Whole Life Magazine

April / May 2015

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/489304

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 27 of 43

T he Grand Canyon National Park is on many travel wish lists, and it's just one state away. But if you're like me, somehow the trip—just a half-day's drive—gets pushed down on the list. It seems almost too close to fl y, so why not harken back to the glory days of vintage railway travel with a rail journey? You'll experience the glamor and fun of a "sleeper" train while using alternative energy and dramatically cutting your carbon emissions. anks to the Grand Canyon Railway (GCR) and Am- trak's Trails and Rails program, you can depart Union Sta- tion on the overnight Southwest Chief to Williams, Arizona, where a free shuttle van will whisk you to the Grand Can- yon Railway Hotel and historic Williams Depot. ere you'll board the steam locomotive to the South Rim of Grand Can- yon National Park. Dubbed the "Greenest Train in America," the Grand Can- yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and the environment through which they run." e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 1901 when locomotives began traveling to the Grand Canyon from Williams on a spur built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company. e spur was closed in 1968, then re-opened in 1989 when a private businessman purchased the tracks and set about bringing the Grand Canyon Railway back to its former glory. Since 2007 the GCR has been owned and operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, a company that has won numerous awards for its sustainable practices. Vintage Rail afi cionados will appreciate the careful main- tenance given the two restored steam locomotives. e 185- ton SC-3 class Locomotive No. 29 was built in 1906 by ALCO in Pittsburgh and restored in 2004 at a cost of 26,000 hours of labor and more than $1 million. Locomotive No. 4960, origi- nally used as a freight- and coal-hauling service for the Chica- go, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) railroad, was built in 1923 by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia. e Green Train makes a number of trips throughout the year (see schedule below), and the rest of the year the GCR fu- els their fl eet with diesel. Even running diesel, trains dramati- cally reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants over jet and auto travel, including the fuel-effi cient Prius. But to get the maximum vintage experience, plan your train adven- ture on one of the several steam-powered excursions. Stepping onto the train is like stepping through a portal into 19th-cen- tury historic rail travel. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. yon Railway steam train is powered by waste vegetable oil. Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power Management proudly proclaims, "We're taking steam power into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and into the 21st century while preserving our historic trains and the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." the environment through which they run." e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has e allure of traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon has been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, been around for a long time. What had been a hot, bumpy, 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 20-hour stagecoach ride turned into a three-hour excursion in 1901 when locomotives began traveling to the Grand Canyon year (see schedule below), and the rest of the year the GCR fu- els their fl eet with diesel. Even running diesel, trains dramati- cally reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants over jet and auto travel, including the fuel-effi cient Prius. But to get the maximum vintage experience, plan your train adven- ture on one of the several steam-powered excursions. Stepping onto the train is like stepping through a portal into 19th-cen- tury historic rail travel. An energy-saving rail ride to breathtaking beauty by Gigi Ragland Photo courtesy Grand Canyon Railway 28 wholelifetimesmagazine.com

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Whole Life Magazine - April / May 2015