WILLIAMS, Ariz. — In stark contrast to the maxed-out trains of 15 cars in June and July, steam locomotive No. 4960’s operations on the Grand Canyon Railway Aug. 3 and Aug. 12 included a more-modest consist. According to chief mechanical officer Eric Hadder, the 2-8-2’s birthday excursion on Aug. 12 had 11 passenger cars, along with the power car and F40 helper diesel No. 4128.
“August is a slower time of year for us, so the ridership and number of cars is less than earlier in the summer,” he said.
Nevertheless, No. 4960 performed well on both trips. Aside from a replaced steam line to heat the oil inside the tender and continual attention towards the oil lubrication to the power reverser, Hadder said maintenance between the runs was minor.
Similar to the Earth Day excursion on April 20, the 101st birthday celebration for No. 4960 included the Mikado-type positioned in front of the depot at Grand Canyon National Park during the layover, stairs leading up to the cab for visitors to look inside. Hadder looks at the arrangement as an opportunity to enhance the experience for those interested in the steam locomotives at GCRY.
However, he noted that what seems like a fairly simple display comes with logistical issues: Spotting both the locomotive and water-filled tank car in front of the depot at the top of a 1.5% downgrade while staying clear of up to two parked trains, transporting the stairs from the railway’s mechanical shop in Williams, and the additional time needed to disconnect and reconnect No. 4960 from its train. Currently, Hadder sees the depot displays as part of selected special events only. To be a regular occurrence, he says, “we will need to make some more permanent changes to standardize and simplify the arrangement.”
In September. No. 4960 will operate on two days from Williams to the national park’s South Rim. Sept. 7 is scheduled as a “First Saturday” excursion; a Sept. 21 trip will commemorate the railway’s anniversary.
For more information, visit the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel website. The steam schedule is also available here.
— Updated Aug. 15 at 11:10 a.m. with dates of previous events.
