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Description
Engine number 29 pulls into the depot at the Grand Canyon's south rim, the northern terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway ( [link] ). Number 29 is a 2-8-0 Consolidation, built in 1906 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Pittsburgh. The line was established in 1901 by the AT&SF RR (now rolled up with Burlington Northern into BNSF), and was later shut down due to increasing traffic to the canyon in cars resulting in a loss of revenue for the railroad. It was purchased within the last year by Xanterra Resorts (who run most of the concessions within the park) from the family that did most of the work restoring the rail lines and the rolling stock that they run.
Because of the large cars and the number of cars that the railroad sees now during the on season, Number 29 usually requires the help of two diesel "dummy" (driverless) units to haul the load. The depot is located right next to a large parking lot, the original reason the line was shut down. In fact some of the depot's original rails lay buried still under the gravel. Interesting the juxtaposition of the past and the present. Glad to see the old engine is still running, I just wish they'd have an all-steam consist with either smaller load of cars or a second steam helper.
There's also generally an all-diesel train running during the high season as well with at least one GP-7, though they've also been heading the train recently with modern (F-40PH, the same kind of engine used to haul the Caltrain trains that I rode going to High School) diesels. At least the railroad's still running.

Description
Engine number 29 pulls into the depot at the Grand Canyon's south rim, the northern terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway ( [link] ). Number 29 is a 2-8-0 Consolidation, built in 1906 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Pittsburgh. The line was established in 1901 by the AT&SF RR (now rolled up with Burlington Northern into BNSF), and was later shut down due to increasing traffic to the canyon in cars resulting in a loss of revenue for the railroad. It was purchased within the last year by Xanterra Resorts (who run most of the concessions within the park) from the family that did most of the work restoring the rail lines and the rolling stock that they run.
Because of the large cars and the number of cars that the railroad sees now during the on season, Number 29 usually requires the help of two diesel "dummy" (driverless) units to haul the load. The depot is located right next to a large parking lot, the original reason the line was shut down. In fact some of the depot's original rails lay buried still under the gravel. Interesting the juxtaposition of the past and the present. Glad to see the old engine is still running, I just wish they'd have an all-steam consist with either smaller load of cars or a second steam helper.
There's also generally an all-diesel train running during the high season as well with at least one GP-7, though they've also been heading the train recently with modern (F-40PH, the same kind of engine used to haul the Caltrain trains that I rode going to High School) diesels. At least the railroad's still running.