

        In 1898 The new Williams mill of the Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company needed timber, and the company looked south to the vast timber holdings waiting to be harvested. During this time period, railroad fever had gripped the imagination of more than one corporate board. A north-south line would shorten the haul of products from the high country mills to the burgeoning markets of Prescott and Jerome. The Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad indirectly inspired the Saginaw to build The Saginaw Southern Railroad south from Williams to Jerome,

Prior to to this time, in 1883, one such route was attempted from Flagstaff, Arizona. Proposed in 1881, the Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad would build south to Globe, Arizona (Schupper 23, 24.) Work began midsummer of 1883 on a tunnel to pierce the Mogollon Rim. By September, the money had run out. Additional funding was appropriated, but by 1887 the project was $30,000 in debt (Schupper 29,30.) On December 4, 1888 the remaining assets were sold at auction. Renamed the Central Arizona Railroad in 1889, the financial panic of 1893 levelled a final blow, bringing the southern expansion to an end (Stein 7.)

The tunnel is located south of Flagstaff and Mormon lake, along Forest Road 300. I believe this is referred to as the Rim Road, as it follows along the Mogollon Rim. Another way to access or return from the area is to use FR141 to FR141H.; a long drive through the forest with fewer scenic cliffs. 

   

When I say that the road follows the Rim, I mean literally at several points it is on the ledge. Best have a strong constitution, and a respect of heights, as it is several hundred or thousand feet to the bottom. It can be a white  knuckled clutching steering wheel event. I tended to hug the inside part of the single lane road, which meant I had to be very careful in the hairpin curves. I guess its one of those times that if you careen off the road, you might as well enjoy the view on the way down.  

There are several places where you can pull off, and enjoy the view. 

Just keep your eyes on the road while driving. 

One of the historical markers, just west of the trailhead.

FR300 follows the trail for some distance.

This appears to be part of the original trail, or at least a branch that headed 

north from the rim road, where the sign is located.

A Plaque commemorating the Battle of Big Dry Wash. It is somewhat out of place, considering that the battle took place seven miles north. Evidently, the main forest road, FR300, followed the General Crook Trail, thus the plaque's location. I would suggest the very informative book "On the Border with Crook" by John G. Bourke. 

Across from the marker, looking South, is the beginning of the trail. I would rank this as a number 4 out of 5 for difficulty. You must be prepared with water, proper shoes and clothing. It is very steep, and not for the inexperienced hiker.  

The trail divides, one to the tunnel, the other to Mexico (481 miles.)

The shorter trail takes you to the tunnel. Actual distance to the tunnel is about 1 mile, 

since you descend down the main trail, then have to hike up the adjacent ravine to the tunnel. 

The trail is very steep, rocky and at the time of my visit in 2021, not very well maintained. I won't complain; most of the forest crews were battling one of the most difficult fire seasons in Arizona history. But as a friendly reminder, it would be appreciated if a crew could kind of clear the path. 

At the bottom of the main trail, looking up where the second section begins.

A close up of the rocks and debris. It can be slippery and treacherous, and probably 

snaky at certain times of the year.

Looking up the ravine, where the tunnel was located. The trail was difficult to find, much less traverse the boulders and debris. Not to complain; this is just the way it is in some of the remote historical areas. I didn't see a sign welcoming me to Disney's Frontier Land; it is not a casual day's walk in the park. 

This is where I came to a stop. The trail was blocked by fallen timber. Owing to the remote location, and the possibility of confronting a snake, I decided not to continue. If something happened to me, it would have been a long time before someone found my remains. 

From a nearby rock, I was able to see the tunnel area. I could see remnants of a building and an ore cart. Pictures from other sites indicate that the tunnel goes back for some distance, and that there is a building made of stacked sandstone. 

A view looking back up the trail. Remember that once you hike down, 

you have to go back up. 

View looking towards the end of the trail. Almost there...

Elevation Map of the Area. The blue lines represent possible railroad grades from the tunnel.  

The purpose of the tunnel was to allow access for a standard gauge railroad  to the southern towns and mines. The question I present is; why build the tunnel here?  

    The Mogollon Rim is about 7400 feet at this location. The cliffs and ledges drop off from a few hundred to a thousand feet, resulting in very steep and demanding terrain. The tunnel is at the 7000-7200 foot elevation. Payson, the nearest town of any consequence, is at 5000 feet. In order to reach Payson, this would require the line to drop some 2000 feet in elevation. A civil engineer would have to determine how many miles of grade would be required, and still maintain a respectful yet challenging grade of 2%. As a mountain railroad, you could at times have a grade of 3%, but this would reduce the amount of tonnage pulled by the train to unacceptable levels. Less tonnage results in less profits. A grade of 3% would be more common on narrow gauge railroads, which would be better suited to the terrain (such as could be found on the narrow gauge line to Jerome.) 

    To realistically build the line it would have required extensive trestles to cross the ravines, several more tunnels, and sharp curves. The result would have been a costly grade; expensive to maintain and poor on profits. It would have been better to follow the Rim south or west to a more suitable location. Eventually, several lines were built, one from Seligman, and another from Ash Fork, reaching Prescott and finally the fortunes of Phoenix, Arizona.

    Another question that should be asked; how did they get the financing for this doomed adventure? In the context of the times (nowadays we tend to interpret the past from the understanding of the present, resulting in false and misleading conclusions), railroad and mining fever, with the hope of instant riches, gripped the country. Everywhere, from the promises of the Comstock Load in Nevada (which was one of the few investments that paid handsomely for the investors), to the Colorado gold mines, men of vision -or of vise- were pontificating as to the instant return for investors. Few realize today that a great deal of investment capital came from the old monied banks and estates of Great Britain, and the wealthy of Europe. 

    Most such investments resulted in zero or minimal returns. Railroads were conceived  on paper, then printed on bonds with artistic flourish and grandiose titles, often including "Pacific", "Atlantic," or other such important destinations. The reality often became the construction of a few feet of railroad track, then the sudden disappearance of the company board members. Mines were often a hole in the ground, in which the money had figuratively been thrown. Few were opportunities that resulted in the owners becoming millionaires. The possibility of becoming one of the exclusive millionaire's club contributed to the ongoing spread of railroad and mining fever. 

    Into this incubus stepped the visionaries of the Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad. A vision often does not translate well into reality, yet they succeeded in acquiring initial funding.  Although the proposal did become reality, it failed in execution; the line was not in the right location. By all appearances, there was little thought given as to what would be built south of the tunnel bore. In 1888, the railroad was sold at auction for pennies on the dollars invested. 

      As previously mentioned, in 1898  the Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company entered the picture, having built two mills in the Williams, Arizona area. Railroad fever continued to grip the imagination of more than one corporate board.  The Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad indirectly inspired the S&M to build The Saginaw Southern Railroad south from Williams to Jerome, once again attempting to construct a North/South line from the Rim Country. Once again haste led to failure; the line was too ruggedly built. However, the line once conceived as a Class 1 railroad reverted to hauling logs to the insatiable mill in Williams. Despite not reaching it's initial goal, the owners of the S&S used the line as the core, building a vast logging rail network into the Ponderosa pine forests.