This is their Canyon-bound train the morning of May 22, 2012 at MP 8.4 north of Williams, AZ. WOW!

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http://railfan44.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... AZ%202.JPG

Yes, not too many places where domes are in daily public service.

It makes me feel old to realize that F-40s in tourist service in 2012 is like F-7s in service in the 80's. They have done a good job at recreating a heritage passenger train with various levels of service.

I have to admit, that is a good looking train, all it really needs to look "right" would be those EMD F-7s, F-9s, or E-units of some sort.

These photos reveal one of the things that made classic passenger trains look as good as they did was that everything matched well. That was most notable with streamliners, but it applied to steam and green heavyweights, too, as recently illustrated on the Valley Railroad recently.

Doesn't the Grand Canyon Railway have some FPA-4 cab units?

Les

GCRy has a real good thing going. Excellent equipment, friendly staff, good scenery and a true destination. My wife and I rode it in 2007 and we loved it (mind you, they still had daily steam at that time). I've suggested to co-workers going to the Canyon later on to ride the dome going out and the buisness car going back. It's not cheap but it's really a great experience, especially if you only plan on doing it once or twice in your life.
When we were there, they were clearly transitioning to the bare steel look, but I miss the green colors...

The old Amtrak "box specials" were being collected and a couple of them were hauling trains, but the FPA-4's were running quite a bit as well, both A and B units, in a mix of green and bare metal.
I have a photo of one here:
http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/50778/title/sentinel-at-williams/cat/500
And a video with a lot of photos here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe98FO7txqc

Thanks for posting the photo of 2-8-0 #29. We rode the train a few years ago, and number 29 was also at the head end. No diesel "helper" though; she did it all on her own. Quite an experience (we rode in an open window coach and got the full sound of the Consolidation "down on her knees" on the grade).

Les

Can you picture a set of EMD F-7's in Santa Fe Warbonnet!??! Wow.

As for the FPA-4's - yes, they still have them but if I recall correctly, they
are out of service and up for sale. Not sure if there is a rush to get them
sold but an offer would likely be entertained. Too bad - they were awesome
looking on the point. Can't say I'm a big fan of the F40's, but I'll visit the
line for the steam.

/Mitch

It looked like this train had been sitting all winter.

http://railfan44.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=3033673

http://railfan44.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=3033674

Five days a week you can buy an extra-fare ticket to ride ex-DRGW CZ dome Silver Bronco, now sponsored by and named for Emerson Electric, on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic. This replaces leased MRLX ex-GN/Amtrak dome 9410, which left the property last week.

Question on Cuyahoga: are you guaranteed a dome seat with the dome ticket? Do they reserve seats?

The three FPA-4s shown in the picture are out of service and up for sale if I recall correctly. GCR still has two ALCos, one A-unit and one B-unit, that they keep up their sleeves in case of a power shortage. Both of these are painted in the silver scheme.

When I was working there, the general consensus was that the FPA-4 only went on the train as the leading locomotive in an absolute emergency, because they're very uncomfortable for the crews. Fumes seep in through the electrical cabinet, and the vision is very limited out the front windows.

When we were there in '07, they were still running the FPAs but you could see the F40PHs were going to be the primary diesel power. I was told by the employees then that I should get all the ALCO shots I could because the F40PHs were going to be "it" soon, for the same reasons above.

Yes, buying a dome ticket should guarantee you a seat in the dome. It is sold by reservation over the internet, I believe. If you can't reserve it that way, you certainly can over the phone. They sell the dome car seats separately from everything else, and the lower level seats are also extra fare, but not as much. I would submit that the lower level of the dome car is now probably the most comfortable car that is regularly on the Scenic, the downstairs seats still recline a little. Silver Bronco is totally a dome coach, with the restrooms below the dome. Currently, the step end of the dome is on the North side, and the car still has it's writing table and chair at the bottom of the steps, but I think the crew usually uses it.

Just took a look at the second photo, and noticed what looks like a Shay way off in the background, and also some other locomotive back there. It's hard to tell, but could it be a boxcab from the Black Mesa & Lake Powell?

http://railfan44.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=3033674

Neither one of those are something I would expect to see in Williams.