Well, it appears that Cemex has now shut down it’s cement plant in Casa Grande, there have been no trucks there for quite a while, and with it’s operations off of the 587 on the Gila River Reservation near Sacaton, I doubt it will open up soon. I went down there yesterday and took some new shots….
This is going to be an interesting build, as soon as I figure out how to do so…and how they operated with the SP….I think that it was loads in, trucks out….
Helpful blog, bookmarked the website with hopes to read more!
thanks, glad to hear that I am helping someone out
Didn’t realize Cemex shut down–it’s been a while since I got down there regularly. May have to change my schedule… ;- )
Cemex recieved a lot of hoppers of concrete ingredients and mixed it up to be loaded into trucks. Most of what they got came in the smaller (short) hoppers and a lot of them belonged to Cemex (reporting marks CEMX). They would be spotted on the south rail of Casa Grande siding and the local would pull out the empties and push in the loaded hoppers. Cemex had a Trackmobile to move the cars around. Not sure if it is still there or not (doubtful if there is no activity there now).
Tom F
Here is a shot of the Cemex Trackmobile from 2008.
http://www.tomfassett.com/railroad/Cemex_trackmobile01.jpg
Tom F
I’m pretty sure that Cemex was not there in the 1980s. I think it showed up in the mid to late 1990s. I remember them building the plant–I just can’t remember when.
Don’t forget the big gin complex just Southeast of Thornton road and Main (where the pipe plant is now). It was a busy place back in the 1980s with a couple of spurs and cars spotted on the sidings between the overpass and Thornton.
Tom F
Another going concern in the 1980s was the underground copper mine West of town. The mine and tailings are still there but the spur was torn out.
Tom F
thanks for the info Tom. You are a wealth of knowledge. feel free to email me when you plan to head out here again
I only live 30 miles north of you in south Chandler so getting down there isn’t that big a deal. I used to head down there every couple days for lunch. I just haven’t been able to get down there the last couple months. I’ll get down there soon (I’m suffering from “railfan” withdrawals… ;- ).
Tom F