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{{Short description|Transport company in Arizona}}
{{Infobox rail | gauge={{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
|railroad_name=Apache Railway
|system_map=Apache Railway system map.svg
|map_size=300
|marks=APA
|locale=[[Holbrook, AZ|Holbrook]]–[[Snowflake, Arizona]]
|start_year=1917
|hq_city=[[Snowflake, Arizona]]
|website={{URL|http://apacherailway.com}}
}}
[[File:AZ 2010 878xxRP - Flickr - drewj1946.jpg|thumb|350px|Apache Railway train, just south of [[Holbrook, Arizona]], 2010]]
{{Apache Railway}}
The '''Apache Railway''' {{Reporting mark|APA}} is an [[List of Arizona railroads|Arizona]] [[short-line railroad]] that operates from a connection with the [[BNSF Railway]]  at [[Holbrook, Arizona|Holbrook]] to the [[Snowflake Mill]] near [[Snowflake, Arizona]], {{convert|38|mi}}.  The APA was acquired by [[Catalyst Paper]] from [[Abitibi Consolidated]] in 2008. The Snowflake paper mill shut down permanently on September 30, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=News Brief |url=http://www.paperindustrymag.com/issues/sept2012/sept-news.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425180744/http://www.paperindustrymag.com/issues/sept2012/sept-news.html |archive-date=2016-04-25 |access-date=2016-04-12 |work=Paper Industry |issue=August/September 2012}}</ref> In late 2015, the railway was purchased out of bankruptcy by a group including [[Aztec Land & Cattle Company]] and Midwest Poultry Producers, L.P., thereby avoiding a shutdown and scrappage of the line.  The railway continues to operate, and its revenues are driven primarily by car repair and storage. The railway's freight revenues have not yet recovered from the shutdown of the Snowflake paper mill then owned by Catalyst, although efforts to enhance them continue.

==History==
The Apache Railway was [[Incorporation (business)|incorporated]] in 1917, when it began construction of a rail line from Holbrook south, reaching Snowflake in 1918.<ref name="trains mag"/>  It was extended south to [[McNary, Arizona|McNary]] in 1920.<ref name="trains mag"/> The tracks eventually extended further south to [[Maverick, Arizona|Maverick]] in 1944.<ref name="outdoorsw">{{Cite web |date=2024-07-20 |title=Journey by Train |url=https://www.outdoorssw.com/journey-by-train |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=www.outdoorssw.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Photograph of Apache Railway between Holbrook and Maverick, AZ |url=https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/119480 |website=azmemory.azlibrary.gov}}</ref>

From October 1, 1931, until 1936, amid the [[Great Depression]], the APA was placed in [[receivership]].

A tourist railroad, the '''White Mountain Scenic Railroad''', operated steam powered passenger excursions over the Southwest Forest Industries-owned line from McNary to the logging camp at Maverick, beginning in 1964. As track conditions deteriorated, the excursions were cut back in later years to a point about halfway to Maverick. In the final years, it operated north from Pinetop Lakes to a place called Bell Siding on [[U.S. Route 60 (Arizona)|U.S. Route 60]]. In 1976, the White Mountain Scenic Railroad ceased operations and moved its equipment to [[Heber City, Utah]] to be used on an excursion there known as the "Heber Creeper." The line from Maverick to McNary, with some elevations exceeding {{convert|9000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, was removed in 1982 after the McNary sawmill closed. A section of the line was later converted to a [[rail trail]], the '''Railroad Grade Trail'''.<ref name="outdoorsw" /> Another section is part of the '''Indian Springs Trail'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Springerville Ranger District Trail Guide - Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests - p.39 |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5227797.pdf#page=39 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824070107/http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5227797.pdf#page=39 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 24, 2012 |website=www.fs.usda.gov}}</ref>

By the 1980s, the Apache Railway was Arizona's only remaining [[logging]] railroad.  The track from Snowflake to McNary was abandoned in 1982.<ref name="trains mag"/>

In July 2012, the owner of the railroad and an on-line paper mill, [[Catalyst Paper]], announced that the mill and railroad would shut down and be sold later in the year.<ref>{{cite web |date=31 July 2012 |title=Apache Railway to shut down |url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2012/07/apache-railway-to-shut-down |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227064143/http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2012/07/apache-railway-to-shut-down |archive-date=2021-02-27 |access-date=4 September 2015 |publisher=Trains Magazine}}</ref> In December, Catalyst agreed to sell the railroad and mill to [[Hackman Capital]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2012/12/catalyst-paper-accepts-bid-for-apache-railway-snowflake-paper-mill | title=Catalyst Paper accepts bid for Apache railway, Snowflake paper mill | publisher=Trains Magazine | date=19 December 2012 | access-date=4 September 2015}}</ref> Hackman planned to dismantle the railroad along with the mill, but local officials who wanted to retain rail service formed a non-profit foundation to purchase the railroad from lenders, using  a federal [[Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing]] loan, which was denied in November 2014.<ref name="trains mag"/> Hackman took over control again and put the railroad into bankruptcy in May 2015, while local officials attempted to secure a rural economic development loan from the [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]].<ref name="trains mag">{{cite web |date=9 July 2015 |title=Arizona town fights to save Apache Railway |url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/07/arizona-town-fights-to-save-apache-railway |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712001602/http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/07/arizona-town-fights-to-save-apache-railway |archive-date=2015-07-12 |access-date=4 September 2015 |publisher=Trains Magazine}}</ref> A bankruptcy court ruled on September 1, 2015, to postpone the sale deadline of the railroad, which the court valued at $7.2 million, until November 30.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 September 2015 |title=Embattled Apache Railway gets breathing room |url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/09/03-apache |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913050046/http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/09/03-apache |archive-date=2015-09-13 |access-date=4 September 2015 |publisher=Trains Magazine}}</ref>

