Benson - Least Used Amtrak Station in Arizona

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

You were looking at the Saguaro! Saguaros have a relatively long lifespan, often exceeding 150 years! They're the largest cactus in the US! Saguaro can grow to be between 40-60 feet tall (12-18m). When rain is plentiful and the saguaro is fully hydrated, it can weigh between 3200-4800 pounds. As you can see, a saguaro can absorb and store considerable amounts of rainwater, visibly expanding in the process, while slowly using the stored water as needed. This enables the saguaro to survive during periods of drought. Most of the saguaro's roots are only 4-6 inches deep and radiate out as far from the plant as it is tall. There is one deep root or tap root that extends down into the ground more than 2 feet. Freezing temperatures can be greatly detrimental to the health of a saguaro, and climate is the main determinate of saguaro range. Thus, they are limited to a specific area within the Sonoran Desert, ranging mostly from central Arizona down into Sonora, Mexico. Because they are not keen on cold temperatures, saguaros are limited by elevation. They are generally found growing from sea level to approximately 4,500 feet in elevation. Saguaros growing up to 5,000 feet in elevation are usually found on south-facing slopes where freezing temperatures are less likely to occur or are shorter in duration. Archeological evidence indicates that the early desert peoples used the saguaro in their daily life. The strong, woody ribs were gathered to construct the framework for the walls of their homes. Additionally, saguaro ribs were used to collect saguaro fruits, which grow high up on the plant. Several ribs were tied together with a cross piece at the end. These long poles (today called kuïpad) were used to knock and pull ripe fruit down from the top of the plants. The Tohono O’odham continue to gather saguaro fruit in this manner today. They use the sweet fruits to make ceremonial wine, jelly and candies. They also use the seeds as chicken feed. The world's biggest salt flat is Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni, at 10,582 square kilometers! Every November, Salar de Uyuni is where three South American species of flamingos, James's, Andean, and Chilean flamingos, come to mate. Following rain, a thin layer of calm water transforms the flat into the world's largest mirror, 129 km (or around 80 miles) across. Uyuni also has a train graveyard, there were plans to build a bigger network of trains out of Uyuni using trains from the UK, but the project stopped due to technical issues and tensions between countries, and so the trains were left in Uyuni. Arizona has such a cool flag! The state flag consists of alternating red and gold rays that represent the 13 original colonies that became the original thirteen states (though Arizona became the 48th state), and because Arizona is a western state, the rays show a setting sun. The bottom half of the flag is "liberty blue" from the US flag. The copper star identifies Arizona as the largest copper producing state in the union. The red and gold are supposed to be a nod to the Spanish flag to represent the colors carried by Spanish conquistadors during Coronado's Expedition of 1540 to find the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola, however, these early explorers never used the current Spanish flag, which is of much more recent design (1785). In 1910, Col Charles W. Harris designed a flag for the Arizona National Guard Rifle Team when they attended the National Matches at Camp Perry. Arizona was the only team in past matches without a flag. The Harris flag was adopted in 1917 by Arizona's Third Legislature and was passed into law without Governor Thomas Campbell's signature. Rachael Berry, Arizona's first elected female state representative, worked to adopt a bill for Arizona's current state flag. Carl Hayden, Arizona's first US Representative, was reported to have been involved with Harris in designing the first state flag, and his wife, Nan Hayden, was responsible for sewing the first state flag.

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

You're excellency next time you're in Tucson Az we should go to the Pima Air and Space Museum. If you lose some weight I can take you up in a glider and we can soar over the 747 refurb facility at Pinal Air Park.

[@bpcoxkr]

Thank you for the information Supreme Leader Kim Jon Un.

