Verde Canyon RR

[ezdays]

Last Saturday was a special day for us; we celebrated our 45th anniversary on the Verde Canyon RR out of Clarkdale, Arizona. There is some fantastic scenery along the way, and we got to ride in luxury in a restored 1930’s passenger car that was used on the ATSF El Capitan before they went to the hi-level cars of the 50’s. El Capitan ran from Los Angeles to Chicago. The train is pulled by two FP-7’s with a bald eagle on each side.

Here are a few of the many shots I took along the way. That speck in the sky is a bald eagle that had just taken off from its nest in the side of a hill:

 

[ezdays]

Here are just a few more shots of the canyon and a shot of some cars that are waiting to be restored:

 

[Matthyro]

Looks like you folks had a grand time Don. You sure captured the scenery well and all from the comfort of that luxurious passenger car. They don't make them like that anymore.

 

[brakie]

Great photos! Congrats on your 45th anniversary..Thanks for sharing the photos..

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Great photos Don.
I've been to Clarkdale and looked around the station area and yard but haven't rode the train yet.
This would be an interesting railroad to model as they run regular freight service also.

 

[ezdays]

Great photos Don.
I've been to Clarkdale and looked around the station area and yard but haven't rode the train yet.
This would be an interesting railroad to model as they run regular freight service also.

Yeah Ray, from what they said, the current owner bought the line based on freight revenue. It wasn't until a few years later that he decided to run the passenger tour. Seems like they run a full train just about every day. It doesn't go anywhere. Two hours to Perkinsville Ranch, switch the engine, then two hours back. But, I've ridden the Grand Canyon RR a couple of times, and there, it's the destination, not the journey. Here, it's all about the ride.:thumb::thumb:

 

[Papa Bear]

Nice photos, Don. And a great way to spend your anniversary!

 

[ezdays]

We had another opportunity to take the train ride when we had some out of state visitors come by two weeks ago. Here are a few more shots I didn't get last time:

 

[ezdays]

Here are a few more:
The first is the two FP7's switching sides at Perkinsville
The next two are of the Perkinsville station
The forth is an abandond bunkhouse. The base of the water tower is still standing. The tower itself was blown up for a movie that was made there.
A bridge leaving Perkinsville

 

[ezdays]

Just a few more:
An old slag pile
A power station
The old roundhouse
An engine in Flagstaff
Flagstaff Station

 

[ezdays]

We continued our trip through Sedona and visited a couple of Indian ruins:
Another shot of the Chaple in Sedona, alway impessive
Two more shots of Sedona
Some Indian ruins in Tousigoot National Monument
Some more ruins at Montazuma's Castle National Monument

 

[ezdays]

Lastly, the most unique sight of the entire trip, a McDonald's in Sedona where they had to forego the Golden Arches, since the town insisted on Teal. Note the license plate on the car in front of the building....

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I rode the Verde Canyon RR two years ago when we visited Sedona. I've never ridden any of the Colorado narrow gauge trains, but Durango and Silverton and Alaska RR are the only railroads I can think of in North America with comparable scenery. I liked the open gondola's between the passenger cars where you could go out to take pics, and then come back in if you got cold. I've also thought of modeling the Verde Valley. They offer custom painted Athearn f-7s in the gift shop, but since they are exclusive to the Verde Valley RR, they are pricey.

 

[steamhead]

Hi,

Great pics...just in time, too! I'm just about ready to start the southwest scenery on my LC&P. We'll see how it turns out...

Gus (LC&P).

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Back in the mid 80's or so John Olsen did a project layout for MR called the Jerome & Southwestern, based on this area and R.R. It was one of my all time favorite layouts. Great pics Don!

 

[ezdays]

Thanks all, this area is one of our favorite to visit. I think we'd move there except for three reasons. It snows up there and the cost of homes are about double that here in the Phoenix area. Oh, the third reason, it snows up there ...

I'd like to see that article. Ray Marinaccio has a better handle on some of the railroads that ran up in that area, but I know that the tracks that the Verde Canyon RR is now using were laid for back in the 20's to service the mines up Jerome. The tracks go well beyond Perkinsville, the turnaround point for the tour.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Don I've been giving away alot of my old issues so I don't thiink I have that anymore but if you go to MR's website and type in the Jerome & Southwestern on their search thingie it should take you to it. For a small fee they will photocopy it and send it to you if you want.

 

[ezdays]

Don I've been giving away alot of my old issues so I don't thiink I have that anymore but if you go to MR's website and type in the Jerome & Southwestern on their search thingie it should take you to it. For a small fee they will photocopy it and send it to you if you want.

Thanks for the tip. There's a train show in Mesa next month. There's always a few people there selling back issues for under a dollar each, so I might do that first.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Don I'll be off next week, I'll try and see if I still have any of the issues. The layout was a 4x8 with a 2x6 extension called the Back Alley & Wharf or something. The project was in about 6-8 issues I think. He had alot of the history and photos of the real area and interviews with some of the local people and employees.

 

[ezdays]

Don I'll be off next week, I'll try and see if I still have any of the issues. The layout was a 4x8 with a 2x6 extension called the Back Alley & Wharf or something. The project was in about 6-8 issues I think. He had alot of the history and photos of the real area and interviews with some of the local people and employees.

Thanks, I know a few other people here that would be interested as well.