As promised during an earlier discussion of a week or so ago, here is a summation of my trip to Arizona from Wednesday, July 21 through Saturday, July 24.
Any concerns about the temperatures in Williams and the Grand Canyon in the summer should be discounted. I flew in and out of Phoenix and, yes, it was 102 degrees at noon on Thursday and Saturday. Williams is located at 6700 feet and it considerably cooler than Phoenix. I rode the cab of #4960 round trip along with my most gracious host, Robert Franzen. Even on the locomotive, the heat was bearable. It might have reached 90 degrees at the Canyon on Friday but it was much more pleasant than a 90 degree day in the midwest or the south. Do NOT let the heat "horror" stories keep you from experiencing the finest steam railroad in this country today. The weather was very similar to what you would experience in Durango or Chama at the same time of the year.
As for the Grand Canyon Rwy, if you have not visited during steam season, get thee to Williams. Our train on Friday consisted of #4960, a tank car canteen, two Montreal-built "B" units, a power car, six Harriman coaches, a Budd stainless cafe car, a Harriman club car and six more Budds, including two domes and an open platform parlor car. It was filled to capacity and this is the largest train that can be operated without resorting to a second section.
The Santa Fe basically built the line as cheaply as possible and did minimal cut and fill work as the route was expected to be predominately a passenger railroad, not a heavy freight route. The are many dips and sags that make train handling (particularly a sixteen car train) problematic. On the 3.5 percent grade northbound up to Imbleau (Apex) #4960 and the two diesels had all they could handle to drag the big train upgrade, topping the crest at about 15 mph. Much of the railroad is posted for 40 mph so this is actually a secondary mainline operation. Robert and his fireman, Justin, did a spectacular job in running and firing #4960. And #29 caught the assignment on Saturday, so I got to see that beautifully restored 2-8-0, also.
Do not miss this operation due to the misconception that it is too hot to enjoy the trip. I know it was hotter in Illinois on July 17, 1966, when I last rode behind #4960 than it was over the weekend in Arizona.

Don C.

milw261@sbcglobal.net