After several dispositive hearings before the bankruptcy court, the Aztec Land & Cattle Company agreed to pay Hackman the amount due. In 2015, the Apache Railway's stock was passed to a holding company that is owned and controlled by both Aztec and Midwest Poultry.<ref>name=":0"</ref>

==Operations==
1996 figures: 16,000 cars per year{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}
* recycled fiber
* [[pulpwood]]
* wood chips
* coal
* paper
* chemicals
* grain

2018 figures:<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Apache Railway Company profile |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/profiles/short-lines/apache-railway-company-profile/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Trains |language=en-US}}</ref> Apache Railway has evolved into car repairs, wet and dry cleaning, and railcar storage. In April 2018, the railroad opened itself to repairing tank cars followed by an immediate onslaught of business. Approximately 10% of total revenue comes from actual freight haulage while the remaining 90% consists of railcar repair, cleaning, and storage.

===Passenger service===
The Apache Railway offered passenger service until the 1950s. In July 1954, the mixed train operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, departing McNary at 7:15{{nbsp}}am, arriving Holbrook at 12:15{{nbsp}}pm, departing there at 1:30{{nbsp}}pm and returning to McNary at 7:00{{nbsp}}pm.<ref>{{Cite journal
  | journal = The Official Guide of the Railways|title=none
  | pages = 937
  | date = July 1954
  }}</ref>

==Motive power==
The Apache Railway uses [[ALCO Century 420]] (C420) and [[ALCO Century 424|MLW C424s]].

Current Roster:

APA 81 - C420 (ex-Louisville & Nashville 1305)

APA 82 - C420 (ex-Tennessee Central 400)

APA 83 - C420 (ex-Monon 516)

APA 84 - C420 (ex-Norfolk & Western 415)

APA 97 - C424 (ex-Canadian Pacific)

APA 98 - C424 (ex-Canadian Pacific 4227)

APA 99 - C424 (ex-Canadian Pacific 4233)

==Route==
[[File:Apache Railway Route.jpg|thumb|Route in 1930]]
* [[Holbrook, Arizona|Holbrook]] (interchange with BNSF Railway's Gallup Subdivision/formerly [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]])
* Blair
* Snowflake Pig Farm
* Tours
* Snowflake Junction
* Apache Railway Shops
* Snowflake Paper Mill (Catalyst Paper)
* Snowflake Junction
* [[Snowflake, AZ|Snowflake]]

===Abandoned routes===
Abandoned in 1980.
* Snowflake (interchange with the now defunct [[Standard Lumber]])
* [[Taylor, Arizona|Taylor]]
* Silver Lake
* Bell Siding
* Sponseller (with several lumber spurs into the forest to the east)
* Pinetop Lakes (with several lumber spurs into the forest)
* [[McNary, Arizona|McNary]] (interchange with [[Southwest Forest Industries]])
* Camp 28 (with several lumber spurs into the forest)

In addition, a 2 to 3 mile (3–5&nbsp;km) section of track used to run from south of Tours to Snowflake.  Today's line runs from Tours to Snowflake Junction.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | author=Robertson, Donald B.| title=Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History: The Desert States: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah| publisher=The Caxton Printers| location=Caldwell, Idaho|year=1986| isbn=0-87004-305-6|page=65}}
* {{cite book | author=Stindt, Fred A. | title=American Shortline Railway Guide|edition=5th| publisher=[[Kalmbach Publishing]]|year=1996|location=Waukesha, Wisconsin| isbn=0-89024-290-9| page=25}}
* {{cite book | author=Walker, Mike| title=Steam Powered Video's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America – Arizona & New Mexico| publisher=Steam Powered Publishing| location=Kent, United Kingdom|year=1995| pages=11–12| isbn=1-874745-04-8}}
* {{cite web
 | last = Carr
 | first = Wes
 | year = 2004
 | url = http://www.trainweb.org/southwestshorts/apa-index.html
 | title = Apache Railway – the Southwest Railfan
 | publisher = trainweb.org
 | access-date = March 17, 2006
 }}
* {{cite web
 | last = Cloud
 | first = Karol
 |author2=Komanesky, John
 | year = 2005
 | url = http://www.thedieselshop.us/Apache.HTML
 | title = Apache Railway motive power
 | publisher = TheDieselShop.us
 | access-date = March 17, 2006
 }}

==External links==
*{{official website|http://apacherailway.com}}
*[https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/apache-sitgreaves/recreation Railroad Grade Trail]

{{US Class III - Arizona}}
{{Catalyst Paper}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Apache Railway}}
[[Category:Arizona railroads]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1917]]
[[Category:Catalyst Paper]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1917]]