Grand Canyon Railway, AZ

Overview: Fast Facts

On Sept. 17, 1901, the first passengers arrive at the Grand Canyon South Rim aboard the train from Williams, Ariz.


Grand Canyon National Park is established by an act of Congress on Feb. 26, 1919.A good road into Grand Canyon National Park is built in the 1920s, making travel to the rim easier.

Diesel locomotives begin traveling the Grand Canyon line. in the 1940s

The last steam train travels the route to the Grand Canyon in 1953.

In July 1968 three passengers travel the last regularly scheduled train service to the Grand Canyon.

Santa Fe maintenance crews and the field engineer abandon the Williams train station facility for good in 1988.

On Jan. 10, 1989, Max and Thelma Biegert announced the redevelopment of the railway route to the Grand Canyon and the rehabilitation of the historic Fray Marcos Hotel and Williams Depot. On Sept. 17, 1989, the Williams Depot re-opens under Grand Canyon Railway's ownership.

Reconditioning of two vintage 1906 and 1910 steam locomotives take place in 1989 - 1990; each locomotive requires 8,000 to 10,000 hours to rebuild.

The Grand Canyon Depot re-opens to welcome Grand Canyon Railway's trains in July 1990.

Grand Canyon Railway carries more than 225,000 passengers per year in 2004, which reduces automobile traffic to the South Rim by 10 percent.

In 2009 the Grand Canyon Railway reinstates limited steam operations at the Williams Depot. After converting locomotive No. 4960 to run purely on waste vegetable oil (WVO), the Railway begins conducting steam trips on its special event train dubbed the "Cataract Creek Rambler".

2018-07-14 HAZ_Hikebot