Downtown El Paso in El Paso County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Bataan Memorial Trainway

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 21, 2012

1. Bataan Memorial Trainway Marker

Inscription. With the arrival of the railroads to El Paso in 1881, the train tracks marked the northern boundary of the city. As El Paso grew, the tracks divided downtown and created a time-consuming barrier for pedestrians and motorists. In the early 20th century, a trainway was proposed to place the city's main railroad tracks below street level. In 1948, eight major contractors and 22 subcontractors began work on the project. Robert E. McKee General Contractor did the largest portion of the work - regrading the railroad lines, digging the entire trench and laying new tracks. A significant work of civil engineering, the trainway cost $5,500,000 and took more than three years to complete. Over 4,500 gondola cars of dirt were excavated and eight bridges were built over the tracks. A 1,700-foot overpass across Cotton Street, several blocks east of the trainway, completed the project.

The trainway was named in honor of prisoners of war who died in enemy camps during World War II. The name Bataan was chosen to honor those soldiers-both Filipino and American-captured by the Japanese Army after the fall of the Bataan Peninsula. Many of

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the American prisoners, including thousands from New Mexico and Texas, had trained at nearby Fort Bliss.

The trainway was officially dedicated on August 21, 1950, and Southern Pacific's "Sunset Limited" became the first passenger train to operate on the newly completed trainway. With the completion of the Bataan Memorial Trainway, traffic flowed freely and safely through downtown, aiding the city's growth and prosperity.

Erected 2002 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12851.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the ASCE Civil Engineering Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.

Location. 31° 45.466′ N, 106° 29.609′ W. Marker is in El Paso, Texas, in El Paso County. It is in Downtown El Paso. It is on West San Francisco Avenue, on the left when traveling east. Marker is on the walkway, on the north side of San Francisco Avenue, by the railroad tracks just prior to passing under Durango Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 500 W San Francisco

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 21, 2012

2. Bataan Memorial Trainway Marker

Trainway passing under Durango Street is just to the left of the marker.

Ave, El Paso TX 79901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Trans-Pecos & Big Bend Region.

It is also in the American Borderlands

and in the Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: El Paso & Southwestern Railroad (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); El Paso Union Passenger Station (about 700 feet away); Old San Francisco Historic District (approx. 0.2 miles away); Treacherous Crossing (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Cavalryman Statue (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Villa Stash House / Casa Clandestina Villa (approx. 0.2 miles away); Felix Martinez (approx. ¼ mile away); A City Is Born (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in El Paso.

Also see . . . El Paso - Bataan Memorial Trainway. Photos of the trainway along with additional

Bataan Memorial Trainway image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 21, 2012

3. Bataan Memorial Trainway

View west from North Santa Fe Street.

information. (Submitted on November 18, 2010.)

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 21, 2012

4. Bataan Memorial Trainway

View east from North Santa Fe Street.

Cotton Street overpass image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 21, 2012

5. Cotton Street overpass

View is from North Dallas Street at I-10 exit 20.

Bataan Memorial Trainway Marker & Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 21, 2012

6. Bataan Memorial Trainway Marker & Plaque

Texas Historical Civil Engineering Landmark image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, October 21, 2012

7. Texas Historical Civil Engineering Landmark

The Bataan Memorial Trainway Constructed 1948-1950, as the first application utilizing depressed trackage for the relocation of a mainline Transcontinental Railroad through a downtown area.

Designated September 2003
By the Texas Section
American Society of Civil Engineers

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,693 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on October 28, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.