Grand Canyon Railway: 2016

Tiptoeing Through the Flowers

Hooked to her first revenue train since 2008, the 29 creeps onto the GCR mainline in the Williams Yard preparing to shove into the station to load passengers

Portrait of a Survivor

The 29 has had a long life story of coming back. Originally built in 1906 for the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad in Michigan. When that railroad dieselized, she was left for dead, though picked up by a short lived tourist railroad, she never ran until the Grand Canyon returned her to operation. From 1990 until 1995 she pulled trains with her old running mate, LS&I 18, when the boiler certificate ran out. During this time the railroad brought out a thoroughly rebuilt 4960, and with a reduction of the steam season on the GCR from year round to a Memorial to Labor Day schedule, there was seemingly no need for the extra locomotive. When the 18’s boiler time ran out, the 29 was brought back with a thorough rebuild, including a new pilot and other changes. Subsequent modifications which included a Lempor exhaust (and a new stack) along with a new feedwater heater changed her looks even further, but brought her to the same pulling power as the bigger 4960. When the railroad was sold in 2008 to the Xantera Corporation, the successor to the Fred Harvey Company, the upper management of the new ownership “dropped the fire” on the steam program, dropping the fires on both 4960 and 29, and dispersing decades of collected knowledge of steam locomotives to the far winds, Over time, the railroad brought the 4960 back to life, albeit on a limited schedule, until 2016, when the company brought the 29 back into service in celebration for the National Park Service’s Centennial in August of 2016. Here we see the 29 on ready to pull her first revenue train in 8 years, flying both the American Flag, and the flag of the NPS.

First Scheduled Train in 8 Years.

First Scheduled Train in 8 Years.

Wailing at Forty

Roaring at track speed at Quivero, the 29’s diminutive 48” drivers are spinning to keep up here as the track speed is a blistering (for a tourist railroad) forty miles an hour. Behind the 29 is one of the railroad’s former Amtrak F40FH’s (now re-geared for freight speeds) to help with the grades. If the railroad was like the next twenty miles north, this engine would be able to pull a train of ALL the GCR’s “Harriman” cars and still have capacity for more. The railroad is not flat though, including a stairsteping climb up the “Apex Grade” that will limit the 29 to 370 trailing tons, or about six cars, and this train is nine, including a very heavy Budd Full-Length Dome car.

Coconino Creeper

Snaking its way at the bottom of a curving canyon, the 29 and train passes the abandoned siding of Coconino near the National Park Boundary.

Wrench Turner

Grand Canyon Railway's Chief Mechanical Officer, Eric Hadder wrenches on the feedwater pump on the side of 29's boiler after a problem cropped up during the trek from Williams. Nearly twenty years into his career at the GCR, Eric has held nearly every position with the railroad on the operations and mechanical side of the railroad, including: Dispatcher, Hostler, Engineer, Road Foreman of Engines, Locomotive Engineer, and now CMO.

Across the Mighty Bright Angel.

Southbound towards Williams, the 29 rumbles over Bright Angel Wash. A perennial steam at this location now, it's all man made. The Grand Canyon itself lopped off the headwaters to this stream bed when the canyon was formed. Then why is there water here? A nearby sign is a clue, "Reclaimed Water: Do Not Drink"..

NEAR the Middle of Nowhere

Roughly midway though the journey, the southbound train passes the siding at Willaha.

NEAR the Middle of Nowhere

Roughly midway though the journey, the southbound train passes the siding at Willaha.

Milepost Three

The last major hill before Williams, 29 climbs out of the Dogtown Wash drainage to finish the run into Williams.

Milepost Three

The last major hill before Williams, 29 climbs out of the Dogtown Wash drainage to finish the run into Williams.

Turning In

Headed to the shop, while one of the firemen get the switches behind her, 29 sits on the low trestle just north of the railway shops, where instead of water, wildflowers flow.

Flowers for the Lady.

Headed to the shop, while one of the firemen get the switches behind her, 29 sits on the low trestle just north of the railway shops, where instead of water, wildflowers flow.

The Long Way Back

It only took eight years for the 29 to return to steam.

Watering the Wilds

Steam locomotives must be "blown down" regularly to prevent sediments and scale from building up in the boiler. Here we see 4960 blowing down as she pulls the train out of the yard.

Pronghorn Ranch

Quivero

Much more tuned for a higher speed that the 29, the 4960 makes speed look easy, even if it is only 40. Her higher drivers mean she can easily go faster than her older sister, but when it comes to the hills, this is her Achilles Heel, as she is barely rated more than the 29 there.

At the Apex

Top of the World

4960 crests the top of the Imbleau (Apex) grade with train in tow. (note the moon before the plume of smoke)

Trailing Truck

4960's trailing truck seen here, supports the firebox of the Mikado.

Anita

4960 accelerates its train off the Imbleau Grade and onto the flatlands at the site of Anita Arizona. At one time there was a wye here with cattle pens and an ore loading dock, and an earlier spur to the mines to the northeast of here. Today, all the remains on the railroad is a signpost denoting the station.

Dogtown Wash

About to climb the last major grade into Williams, the 4960 and train cross over the longest trestle on the line at Milepost 4, Dogtown Wash as a summer monsoon thunderstorm rolls in.