WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The 2023 steam schedule for Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel concluded on Oct. 9 with 2-8-2 No. 4960 making an appearance at the depot in Williams for the Employee Fall Festival. This comes after the final “First Saturday” steam excursion of the year to Grand Canyon National Park a couple of days prior.
Grand Canyon Railway chief mechanical officer Eric Hadder reports that the locomotive performed great during the Oct. 7 run to the South Rim, which saw a maximum train size of 16 cars full of 850 passengers. F40 diesel No. 4128 was once again in the consist providing helper service when needed.
With the 2023 season wrapped up, Hadder is looking ahead to 2024 and beyond in terms of maintenance and operations. Continual training of engine crew is a must due to the length of time it takes for personnel to become certified firemen and then engineers, he said. In the meantime, winterizing No. 4960 will take place in preparation for the locomotive’s display at the Williams depot as part of the Polar Express excursions prior to the offseason maintenance and repairs. “It will be drained of water while at about 250 degrees,” Hadder explained. “Having the metal still hot will help the boiler dry more completely.
“After that, we will run the locomotive a short distance on compressed air to dry out the superheaters, plus the air pumps, dynamo, and water pump will be run on air. Gauges, check valves, and areas that could trap moisture will be disassembled or removed.”
Offseason work will include the following, according to Hadder in a previous report [See “Grand Canyon No. 4960 commemorate railway’s multiple anniversaries,” News Wire, Sept. 18, 2023]:
- Normal annual maintenance
- Adjusting the buffer between the locomotive and tender
- Rebuilding the power reverse
Amid No. 4960’s star power on the Grand Canyon Railway has also been the gaining momentum of work on 2-8-0 No. 29. Out of service since the end of 2019, the railway’s second steam locomotive is currently undergoing a federally mandated 1,472-day inspection on the boiler. “The tubes and flues have been removed,” Hadder reports. “Next will be the removal of the flexible staybolt caps and inspection of the staybolts.
“Then the ultrasound inspection will be conducted. Meanwhile, a new throttle valve is being constructed.”
The 2024 steam schedule on the Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel website has yet to be released.
Mission accomplished successfully.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Grand Canyon Railway 4960 is a preserved O-1A class 2-8-2 “Mikado” type steam locomotive built in August 1923 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) Railroad. It was used by the CB&Q to pull freight trains, until 1958, when the locomotive pulled its first excursion fantrip, as part of the railroad’s steam excursion program.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün