San Manuel Arizona Railroad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Founded | September 29, 1953 |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Headquarters | San Manuel, Arizona , United States |
Area served | Arizona |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The San Manuel Arizona Railroad was a short-line railroad situated in Arizona, connecting with the Copper Basin Railway (CBRY) at Hayden, Arizona and extending to San Manuel, Arizona over a distance of .
History
Constructed through a collaboration between Utah Construction Company and The Sterns-Roger Manufacturing Company, the railroad was commissioned by the San Manuel Copper Corporation. Officially incorporated on September 29, 1953, operations commenced in 1955. The San Manuel copper mine ceased all activities permanently in October 2003, while the railroad itself halted operations earlier in 1999.
In July 2012, initiatives were launched to reactivate the railroad, involving the creation of new facilities such as a locomotive inspection and maintenance shop, administrative offices, and enhancements to more than 29 miles of mainline track connecting San Manuel and Hayden. Subsequently, in April 2013, Capstone Mining Corp. revealed its acquisition of the railroad following its purchase of the Pinto Valley Mine from BHP Billiton. However, Capstone suspended railroad operations again in 2016.
Donated equipment
In 2017, SMARRCO contributed rider car #184 to the Arizona Railway Museum located in Chandler, Arizona. Manufactured by Magor Car Corporation in 1955 alongside two additional rider cars for SMARRCO, this vehicle was utilized by conductors to sound the horn at grade crossings when leading empty trains toward the mine.