[@Token_Nerd]

The fact that the great leader is a fellow Saguaro Lover is incredibly based.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

That visitor center in Benson is so awesome they let you control their overhead railroad, with a frickin' cool horn! Dragoon comes from the 3rd US Cavalry Dragoons who battled the Chiricahua, including Cochise, during the Apache Wars. During World War II, 23 Japanese diplomats formerly stationed in Hawaii were detained at the guest ranch on the outskirts of Dragoon. They were denied access to any media. Special Agent Wells Bailey of the State Department accompanied them when they left Arizona and was with them until their arrival in NYC in June 1942. They were taken to the now demolished Hotel Pennsylvania and were held incommunicado until they were taken aboard the SS Gripsholm. Game development for Pac-Man began in early 1979, directed by Toru Iwatani with a nine-man team. Iwatani wanted to create a game that could appeal to women as well as men, because most video games of the time had themes of war or sports. Although the inspiration for the Pac-Man character was the image of a pizza with a slice removed, Iwatani has said he rounded out the Japanese character for mouth, kuchi (口). The original Japanese title of Puck Man was derived from the Japanese phrase "paku paku taberu", which refers to gobbling something up. The title was changed to Pac-Man for the North American release. Ms. Pac-Man was the first one in the series not made by Namco, but rather Midway. Benson and Lordsburg stations are like the Arizonan and New Mexican versions of the MNR Harlem Line's Appalachian Trail...Appalachian Trail station is just a small wooden platform big enough for one door, with a bench, no shelter....and that's it. Benson was founded in 1880 when the Southern Pacific came through. It was named after Judge William S. Benson, a friend of Charles Crocker, who was one of the founders of the Central Pacific Railroad (which completed the westernmost portion of the first transcontinental), but was president of the Southern Pacific at the time. The railroad came overland from CA and chose the Benson site to cross the San Pedro River. Benson then served as a rail junction point to obtain ore and refined metal by wagon, in turn shipping rail freight back to the mines at Tombstone, Fairbank, Contention City and Bisbee. This railhead in Benson was used by the Southern Emigrant Trail, San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line, and finally the Butterfield Overland Mail (1858-1861 stagecoach service that carried people and mail from Memphis and St Louis to San Francisco). As mentioned, Benson is now known as the gateway to Kartchner Caverns State Park, limestone caverns which were discovered in 1974 with speleothems that have been growing for 50,000 years or longer and are still growing. A historic employer in the area is Apache Powder Company, Apache Nitrogen Products since 1990. Founded in NJ in 1920 but produced their high-grade powder-based explosives in Arizona (their HQ is nearby St. David), who found the dry climate beneficial to its production, it could serve regional customers using existing railroads, and its hilly terrain provided natural protection from explosions. In the 1930s, production transitioned to nitroglycerin-based explosives (dynamite) for the mining industry and other regional users of dynamite. The company was the only producer of these explosives in the Southwestern US, producing 41 million pounds in 1956. They built Apache Park and nine nearby houses on West 6th Street in Benson to house company management in 1925, and it became a historic residential district in 1994.

[@tyleralberico9340]

Irrefutable fact: this is the best youtube series

[@GobbiExists]

I disagree, the great race to Rockaway Beach and New York solo this series anyday

[@magesnz]

This is an exact copy of a certain series by a British creator lol

[@JordanPeace]

@@magesnzso of course the American version is bigger and better

[@MilesinTransit]

I always give credit to Geoff Marshall every time in the description!

[@jeremyquiros5483]

I cannot refute this

[@stephenkeever6029]

Loved the epilogue song! You know it's going to be good when your realize it's a Miles & Jackson adventure!

[@JordanPeace]

22:40 this is true for schools all over the southwest and in California, the simplest answer to what happens when it rains it that it just doesn’t

[@abilitytopage]

I love these are set to come out Wednesday. I catch them in the evening and it reminds me the work week is more than half over

[@United1158]

This can only mean we’re gonna get a Sunset limited video!!

[@MilesinTransit]

Watch this space!

[@stephenkeever6029]

@@MilesinTransit Yeah!

[@trainandmore]

Benson area transit is just there for Grandma to go food shopping if there's only 5 round trips, and 1 bus.

[@Geotpf]

It's clearly not for anybody to take it to go to work.

[@markfellhauer352]

@@Geotpf - I don't think people work in Benson. It's mostly retirees and people with deeded RV lots living there seasonally.

[@sdsd4139]

22:45 The "East Coasters discovering that schools can have outdoor elements" segment is hilarious to watch. Seen East Coasters do this IRL and now I get to see it on video. That's the beauty... it doesn't rain!

