Adobe Mountain Desert Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adobe Mountain Desert Park (Railroad Park)
Porter 0-4-0 18" gauge locomotive
Type	Railroad Park with Museum
Location	23280 North 43rd Avenue Glendale, Arizona
Operated by	Sahuaro Central

The Adobe Mountain Desert Park, also known as "The Railroad Park", is a fun place for train lovers! It's home to several groups that focus on trains. These include the Sahuaro Central Railroad Heritage Preservation Society and its museum. You'll also find the Arizona Model Railroading Society here. Plus, the Maricopa Live Steamers, who offer train rides, are part of the park.

This big park covers about 160 acres. It's located in Glendale, Arizona, on 43rd Avenue. The park also has some special houses from World War II. These houses were once used to house Japanese-American citizens during a difficult time in history. They were moved here from a place called the Leupp Isolation Center.

History

Old Adobe Park Ranger Station, now the Sahuaro Central headquarters and museum

The Adobe Mountain Desert Railroad Park started in 1989. The Sahuaro Central Railroad Heritage Preservation Society leased 80 acres of land. They made an agreement with the Maricopa Parks and Recreation Department. This agreement allowed them to use the land for 25 years for free. They also had a chance to renew it for another 25 years.

In 1992, another group joined the park. This was the Arizona Model Railroading Society (AMRS). They had been around since 1984. The AMRS needed a new place for their model trains. They thought Adobe Mountain Park would be a great fit. Soon after, they made an agreement with Sahuaro Central.

The Maricopa Live Steamers (MLS) also wanted to join. They used to operate their miniature trains in Scottsdale. They moved their operations to the Adobe Mountain Desert Park in 1992. Now, all three groups work together at the park. A special board helps manage the park's shared areas. This includes roads, parking, and utilities.

The Sahuaro Central Railroad Museum

Welcome to Sahuaro Central Railroad Museum

The Sahuaro Central Railroad Museum is in a building that used to be a park ranger station. This museum is the main office for Sahuaro Central. Inside, you can see many cool exhibits. Some of these are on loan from members of the society.

You'll find different sizes of train models. There are also old items from early Arizona railroading. These include a conductor's cap, railroad spikes, and old lanterns. You can even see the bell and headlight from a real Porter 0-4-0 locomotive. There's also a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs. The old ranger station has been made bigger for meetings and museum activities.

Outside the museum, there are several real steam locomotives. One is a Porter 0-4-0 locomotive from 1887. It was used in a copper mine in Arizona. Another is a restored mini H.J. Ottaway steam engine. You can also see the four Japanese Internment Camp houses from Leupp, Flagstaff. These houses were built in 1943.

The Arizona Model Railroading Society (AMRS)

Right next to the museum is a large metal building. This building belongs to the Arizona Model Railroading Society (AMRS). Sahuaro Central helped pay for its construction. Inside, you can see amazing model train layouts. These include the Huntley HO train layout. The AMRS also has layouts in G, N, and O scales.

The Maricopa Live Steamers (MLS)

Sign leading to the free rides in Adobe Station

The Maricopa Live Steamers (MLS) is the oldest group of its kind in Arizona. They own many 7 1/2-inch gauge train engines. They also have about 50 riding cars and 20 other cars. From 1996 to 1999, MLS built three miles of track. This track was placed outside the Sahuaro Central museum. A loop of the track was added around the museum in 1998.

As of 2022, MLS has over 18 miles of 7 1/2-inch gauge tracks. They also have 1500 feet of 4 3/4-inch track. MLS offers free train rides on Sundays. These rides are available from October through April. The train rides start at Adobe Station. They take you through the desert landscape. There are six different routes, but usually up to four are used for the public.

You'll see working signals, bridges, and even a tiny tunnel. In 2012, Shelby's Junior Engineer School opened. Here, kids of all ages can drive a small electric model of a diesel train. The MLS's Arizona Western Railroad is one of the biggest miniature railroads in the United States. MLS also built an old western-themed town. It has false fronts on their storage buildings.

Images for kids

The following photographs are of The Sahuaro Central Railroad Museum, the Arizona Model Railroading Society (AMRS) and the Maricopa Live Steamers (MLS)

See also

• McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
• List of heritage railroads in the United States
• List of historic properties in Glendale, Arizona
• Catlin Court Historic District
• Manistee Ranch
• Sahuaro Ranch
• USS Arizona salvaged artifacts