The Atchison Topeka Santa Fe Railroad added a 12 mile rail spur into Waddell in 1928. The new rail line provided freight service for the farms and orchards along Cotton Lane. The original rail sidings on the spur were named for men connected with the Beardsley Project. This was a privately funded water reclamation project to dam the Agua Fria River and provide irrigation water to Waddell by the Maricopa Water District.
Starting at the main rail line near Grand Avenue and El Mirage Road, the tracks ran southwest to the west side of Cotton Lane at Waddell Road and then south to Indian School Road.
Four rail sidings were added with the new rail spur along Cotton Lane in 1928 including ‘Waddell’ which was on Waddell Road. This siding is named for Donald Ware Waddell. Mr. Waddell of the New York based firm, Brandon and Waddell, financed the construction of the dam. Mr. Waddell stayed on in Arizona and was actively involved in the Maricopa Water District.
The siding at Glendale Avenue was originally called ‘Brandon’. John R. Brandon was the associate of Donald Waddell. The siding name was later changed to ‘Citrus Park’ after the grapefruit orchards and cannery located on Citrus Road just south of Northern Avenue.
The ‘Fennemore’ siding is at Olive Road. The Fennemore name probably refers to Harry Melton Fennemore, a prominent attorney in Phoenix and one of the attorneys used by the Santa Fe Railroad at the time. Mr. Fennemore’s law firm is still in operation in Phoenix and is the oldest law firm in Arizona.
The siding at Indian School Road was originally called ‘Griggs’. Griggs might refer to Charles E. Griggs, engineer for the Maricopa Water District at the time. Mr. Griggs would later be the Superintendent of Streets for the City of Phoenix. The Griggs station was closest to farming operations at Goodyear Farms and was shown on later maps as ‘Litchfield’ and then ’McMicken’. The Litchfield name was in honor of Paul Litchfield, founder of Litchfield Park and Vice President of Goodyear Tire and Rubber in the 20’s. The McMicken name was in honor of Kenneth B. McMicken, the Vice President and General Manager of Goodyear Farms.
The only siding still in use is Fennemore, providing rail service to Fertizona, a fertilizer and agriculture product company. Most of the original spur line was removed in the 1980’s and Fennemore is now connected by a spur line that runs along Olive Road.