[@davidsp5936]

Wow! That train 'Simulator' is REALLY cool!

[@raymondmuench3266]

At one point, my condo had mailboxes in each building, but about 14 years ago, one of those group sites appeared. This is in a city, so not only a rural thing.

[@bobsykes]

Yay! your bro Jackson has a MUNI worm sweatshirt! You guys are the best. ✌

[@craigdavis5407]

That's a train station man??? Wow!!!!

[@princessjellyfish98]

I appreciate you going the extra MILE to add visual references for the various bensons featured in this video

[@mariowartortle2628]

jackson singing “don’t you want me baby” at the end truly makes this a BANGER of a video

[@markkajc]

This video reminds me that i have to explore more. Just go places, and look around

[@MilesinTransit]

Absolutely!

[@bobsykes]

Wow, the a cappella performance at the end! Everything about these videos is so fun!

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks!

[@JohnLumagui]

This is the only series where you'll get a serious discussion of transportation in rural Arizona AND Miles humming a Human League song and it all makes sense!

[@MilesinTransit]

Haha, thanks so much!

[@titanbronco1627]

Love when Miles has a new Least Used Station video. The Rugby, ND video was the first video I'd seen on Miles' channel. Yes there wasn't much in either of these towns, but Miles and company make each video intereting to watch. I can see why Benson has low ridership, everything is closed the day after a train comes in. And that train only runs 3 days a week. I get it though. People, including myself, love to have 2 days off in a row. And the lowest tourist day is usually Monday. And most people like to have at least one of the weekend days off.

[@VincentLander]

It looks like you've made it to 50,000 subscribers - congratulations! I love this video series - looking forward to the next part of the saga. Love the a cappella rendition of 'Don't you Want Me.'

[@bilbojenkins5276]

Woot! Jackson is my favorite non-Aleena!

[@_Katmai]

Well I submitted that road correction, should go through pretty quickly! Thanks for a good video as always :)

[@nicholasthompson7690]

Arizona looks amazing! Would love to visit someday

[@gglscks428]

jackson video instant thumbs up

[@BoratWanksta]

Well noticing just now you did a Benson video, I wonder if you also got to Lordsburg and Sanderson? The least used stations for New Mexico, and Texas. I just finished watching this video, now. It was a charming town, particularly the visitor's center and the place that served pizza and had video games. Good to see a Lordsburg video will be coming soon, since I saw in the end credits it was debuting on Patreon first. Wonder if on this trip, you'll get to Sanderson? Or if that will be a future trip.

[@EyeMWing]

To answer your mailbox question: It is not common per se, but it happens a lot more frequently in small towns like this, particularly ones where people are fond of their chain link fences, angry dogs and no tresspassing signs. There are also towns where there are *NO* mailboxes at all, and you get to go to the post office to pick up your shit.

[@depressoespresso7364]

!!! I have seen the employee at 1:50 last time I rode the Sunset Limited. Passenger rail is such a novelty to many of the communities it serves (New Orleans, Schriever, and Lafayette, LA for me) that I guess it sticks out in my memory so significantly.

[@WaynoGur]

My sister lives here. All of our Amtrak adventures begin here.

[@davidsixtwo]

The perfect video to watch from the business lounge at the JFK airport

[@phronsiekeys]

When I see a video of you and Jackson walking around in the dark next to highways, not even thinking about snakes and scorpions, much less the folks (all very fine people, I'm sure) behind all those definite no trespassing signs with the pitbull mixes for extra back up, I remind myself you DID post the video.

[@sdsd4139]

The USPS boxes are called "cluster boxes." The CBUs increase mail security & cut costs because the carrier doesn't have to pull into every single cul-de-sac and driveway anymore while delivering. I think this iteration of CBUs has been around for about 20 years

[@medivalone]

Your second "salt flat" is most likely the Wilcox Playa, a endorheic dry lake bed. No salt here, but it does get some water seasonally and has some interesting fauna!

[@ilovesd90macs]

Congrats on the big 50K subs, you deserve it and more. This has grown to be my favourite series you do, started watching because of the trains, but now the small town tours are even better! My favourite is still the Thurmond one, but they are all really good! Keep it up, 100k subs in your future!

