For any of you that have not ridden this railroad yet, I strongly recommend riding it especially in the Summer when they run steam. The locomotives are beautiful. I also recommend that you splurge and go with the Observation car 1st class style it is well worth the extra money. They also put on one of the best Polar Express trips anywhere. We rode it in December of 2004 and it was snowing. With the steam escaping from the steam lines between the cars and the snow, it looked like we were waiting to board the Super Chief on a Winter's night. Fantastic! However, I just got off the phone with them today and most of the Fri. Sat. Sun. Polar Express trips are already booked for this year so you would have to go during the week but well worth it. The Polar express package also includes hotel and some meals.

Bill, I plan a side trip on the Gran Caynon Railroad on my way to Durango in September. I know it will not be steam but picked that time so I could ride the Photographer's Special on Durango and Silverton. I have my ticket for the D&SNGRR for September 23rd and 24th (coach 42, seat 36) and a room reserved in Silverton for that night. Really looking forward to that trip.

Since I gave up driving five years ago because of my eyes, I'm thinking about train from Fullerton, CA, to Williams and Grand Caynon, train from Williams to Albuquerque, bus from Albuquerque to Durango, a few days there then bus from Durango back home via Grand Junction with maybe a side trip to a national park out of Grand Junction.

It's the biggest excursion I've planned for years. I'll check the price for the observation car to Grand Caynon.

Maurie

I look forward to meeting you! I may be on the Photographers Special one of those days as the Engineer. If not I will still try to find you. Have fun! Bill

For those of you who haven't seen it... The Grand Canyon Railroad has a good video online about their steam engines:
http://www.thetrain.com/Steam-Event-7275.html

I am not sure I buy the "we stopped steam because of the environment" reason. Personally, I think it was economic. That being said, I think it is great that they continue to operate steam from time to time. I am particularly pleased to see that the engines are being maintained so well.

I agree, it was certainly a business decision as they really liked running former Amtrak power.
My wife and I rode it in 2007, the last season before daily steam ended, and we both had an amazing time. We did it up right, rode up in the dome car, stayed at the El Tovar overnight (in one of the corner rooms with a huge balcony overlooking the train station) then back on the business car. It’s SO worth the extra money! We changed our departure for the earlier run, so we rode behind steam both ways. My wife was so impressed that she’s suggested us going again in the winter months. That’s unusual because in her mind, once you’ve ridden a train, you DON’T ever need to do so again.

And staying there overnight gives you some great views of “The Ditch” you won’t normally get:

Resurrecting from the dead...

I'm reasonably sure that 2008 was their last year for using steam, since I was on it in 2008 and it was pulled by the steam engine, followed by my relief at having gone that year when they announced at the end of the season that they were going full diesel.

Amusingly enough, my trip on it was inspired by the DLRR and the Grand Canyon Diorama. I was flipping through a "greatest railway trips of the world" type coffee table book shortly after my last trip to DL in 2006 when I came on the entry for the GCRR. I was in shock: the Disney thing with the canyon and the steam train and stuff is for real?!

We rode in the Pullman carriages going up and Parlor Class going back. I will never by choice ride in a Pullman again, given that they were built for people with an average height of about a foot or more less than mine >_< Plus, Parlor Class is really, really nice. I would love to go back to the canyon and take the train, but this time forego the GCRR's vacation package and have an extra day or two at the canyon, maybe staying in the El Tovar.

Anyways, here is a video I cobbled together of the trip, for any interested persons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1qXLoFJ_CU

(Incidentally, the way back involved a 7-hour layover in LA, with an added bonus of it being a third Sunday. So Disney trains prompted the trip and closed it with a visit to Walt's Barn).

Along with the steam, it seems the ex ATSF GP7Us and MLW FPA-4s. I know that 2-8-0 18 is now with the Rio Grande Scenic, but what happened to 2-8-0s 19 and 20. I also wished they restore 4960 to her CB&Q look. When I was young, I didn't realize they were even the same engine...

Sure it was "for real!" Remember, the DRR used to be sponsored by the Santa Fe, which ran a line to the Grand Canyon (and even had an entire train by that name). The Santa Fe used to advertise that you could take their railroad to visit the real Grand Canyon, or you could take their trains to visit Disney's version.

Well, you're also talking to someone who is an obsessive planner but somehow hadn't heard of Primeval World before his first trip to Disneyland, even though he loves both steam trains and dinosaurs ^_^

To demonstrate what a n00b I am, I've been looking up stuff on the GCRR since joining this thread and taking in a model train show this past weekend, and I just learned that unbeknownst to me it was the closest I've ever come and likely ever will to the California Zephyr. Coolness!

I know there's a kid's show called "Dinosaur Train." I've seen some plastic train toys based on it. I'm afraid that's all I have to offer.