Ride the rails of this scenic natural wonder.
All Aboard The Grand Canyon Railway

By Sam Dalton (First Published in Valley magazine)

We were about an hour east of Barstow, careening along I-40 a few notches shy of a speeding ticket, when my 15-year-old chirped, "Is it a crevice or a crevasse?" His query was one in a long line of “brain-teasers” he's proffered over the years, intended to challenge my fatherly omniscience. And this one was a doosy. Trying hard to mask my rudimentary knowledge of all things geological, I offered, "When static electricity folds your pant leg up around your knee, that's a crevice. When wind and water crack open the northern half of Arizona, that's a crevasse." Of course, the topic of our little causerie was the Grand Canyon, Mother Nature's stunning contribution to the geological "Wonders of the World", and the final destination for a weekend getaway looming dead ahead.

This year, the National Park Service expects a record five million visitors to the Grand Canyon, the majority of whom will arrive by car. And with so many motorists clogging up the roadways inside this popular tourist attraction, things are bound to get tight. Fortunately, for those among us who abhor gridlock, there is an alternative. Hop aboard the Grand Canyon railway, a turn-of-the-century steam train that chugs through the plains and forests of the "Wild West" along a 65-mile spur between Williams, Arizona and the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

Traveling by train from Williams to the Grand Canyon is not a novel idea. Rail service had been around, in one incarnation or another, from 1901 until the late '60s, when it fell victim to America's love affair with the automobile. The last Santa Fe passenger train pulled out of Williams on July 30, 1968, with only three customers aboard. Except for occasional freight runs, which continued until 1974, the tracks lay dormant for the next 21 years. Then, in 1989, Arizona entrepreneurs Max and Thelma Beigert announced plans to re-open the Grand Canyon Railway. And on September 17 of that year, following a month-long refurbishment marathon the Grand Canyon railway carried passengers to the canyon's South Rim once again.

Plan to make Williams the base for your visit to the Grand Canyon. This sleepy little burg, lying along I-40 about 15 miles west of Flagstaff, Arizona, has touted its reputation as the "Gateway to the Grand Canyon" for almost a century--a well-deserved designation many tourists, so far, have ignored. Small-town ambience abounds here amid scenic surroundings and a historic downtown district that drips with nostalgia. "Route 66" signs dangle everywhere in silent testimony to the townsfolk's tenacious hold on the past. After all, Bill Williams Avenue, the city's main drag, was the last section in America of that historic corridor to be bypassed by the freeway system in 1984.

You'll find plenty of shops and eateries along this charming thoroughfare. The Pueblo Indian Gallery features artwork and sculpture exquisitely crafted by a collection of young Navajo artisans, including Michael Chee and Curtis Yunito. Across the street is Colors of the West, a rambling adobe jam-packed with eclectic items ranging from Native American rugs to painted gourds to Santa Fe salsa.

Accommodations, for the most part, are of the roadside motel variety--simple, relatively inexpensive and comfortable. Two hostelries, however, offering rooms and amenities a shade above the rest, merit special attention, even though you’ll pay a few dollars more. (The Grand Canyon Railway's own historic Fray Marcos Hotel was not open at the time this article was written). The Canyon country Inn, a charming colonial-style B&B reconstructed from the former Thurston Motel, features 13 guest rooms handsomely appointed in cozy touches of pine, wallpaper and lace. There are even teddy bears on the beds.

A snug second-floor parlor is the perfect hideaway for curling up with your favorite best seller. In the morning, a continental breakfast of homemade muffins, juice and coffee is delivered to your door.

Families should check out the Mountain Side Inn and resort--a two-story pioneer-style homestead slung across a forested slope gracing the eastern end of town. Accommodations range from individual rooms with two double beds to a two-bedroom suite gesturing a queen-size bed and two doubles. Outside, a short pathway leads to a cluster of picnic tables perched on a Ponderosa-dotted hillside. Legions of squirrels scamper about as you pause here to enjoy this shady refuge. Kids will love splashing around in an outdoor heated pool and spa.

