Blog 807. The Grand Canyon Railway.

Even on Pacific Time last night, I still didn’t get to bed until 01.30 hrs this morning, the day of another great railway adventure to The Grand Canyon.

I must try this *luxury* option if ever I come here again.

The Dome Cars. I was only in here a few moments to take photographs. However, I was reminded of my ride on the Denver Zephyr in August 1969, and of course, *The Canadian* in 2019.

Before the 08.30 hrs departure of the 15 car Grand Canyon train (which is quite splendid) there was a “mock shoot out” staged adjacent to the hotel. I gave up on that spectacle after five minutes; it was hard to get anywhere close to what was going on. Those attending were guided onto the train for an on-time departure, and I joined that same crowd. I would be guided to the First Class carriage named “Arizona” adjacent to one of three consecutive dome cars which appeared to be sold out. I did manage to “sneak” the above pictures, but I had to be quick!

The Grand Canyon Railway opened on September 17th 1901, but became increasingly unviable in the 1960s and on June 30th 1968, the final service consisting of one carriage and one baggage car, with just three passengers, formed the last train. The private car and air travel had done irreparable damage to the railway industry, but somehow, it is still possible to travel across and around North America by rail, although to do so in anything like acceptable comfort needs to be thought through carefully. Twenty years later, after several previous attempts, an entrepreneurial couple financed the successful reopening of this 65 mile railway, and with a daily return service to the Grand Canyon from the original start at Williams, both railway and town are prospering from a resultant thriving tourist industry. It is a privilege to have been able to come here.

My first ever photograph of part of the Grand Canyon.

I was warned that on first seeing the Grand Canyon, I would feel emotional, as if being moved by a poignant, powerful piece of music. (Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet “did me” in Chicago!). On the “Grand Tour”, we were told to shut our eyes until instructed to open them again. When we did, sure the vista was like nothing I had ever seen, but the noisy gasps from the other people on the bus rather detracted from any feelings of emotion. But, I was, gazing upon this most astonishing manifestations of natural beauty. We were taken to two vantage points, where plaques indicated the names of various distant features. The hot buffet lunch was a cold turkey and cheese sandwich, a packet of crisps (chips in America) and a chocolate cookie, which did nothing to impress my diabetic nurse! I wonder if the hotel put me on a different trip. “Grand Tour”, I felt, was a bit of an exaggeration, and nothing resembled a hot buffet lunch! All this was negated by a superb all you can eat buffet dinner where I had breakfast this morning. The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel complex including the station and surrounds with preserved locomotives and coaching stock scattered around makes for my perfect place to be. Getting here is the problem if I don’t want to fly. 12.53 in the lobby of the Railway Hotel. 26th June. The plan today was to spend the morning exploring Williams before the 13.30 transfer to Tusyan some 50 miles away. The Almighty ordained a wet morning. Certainly Arizona needs the rain more than I do! I close this blog with pictures taken during my only full day here, 25th June.

Hopefully, the plaques will give some idea of what I photographed yesterday.

Those are my first pictures taken yesterday from two vantage points we were taken to.

I obviously tried to capture Grand Canyon Station in pictures. The log building is on of just three surviving such “depots” in the U.S.A.

Again, I completed this blog while waiting for the rain to stop. In the lobby of The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel at Williams. This place is worth a second visit, but for longer, as is everywhere I have been to so far. The huge collection of locomotives and rolling stock is a pleasure to experience, whether riding or just looking around.