Follow the trains
Ride the rails at these interesting museums for train-lovers
Readers of this magazine have “followed the beat” if they are music lovers, entertained their “grands” if they have grandchildren along with them for the summer, followed the “trolleys, streetcars and trams” if they want to relive the past and ride a form of transportation that was in vogue a hundred years ago. Now it is time for railroad buffs to “follow the trains” and learn about railroad museums and organizations in the southwestern part of the USA. All aboard!
The Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler, Arizona, is a non-profit organization whose goal is to acquire, restore, preserve and display railway equipment, artifacts and mementos. The museum displays a large collection of locomotives—both diesel and steam—boxcars, switchers, passenger cars and cabooses. The star attraction is a Baldwin DRS 6-6-1500 with its original engines. Another Baldwin locomotive, No. 2562, is a steam engine built in 1906 for the Southern Pacific Railroad.
There is also a Porter locomotive, No. 5, 0-4-0, built in 1923 on display. The museum is open from 12 to 4 p.m., from mid-September to the end of May on weekends. There is no charge to wander through the display yard and buildings. Climbing into a passenger car and walking through costs US$2, US$5 per family.
Rail enthusiasts coming together
In the Phoenix area, three railroad groups have combined activities to form a museum covering many aspects of railroading. The Sahuaro Central Railroad Heritage Preservation Society, Inc. manages the Adobe Mountain Desert Railroad Park, which is home to the Arizona Model Railroad Society (AMRS) and the Maricopa Live Steamers (MLS).
The museum is situated in a former Ranger Station. Nearby is a 20-foot by 30-foot metal building which houses a Huntley HO scale model train layout. There is also a loop of 7.5-inch gauge track around the museum building. Going up in size, the MLS has installed five steaming bays and a transfer table at the compound. Eight miles of track run along the park with original signal systems, grade crossings and station platforms. MLS have researched and built to scale steam locomotives and modern diesels which can be ridden on.
Members also run the system with their own engines. Every Sunday beginning in September, MLS offers free rides to the public. This program lasts until mid-May, when it gets too hot to be outdoors.
A hands-on experience
Finally, we have the Verde Canyon Railroad Excursion in Clarksdale, Arizona, where you can actually ride a train from Clarksdale to Perkinsville, moving at 12 miles per hour. Your locomotion is provided by either one of two diesel electric ST-7s from Alaska. There are only 12 of these workhorses left in the USA. You will see wildlife and natural scenery as you pass through towering crimson pinnacles, go near ancient ruins and cross over fortified trestles. Towards the end of the journey, the train passes through a 680-foot long man-made tunnel. The ride takes about four hours from start to finish and is truly a desert experience . Rides cost US$79.95 for first class and US$54.95 for coach.
In the nearby state of New Mexico, there are two attractions of interest to railroad buffs. The New Mexico Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has a story that will captivate you. This organization is in the process of restoring Santa Fe Locomotive No. 2926 and putting it back in running order. This is not an easy
task, for your local DIY does not carry spare parts for an almost 100-year-old engine. The locomotive last ran in the 1950s and had to be moved to a location where it could be worked on.
Raising money to carry out the work was difficult, but moving this machine was a task in itself, for the wheels had not been turned in over 40 years. But move it they did, all one million pounds (454,545 kilograms) of it. No. 2926 is massive, sitting 16 feet high and 120 feet long. In its prime, it was clocked at 110 miles per hour, running from Los Angeles, California to Chicago, Illinois from the late 1920s into the 1950s. It is so large that it can be easily seen from the Interstate. This was the last of the steam locomotives used by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. An added attraction is that this loco has its tender, water and oil car and caboose in tact.
A slightly smaller scale
Also in New Mexico, you will find the complete opposite of No. 2926—a museum devoted to model trains. The Toy Train Depot in Alamogordo, NM is New Mexico’s earliest museum devoted to model trains (note that it is also a toy store, so ladies, watch your husbands). It is the home of America’s Park Ride Train Museum, with 1,200 feet of model train track.
The museum building was built in 1898 as a working railway depot and was moved to the site. Model trains and toy trains are set up for viewing inside. There are eight different types of model trains on display, going from the largest, Lionel
Standard, down to G, Lionel O, American Flyer S, HO, TT, N and Z. Outside, there is a 16-inch gauge train that runs around the building. You can ride this one for a nominal fee. The museum is open from 12 to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday.
Well, now it is the end of our train ride, so everyone out. We hope you enjoyed your tour. Future articles on trains will cover those in Colorado, Nevada and California. Watch this space.
Resources
The Arizona Railway Museum 480-821-1108
Sahuaro Central Railroad Heritage Preservation Society 480-312-2312
Verde Canyon Railroad Excursion 928-639-0010
N M Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society 505-332-2926
Toy Train Depot 575-437-2855
Editor’s Note: National Train Day will be celebrated on May 5, 2012. This will be the 5th annual event throughout the USA to celebrate Rail Line Communities of America’s railway and train services, from freight to terminal railroads, including passenger trains of all types.