"Miss Kitty's", the Mountainside's western-style restaurant, is a veritable chow-palace of beef, burgers an barbecue. You'll get a kick out of the menu, which boasts everything from Jalapeno chili beer (an honest-to-gosh pepper floats in the middle of this brow-sweater) to huge dinner platters heaping with tangy charbroiled ribs. Heck, even your waitress shows up packing a replica of a Colt.45 "Peacemaker" on her hip. Prices are a bit steep, but the portions are hefty. There’s also a kid's menu.

For a more intimate atmosphere, try the Dining Car (located adjacent to the lobby). Here, a crackling fireplace provides a warm setting to enjoy Chef Bob Katsaman's culinary delights. His Cajun prime rib is a fiery explosion of Louisiana hospitality you won't soon forget.

In the morning, head over to the Grand Canyon Railway depot located near the middle of town at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Grand Canyon Boulevard. The train departs (daily June through September, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) for the South Rim at 10:00 a.m. Arrive about an hour early so you have plenty of time to snoop around this winsome historic landmark. Once the site of the original Fray Marcos Hotel (of Harvey House fame) the building now houses the Grand Canyon Railway museum, the Indian Room Gallery, the Depot Shop and a ticket counter.

Outside are several more displays, including a steam locomotive and "Dennis the Menace", a Texas longhorn steer the size of a Sherman tank. In a dusty corral nearby, a friendly game of poker (played by a passel of shifty-eyed desperadoes hunched over a bale of hay) quickly erupts into a blistering Western shoot out. It's a knee-slapping performance that'll keep you chuckling long after you've boarded the train.

Settle into a cushy high-backed seat in one of the authentically restored 88-passenger 1920s Harriman coach cars and let the plaintive refrain of the engine whistle whisk you back in time. You can also opt to upgrade to one of two specially equipped first-class cars for a nominal additional fee. The Chief Keokuck car (at the rear of the train) is a Pullman parlor car beautifully refurbished to its original 1923 condition. It features a classic open platform, oversize windows and freestanding wing-back chairs. (A few years after this article was first published, the Chief Keokuk car was replaced. Unfortunately, its replacement was damaged in a fire. A third chief car is expected to be on-line in September 2002.)

Dark smoke billows from the stack of Engine #18 (built by the American Locomotive Company in 1910) as the 158-ton behemoth shudders out of the station. (Grand Canyon Railway runs authentic steam engines between Memorial Day weekend and the end of September. Vintage diesel engines pull the train the rest of the year.) Soon, modern civilization gives way to the Ponderosa-carpeted wilderness of the Kaibab National Forest. And, as the train barrels along at a top speed of 40 mph, you savor the picturesque countryside slowly drifting by.

The on-board entertainment includes a gravel-voiced troubadour named Dangerous Dave who strolls through each car performing a rollicking sideshow of cowboy poetry and Western sing-alongs. Kids squeal with delight every time he shows up. Neatly dressed cabin attendants wander through occasionally, serving complimentary snacks and beverages.

Two and one-half hours after leaving Williams, the train chugs into the Grand Canyon Depot, dropping you off within steps of the South Rim. On one-day excursions, you'll have about three hours to explore the numerous hiking trails that skirt the breathtaking chasm. Museums and historic landmarks abound. And don't be surprised if you spot a wild animal or two along the way.

If your schedule allows, plan to spend a couple of days here. (Book your delayed return when making reservations for the train.) You'll have more time to enjoy the park, including activities that take place inside the canyon, like fishing, river rafting and mule trips. Consider overnighting at the El Tovar hotel. This 100-room relic, built of native boulders and Oregon pine, first opened January 14, 1905. A lovely shaded veranda, gracing its entrance, sports comfortable chairs made of cut saplings. Ooze into one and watch the world make its way to the canyon's edge. Inside you'll find first-class accommodations and congenial service. Even if you're not staying here, this grand dame is worth checking out.

On your ride back, keep your eyes peeled for a tangle of masked bandits who thunder up on horseback to "rob" everyone on board. Their wisecracking shenanigans provide a hilarious denouement to a wonderfully vintage family adventure. A cloud of steam engulfs the train as it nears the end of its run, temporarily obliterating encroaching vestiges of the present. Before deboarding, you tarry amid the watery haze, transfixed in its languid sanctuary. And you wish you could stay.