Grand Canyon Railway
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
| Grand Canyon Railway | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Reporting marks | GCRX |
| Locale | Arizona |
| Years of operation | 1901 - 1968 – 1989 - present |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) |
| Headquarters | Williams, Arizona |
The Grand Canyon Railway (AAR reporting mark GCRX), is a passenger railroad which operates between Williams, Arizona and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
In 1901, the Santa Fe Railroad completed a branch line from Williams to Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. The first scheduled train to carry paying passengers of the Grand Canyon Railway arrived from Williams on September 17 of that year. The 64 mile (103 km) long trip cost $3.95, and naturalist John Muir later commended the railroad for its limited environmental impact.
Competition with the automobile forced the Santa Fe Railroad to cease operation of the Grand Canyon Railway in 1968 (only three passengers were on the last run), although the Santa Fe continued to use the tracks for freight until 1974. After 1974, Santa Fe abandoned the tracks completely and many trackside buildings were razed.
Plans by entertainer Arthur Godfrey to bring the railway back to life in 1977 fell through.
In 1988, the railway was bought by a Phoenix, Arizona couple, Max and Thelma Biegert. The railway was restored and in 1989 began operations as a separate company, independent of Santa Fe Railroad. The first run of the restored railroad was on September 17, 1989, commemorating the September 17th debut of the original railroad.
The railroad carries hundreds of passengers to and from the Canyon every day, totaling about 130,000 passengers each year. The restored train station in Williams serving the Grand Canyon Railway also hosts a small railroad museum.
During the summer, the railroad sometimes operates steam locomotives, and otherwise uses reconditioned 1950s vintage diesel locomotives (ALCO FAs). Passengers ride in restored 1920s vintage Harriman coaches. The railroad adds to the American Old West experience of the journey by having actors dressed as bandits stage a mock train robbery of the train during the return trip from the Grand Canyon to Williams.
See also
External links
- Grand Canyon Railway (http://www.thetrain.com/) official website
