WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The conclusion of the Grand Canyon Railway’s 2024 steam season was a fall finish as 2-8-2 No. 4960 made its Oct. 5 round trip between Williams and Grand Canyon National Park. Railway Chief Mechanical Officer Eric Hadder said the locomotive did well with no significant problems.
He also noted that No. 4960’s draw and appeal prompted additional steam days for the 2025 season. The schedule is now available on the Grand Canyon Railway’s website with the first trip of the year set for March 1. In the meantime, off-season work begins for both the locomotives and personnel.
For the former, No. 4960 will be winterized and parked at the Williams Depot as a photo backdrop during Polar Express excursions. The locomotive will then return to the shop in January for what Hadder describes as straightforward annual maintenance. Stablemate 2-8-0 No. 29 is currently undergoing a federally mandated 1,472-day inspection on the boiler, with early reports of tubes set to be installed this winter [See “Grand Canyon No. 4960 challenges grades…” News Wire, Sept. 24, 2024].
Meanwhile, training continues for additional engine crew as firemen and steam engineers. “Because the steam crew is not a full-time position, we pull employees from other positions,” Hadder explains. “Our next [fireman] candidate has been too busy working on regular shift and could not get away to work with the steam crew. Hopefully that will change in the spring.”
For more information, visit the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel website.