[@liamfeltman8677]

the train station lady saying “even the ones that are 80 years old” might be the funniest thing i’ve ever heard in a mit video

[@Denusa]

Well, I am 59 and this spring vacation I am absolutely visiting Benson's visitor center and run their train system!

[@chrisvvvv]

"Platform": ✅ "Shelter": ✅ Non-hostile benches: ✅ Everything else: ❎

[@LukeSesayRailfan]

Love the least used station videos miles 👍👍😊

[@MilesinTransit]

Thank you!

[@HumblElephant]

50k subs damn, to say this channel deserves it would be an understatement -- Here's to 50k and very soon 100k, can't wait to see what this next year will bring for Miles in Transit ! Edit: Had to go back after finishing to mention that the pac man end-game song truly has no business going that hard

[@nickaluusstancil]

I used to love playing packman it brings back a lot!

[@LeahLeah222]

Jackson with the Dad jokes 😂

[@davidsp5936]

I'm a single dude who eats way too much pizza. Even I have to ask, who holds their wedding party in a pizzeria?!?!

[@Raider_MXD]

Would you have preferred the Horseshoe Café? 😂

[@tonerduckpin]

I've seen wedding parties at the Denny's banquet room in Camp Verde, Arizona.

[@kevinbarnes218]

I mean I guess that's what they wanted

[@markfellhauer352]

The next nearest cities to Benson are like 45 minutes away. There aren't many wedding venues in Benson, except maybe the Red Barn. But like most wedding venues, that's going to cost you several thousand dollars for an event. One of my friends had his wedding party at an Olive Garden in Phoenix.

[@markfellhauer352]

@@tonerduckpin - I've eaten at that Denny's.

[@joebehrdenver]

AZ schools - also SoCal schools of a certain vintage. New SoCal schools have trad interior hallways for the most part. Loved the tour of Benson.

[@TheFrogfather1]

I'm sitting here at 2am in the slightly below freezing UK watching you guys melting in the Arizona sun. Great video!

[@markfellhauer352]

Benson is high desert and can get quite cold in the winter, with lows below freezing.

[@himbourbanist]

I want to ride this train so bad. Riding a big Superliner train through the desert sounds like an excellent vibe

[@Jimmy-m3x]

The perfect framing of the train leaving the station behind the shelter is like a scene from an Ozu movie.

[@samulihirsi]

It is always "strange" to me how nice people are outside of big towns in smaller places, interested in you and such everytime I have visited stateside.... Then I think who they might vote and then I just think more....

[@stacydelgado3285]

The cluster of post boxes is normal. The postman has a key to open the entire back panel. And if you get a package they put the key to the parcel box in your individual mailbox. If you leave your mail too long you get a nasty note from the postman to collect your mail LOL.

[@WUStLBear82]

USPS has required centralized delivery, most commonly cluster boxes, in new development for some time now. My sister lives in a community of hundreds of houses and all the mailboxes are at the resident center out front. They do have an advantage in security for mail and small-to-medium sized packages. If you have a package that doesn't fit in your box there are some larger boxes on the bottom to put the package and they leave a key for that in your box.

[@largegrainofsand]

My British mind cannot comprehend this being a station, and I’ve been to Berney Arms.

[@stevelknievel4183]

Despite not really having a platform, Benson does at least have road access though.

[@RyanHollis]

Those mailboxes are called cluster boxes. Most newer neighborhoods (at least where I grew up around suburban Houston) have them instead of individual mailboxes at each house.

[@MikeJonesCT]

I really like seeing these small towns throughout America. They all have their own character.

[@Chipbillingston]

Love this series!

[@codfish1113]

this is one hell of a banger

[@EmeraldCrimsonShadowPeach2K5]

Great video as always! I've heard about this Amtrak station, and I've heard it has the shortest train station platform in the world tied with the Appalachian Trail Metro-North station in Upstate NY back over on the other side of America. I'm not surprised Benson is the least used station in Arizona. I can't lie, though, the actual town of Benson, AZ itself looks really nice, especially that amazing visitor center and that really cool pizza place! Everything else aside, I hope you guys make it on your Greyhound. Also, congrats on 50K!

