Main line from Albuquerque to Ash Fork
Ash Fork, Ariz. (named because of ash trees growing in townsite) -- Alt. 5,128; pop. of twp. 1,200. Junction point where line to Phoenix branches from the transcontinental mainline. Fred Harvey station hotel, Escalante, named after Padre Francisco Silvestre Velez Escalante, a pioneer Franciscan priest who journeyed through Arizona in 1776. Picacho butte and Mount Floyd rise west and northwest. Cathedral Caves, in solid rock, 12 miles south. Cattle and sheep raising.
Seligman, Ariz. (named for C. E. Seligman, construction engineer for original railroad) -- Alt. 5,234; pop. 784. Stock raising, sheep cattle. Havasu Canyon 67 miles north, tributary of Grand Canyon -- home of Havasupai Indians on smallest reservation in the United States. Numerous waterfalls, the highest in Arizona being found here. Three of the largest cattle ranches in Arizona located to the south -- the Double O, the 3-Vs and the Baca Grant and Burro Creek Ranches. Time changes from Mountain to Pacific -- Westbound travelers set watches back one hour, eastbound travelers set watches up one hour. From Crookton to Seligman is descent of 450 feet. Santa Fe division point also location of district terminal yard. To accommodate heavy mainline traffic, through this terminal Santa Fe has enlarged yards to handle an additional 774 cars of traffic. Fred Harvey station hotel, the Havasu, located here.
Peach Springs, Ariz. (named for springs located here) -- Alt. 4,796; pop. of twp. 338. Earliest point from which Grand Canyon was visited. Horseback trail 22 miles long leads north to bottom of canyon.
Hackberry, Ariz. (named for nearby mine) -- Alt. 3,545; pop. 176. Stock-shipping point; mining center. On edge of Walapai valley are Peacock Mountains; the railway follows the valley from Antares to Kingman. At Grand Wash cliffs, near Antares, the plateau country ends.
Kingman, Ariz. (named for Lewis Kingman, locating engineer, old Atlantic & Pacific R. R.) -- Alt. 3,335; pop. of twp. 3,500. Center and county seat of rich mineral and grazing area of Mohave County. County contains richest deposits of diversified minerals in Southwest. Kingman is gateway to Boulder Dam and connected with the largest man-made structure by a paved modern highway. Three-fourths of teh shoreline of Lake Mead and half of Lake Havasu are contained within the county. Hualpai mountain peak is contained in Hualpai mountains, 12 miles southwest of Kingman, offering winter and summer playground at 6,000ft. level. Kingman is a thriving, modern town, a tourists', hunters' and fishermen's paradise.
Yucca, Ariz. (named derived from many yuccas growing in this vicinity) -- Alt. 31,789; pop. of twp. 75. Shipping point for mines to south and east, among which is the Boriana Mine, a principal producer of tungsten. Three miles west is the Black Mesa, a volcanic flow.
Topock, Ariz. (means "bridge") -- Alt. 496; pop. of twp. 106. Colorado River crossing -- state boundary between Arizona and California. Headwaters of Lake Needles, formed by Parker Dam. New double track bridge here opened for traffic March 7th, 1945. The new bridge is an impressive engineering feat. It consists of three 350 foot deck truss spans over main river channel with girder approaches of 150 feet on the east and 300 feet on the west. Abutments and piers supported on reinforced concrete cylinders down to solid rock, a maximum depth of 128 feet below water level. This construction required men to work under 52 lbs. air pressure which is about the limit of human endurance, and then only in 30 minute shifts.
Cross Colorado River
California
Needles, Calif. (named from The Needles across the river in Arizona) -- Alt. 476; pop. 5,015. Santa Fe division point; largest icing plant on desert; district terminal yards located here have been increased to accommodate an additional 796 cars. El Garces Hotel, management Fred Harvey, named after Francisco Garces, the Spanish padre who was the first European to cross the Desert from California to Hopiland, Arizona in 1776. Mojave Desert extends from Colorado river west to Mojave, 240 miles. Mojave Indians (about 200) live in suburbs and on reservation about 12 miles distant; Indians noted for bead work. Mountains to the south are the Chemehuevis. Parker Dam, south, creates Lake Havasu, 50 miles long. Sources for Metropolitan Water District pumping plant which starts water into the 292 mile Colorado River aqueduct serving 13 cities in the district. Boat club, golf course, good fishing, bathing and surf boating. From Needles to Barstow and Mojave, tracks cross the Mojave Desert.
Goffs, Calif. -- Alt. 2,585; pop. 25. Summit steep climb westward from Needles and eastward from Cadiz. From Goffs to Cadiz the railway runs southwest across plain where annual precipitation is less than six inches. 30 miles to north are New York Mountains, a summer vacation spot.
Essex, Calif. -- Alt. 2,000; pop. 75.Gateway to Mitchell's Caverns, distance 22 miles on east slope of Providence Mountains. Caverns surrounded by largest growth of cacti found in Mojave Desert. Piute Mountains to east.
Danby Calif. -- Alt. 1,353; pop. 29. Two wells, 500 feet and 900 feet deep. Paintrock mines 15 miles west. Old Woman Mountains southwest. Clipper Mountains north.
Cadiz, Calif. -- Alt. 815; pop. 50. Junction point for Santa Fe line to Parker and Phoenix. To the east is Ship Mountain; to north are Marble Mountains, beyond which are Providence and Granite Mountains. West of Cadiz is Bristol Lake, a dry salt bed. Important railway water and fuel station; fuel storage 1,500,000 gals. Average consumption 42,000 gals. fuel oil and 448,800 gallons water daily.