Sahuaro Central Railroad Heritage Preservation Society, Inc. is the creator and promoter of the Adobe Mountain Desert Railroad Park and Museum, originally known as Railplex.
Sahuaro Central leased an 80-acre parcel of Land, which is now a portion of the approximate 160 acre railroad park, from the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department in an agreement signed February 21st, 1989. The term of the no-fee lease is for 25 years with an option to extend the lease for 25 more years.
The original plan to build a substantial museum, conference and convention facility did not materialize because of financing problems caused by an economic slump in the late 1980's. For a number of years Sahuaro Central revised plans and continued to plan for the development of the Railroad Park. In 1990 the Maricopa County Recreation Services proposed that the Railplex property be exchanged for a larger parcel of property on the east Side of 43rd Avenue, just South of what is now the Sports Field Complex. Sahuaro Central agreed and began to encourage large and small scale model railroad groups to become involved in the Railroad Park.
Early in 1992 the Arizona Model Railroading Society/Arizona Garden Railway Society (AMRS) was forced out of its location on the second floor of a shop located at 26th Avenue and McDowell Road. Before vacating the facility they petitioned Sahuaro Central for approval to move to the Adobe Mountain Desert Railroad Park. AMRS and Sahuaro Central entered into an agreement in February of 1992.
Meanwhile, AMRS relocated to a vacant store in the Valley West Mall Shopping Center (Manistee Town Center), at 59th Avenue and Northern Avenue, now the location of a Wal-Mart Supercenter. During its stay at the mall, AMRS began planning for the move to Adobe Mountain Desert Railroad Park. The Maricopa Live Steamers (MLS), which was located in the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, also entered into an agreement with Sahuaro Central in 1992.
AMRS began efforts to procure a building permit for the first of several buildings, which they proposed to construct. After overcoming many obstacles in dealing with the City of Phoenix Development Services department, a building permit was in place. The foundation and rough plumbing were installed and inspected, then, the Maricopa County Flood Control District informed AMRS that it would have to construct the finished floor one foot above the 100 year flood plane. This would have put the finished floor approximately five feet above the existing grade. Construction halted and the improvements were removed.
After much discussion with the City of Phoenix Development Services Department, Maricopa County Flood Control, Maricopa County Recreation Services and Sahuaro Central the Maricopa County Recreation Services suggested a change back to the land on the West side of 43rd Avenue, which has buildable land at one foot above existing grade, plus an additional 80 acres of land. Approximately 35 of the 160 acres are buildable at grade plus one foot to finished floor. Sahuaro Central began a new plan for development.
In 1994, during a period when the County was having financial problems, the Maricopa County Recreation Services vacated the Park Ranger station at Adobe Mountain Park. Sahuaro Central was contacted to see if they would be interested in adding the 2.9 acres to the existing agreement. Sahuaro Central agreed because it is adjacent to and connected to the section already under lease. With the existence of a habitable structure on the site this gave Sahuaro Central a place for a base of operations at the Park.
The former Ranger Station currently houses the Sahuaro Central headquarters, the museum and other properties owned by Sahuaro Central.
In January of 1996 Sahuaro Central invited AMRS and MLS to use the facilities until such time as the model railroad groups could undertake the erection of their own buildings.
With Sahuaro Central financing, AMRS erected a 20 by 30-foot metal building which now houses the Huntley HO train layout which is a part of the Sahuaro Central Museum collection. Sahuaro Central, with County Recreation Services approval, remodeled the Ranger Station building to make it more user friendly for meetings and museum operations.
MLS began its progress at the Park in March, 1996 and completed the loop of 7-1/2" gauge track around the museum building the following November. MLS installed five steaming bays and transfer table at the Sahuaro Central Museum compound, now known as Pottsville.
In the years 1996 through 1999, nearly three miles of track were placed outside the Sahuaro Central area into the large tract of Railroad Park land to the west and south. Today, signal systems, grade crossings, station platforms, picnic areas and towns are being developed along the routes. When the four-track terminal, dispatch building and the first sea containers started to arrive, the MLS base of operations moved to Adobe City south of Pottsville. As of the spring of 2004 the live steamers have placed more than eight miles of track in the Railroad Park.
Sahuaro Central is the promoter of the Railroad Park. The development of the land designated for Sahuaro Central use and the common areas of the Park, road easements, parking areas, utility easements, etc., is controlled by the Sahuaro Central board of directors. The board of directors comprises two members from Sahuaro Central and two members from each of the tenant railroad groups in the Railroad Park.
Each model railroad group leasing from Sahuaro Central is responsible for the development of its area. All site plans, permanent improvements and the utility installations for those structures must be approved by Sahuaro Central, Maricopa County Recreation Services, Maricopa County Flood Control and the permitting agencies of the City of Phoenix.
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