[@Leonard_Wilson]

Manitou Metro-North station is roughly the same size as Appalachian Trail.

[@ps3udologue]

This series is the best! My only hope is that you make it to all least used Amtrak Stations.

[@MilesinTransit]

Mine too!

[@RicksTravelogue]

So that's now two videos on the Miles in Transit library that has Ms. Pac Man expert game play. I knew I liked this channel for a reason.

[@Jazzy_Waffles]

I live two hours away from this city. I’ll have to drive down there and check out that Visitor Center

[@history_leisure]

18:26 where I lived in a subdivision near Paoli in my teens had those things

[@DuluthTW]

OMG. About 9 minutes into your video I realized I've been to Benson. It's a great place to stop if on your way to Tombstone to see the O.K. Corral. I hope you have a chance at some point to visit the site of the most legendary gunfight in U.S. history. I thought the station deserved the 2 rating. The town and surrounding areas are really quite lovely and hospitable. I was expecting a cowboy song from you or Jackson at some point - maybe plan a song or playlist that is complementary to the area for your next trip. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

[@reilandeubank]

Definitely not an Arizona resident but I did have a mail box like that when I lived in Cincinnati, I was in a subdivision and there was one of those boxes for probably every 20-30 houses

[@etohKP]

18:19 - at least speaking from my experience living in arizona, these are extremely common. i grew up in an area of arizona which is now way more populated, but i grew up seeing those PO boxes in a lot of neighborhoods. in some of the other areas of arizona i've visited - including more rural areas, they were also very common. it honestly shocked me a bit to learn they weren't everywhere when i moved to a city LOL

[@randygravel2057]

This shit you’ll remember forever 👏

[@psychorabbitt]

When the boys got off of the train and I saw the "station" I thought, "Wait... this just came out a few hours ago - why does this look familiar?" I forgot that I watched it ltwo weeks ago on Patreon...

[@Rubberneck1965]

24:43 Hi, Garfield! (Immediately thinks of the part in Smiley Face)

[@Tracksidebench]

Need to visit this place ! Those mailboxes are common to apartment buildings

[@italiana626sc]

Always nice to see Jackson! "It's not really crumbling THAT much" made me laugh.

[@thesinglemathnerd]

18:21 I live in Austin, TX and tons of neighborhoods in the area have a mailbox setup like this. Thus, it isn't just a rural thing

[@plttn]

any new construction of subdivisions requires this now rather than per door mailboxes

[@mrpelluke9195]

Very interesting and fun video. Also, I like the font used in the end-credits.

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks!

[@Absolute_Zero7]

18:21 up here in York Region (North of Toronto) these are absolutely everywhere. I don't think I have seen a standard mailbox around here. Same with suburban Toronto to my recollection.

[@callouscapricorn]

Hi non-rural Arizonan here, many (if not most) neighborhoods here just kind of have those PO box style mailboxes. Loved the vid!

[@MilesinTransit]

Thank you!

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

I can't believe you guys did Benson Az and never called my Mom. She lives right up the road from the station and she would have loved to have made you guys dinner and have you stay in her guest room. Next time you're in SE Arizona, LET ME KNOW! :)

[@nicknack6042]

I'm heading to Big Bend National Park after Christmas and I see that Sanderson, TX has one of the least used stations out that direction. I want to go see it!

[@MilesinTransit]

It's the least used on the entire Amtrak system!

[@nicknack6042]

@@MilesinTransit Wow that settles it then. Worth the quick detour off of I-10. Thanks!!

[@trainluvr]

Proof that when you are young you can do anything and still enjoy it.

[@Denusa]

As former postal carrier they are most common in newer communities both urban and rural. Often times small rural post offices are closed and these are installed. The postal executives like them because they are more efficient. Mail carriers like myself are of more mixed opinion.

[@WildWuff]

When the little bit of naming off every type of Benson was going, I thought you guys would end it off by naming the EZ, OG, and the well known to Gen Z Benson... Freddie Benson!

[@JacksonBetz]

NOOOOOO I can’t believe I forgot Freddie!!!!

[@JacksonBetz]

Miles we have to go back

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

@@JacksonBetz Or Benson from Regular Show!

