End of an Era - Black Mesa & Lake Powell Railroad

The final days of the Black Mesa & Lake Powell coal railroad operation between the Navajo Generating Station in Page, AZ and the Kayenta coal mine. This 78 mile line was built in 1973 for the sole purpose of transporting coal between the mine and the power plant. As of now, the line has gone cold and scrapping of most rail equipment and the electrical overheads is slated to begin next week. Many people from Page and the Navajo reservation came to call this job a second home over the years. Some employees are being retired from the job after 40 years, others are getting transferred elsewhere, and the rest are now jobless as the power generating operations dwindle down to a close. Nothing but friendly folks out of this operation, and it will be truly missed.
The following shots consist of a combination of the eastbound coal train on Tuesday, August 20th and the last ever daylight coal trains of Sunday, August 26th, 2019.

[@Trainlover1995]

Why scrap it when you can preserve it? This would be a prime tourist line.

[@AmtrakTitan455]

Great video. I regret not visiting this line

[@RickyJr46]

Nathaniel, epitaphs are always a sad thing but your tribute to the BM&LP here is beautiful. This lonely line was a real mystery to me on a '90s drive to Kayenta. Concrete ties, overhead catenary for electric locomotines, the sheer remoteness, what was all this for? Some time later an operations foreman at the Diablo Canyon nuclear powerplant was talking about the Navajo power station and its rail line connection to a distant coal mine, and that explained it. Years later I saw a couple of the coal trains traveling this route. It was certainly a unique route through an amazing landscape. Farewell, BM&LP.

[@chasemajochthevyondboy9927]

RIP Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad 1973 - 2019

[@maquinista3029]

Hi bro! How can I contact you, there is something I want to talk to you about. Thanks!

[@aaronballeck3153]

RIP

[@67Lucky67]

Sold for scrap. The landscape will look better without all the poles, but the community will miss some good paying jobs.

[@slysly4076]

15:13 I think that's BBQ lady we used grabbed lunch or dinner from good food from those vendors.

[@radioroger1683]

Today with all the shortages and all the hydro power drying up I bet they would have wished they just put the power plant and railroad in mothballs,

[@NW-gi1cp]

Imagine it becomes a test track for 5550 😂

[@bryce2680]

Are they leaving the tracks for any reason?

[@billlong8385]

No reason to. This line is an orphan, not connected to any other rail line.

[@efrainvazquez6752]

NdeM Nacionales de México.