Just read that the proposed $100 million light rail system for the Grand Canyon may be dead, with busses recommended instead. As there is already an underutilized rail line to the south rim, I could never understand the need for either. It would seem to make more sense to simply add more trains to the former Santa Fe branch. Even with a fully restored Santa Fe streamliner on the route, the cost would seem much less than what was proposed. Was that ever considered? Am I missing something here? Comments please..

Railway Preservation News
ryarger1@nycap.rr.com

>Am I missing something here? Comments please..

No offense, Bob, but I think you are. The light rail proposal was not to get people TO the park, but to move them around WITHIN the park. Already during the tourist season, automobiles are banned from West Rim road, and you must ride the shuttles or walk the rim trail to Hermit's Rest. The East Rim road to Yaki point, Grandview, and out to the east remains open (it's one of the main routes into the park).

(FYI to others: NPS had a plan to establish a large parking and residential complex between the town of Tusayan, a few miles south of the South Rim, and the current Grand Canyon Village. Visitors would use light rail to get into the park, and to move from one place to another inside the park.)

Light rail always seemed to be a bit of overkill, though the idea of banning cars from the main park area will, in my opinion, contribute to improving the atomsphere at the South Rim. Trying to find a parking place is always a challenge, and jam-ups are common during the summer.

As to the role of the Grand Canyon, Brother Jim Wrinn's excellent article in the current TRAINS makes it clear that NPS wants to better use them. But a shuttle system using GCRY tracks is impractical (GCRY is nowhere NEAR Tusayan - once out of Williams I don't think GCRY crosses a paved road until it gets to the South Rim, and it's about ten miles from Tusayan to Anita), and a lot of people try to do the South Rim as a day trip.

Which, in my opinion as a big fan and regular visitor to the Canyon, is a shame. There aren't many things more pleasant than waking up in the El Tovar and taking a cup of coffee out to the rim to watch the sun come up. Knowing that a steam locomotive will be along in a few hours doesn't hurt, either.

One last bit - we spent a couple of day at the North Rim in 1997. Sitting on the UP-constructed promenade outside the lodge, you can hear, and occasionally see the smoke from, the GCRY steam engines as they head north. A wonderful experience.

JAC

If you pay attention to what the National Parks Service is saying they would like to reduce the number of automobiles into most of the national parks. At Yosemite and the other Sierra Nevada national parks they want to reduce the number of overnight campers and control the number of day-trippers. Park the car outside the park and take a shuttle into the park.

Too many people and cars are not good for the national resources. We have got to preserve them for the coming generations.

BN

bnorden@gateway.net