[@bkark0935]

@@JacksonBetz Detective Lydia Benson, Law and Order SVU, played by Mariska Hagartay.

[@bkark0935]

@@JacksonBetz Hey Jackson, whenever Hollywood calls and casts both you and Miles for a biopic of Simon & Garfunkel, do you think you could pull off Artie’s blond perm? Love you guys, both!

[@jrrrrrr3345]

Taking the Sunset Limited to Benson, AZ just to go to R&R Pizza

[@apollosaturn5]

10:01 What a coincidence! You guys talking about Windows Vista crashing, the "Blue Screen of Death" appears and I get a commercial about an Apple product.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@amy4kaseykahne]

Group mailboxes are required in all new subdivisions in our area.

[@thelaguyinphoenix7837]

Finally you made it to AZ!

[@admiralcapn]

I want to ride trains with you and Jackson and sing impromptu acapella!

[@PrimMashups]

21:12 is this what people were talking about when they said "brat summer"

[@MilesinTransit]

yes

[@prbb3276]

NEW MILES IN TRANSIT VIDEOOOOO

[@anumeon]

@10:03 Random Windows Vista burn achievement unlocked... :D If that bus was ever late, do you think that passengers would become BAT-shit crazy? :D

[@lavenderw]

RAAHHH ARIZONA MENTIONED WHAT THE HECK IS A WATER 🌵🔫🏜

[@95mushroom]

Those mailboxes aren't even a rural thing. My old subdivision in Orlando had them. The front panel swings open so the mail person can fill a bunch of mailboxes in a short amount of time. If you get a package, they put the key to the big box in yours so you can open that box.

[@dfirth224]

Amtrak used to serve Phoenix. But a trestle fire cut the line west of Phoenix.

[@RoadrunnerfromRI]

FUN FACT: If you wanted to go birding at Arizona’s #1 birding hotspot (Patagonia Lake State Park) Benson Station is the closest public transportation to the park. From there, it’s just an easy 90 mile bike ride to some of the best birding in Arizona!

[@waterlooandcityline]

"easy"

[@flyphone1072]

18:27 I think that's for gated communities like those mobile homes so the mailman doesn't have to enter it.

[@cameronwillis2567]

Are we really gonna just gloss over Miles needing “tomatoes for the night”!? 😂

[@joekelly7505]

Those consolidated locked mailboxes (CBUs) are pretty much a standard for new housing developments, and as retrofits for older neighborhoods. The key benefit is they help the USPS save on fuel, but my in-laws swore they were installed in their neighborhood because the meth-heads were always stealing people's mail.

[@JHempel13]

If Pacman came out today the marketing team would unironically say AI POWERED ENEMIES

[@stacydelgado3285]

It’s a Saguaro Cactus. Looks like a middle finger from the right angle LOL. Excellent video as always, Miles. When do you get a poor bid upgrade to a roommette?

[@MilesinTransit]

Two least used station videos from now!

[@ericroe]

The RV Park in town has a large telescope. I’ve stayed a couple of times but it’s always been closed.

[@alk61695]

Glad you enjoyed Freddie Benson Arizona. Even though they use comic sans. Why does that have to be so bad!

[@williamhuang8309]

Today's Soundbites 3:53 Sergioooo 6:21 Menu shot, menu shot, right now you're looking at the menu shot 26:53 I'm trying credits now. TM Today's GEMs 0:17 w o w 0:57 w o w 5:48 2 seconds later 9:02 the next day 10:06 bluescreen 14:48 counting I love the stark contrast in the fonts during the credits lol Wonder what a least used station intro song would sound like... There's a song for trip report and there's a song for diners, but what would a least used station song be?

[@GobbiExists]

These little towns look really cool to walk through! I would like to be in that train themed pizza place lol

[@PC10.8]

A Benson Bonanza!!

[@subparnaturedocumentary]

oh wow they named a town after the talking gumball machine from regular show

[@thelaguyinphoenix7837]

Those PO boxes are very typical in AZ. Even in urban neighborhoods.

[@stevenvelders0]

Shoutout to Benson from regular show

[@mfri]

based plains shirt spotted ‼‼