Verde Canyon Railroad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Verde Canyon Railroad |
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Preparing to leave from Clarkdale
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| Locale | Yavapai County, Arizona, United States |
| Terminus | Clarkdale |
| Commercial operations | |
| Built by | Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad |
| Operated by | Verde Canyon Railroad |
| Reporting mark | VCRR, AZCR |
| Length | 20 mi (32 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1912 |
| Closed to passengers | (?) |
| Closed | 1988 |
| Preservation history | |
| 1989 | Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad takes over the track and resumes freight service |
| 1990 | Verde Canyon Railroad started up |
| Headquarters | Clarkdale |
| Website | |
| Verde Canyon Railroad | |
The Verde Canyon Railroad is a special train ride in Arizona, USA. It's known as a heritage railroad because it uses old tracks and classic trains. The train travels between the towns of Clarkdale and Perkinsville.
This fun passenger train runs on about 20 miles (32 km) of tracks. These tracks belong to the Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad, which is a smaller railway line. The Verde Canyon Railroad has its main station, offices, and a cool railway museum in Clarkdale. This town is about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Sedona.
Contents
Meet the Locomotives
The Verde Canyon Railroad uses two amazing old diesel locomotives. They are called EMD FP7s, numbers 1510 and 1512. These are very rare, with only ten like them still running in North America!
Train's History and Look
These powerful engines were built way back in 1953. They were made by Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in Illinois. Originally, they worked for the Alaska Railroad. On March 8, 1997, these engines got a new look. They were painted with a special eagle design for the Verde Canyon Railroad.
Before they started their new job, engines 1510 and 1512 were carefully fixed up. They also got new safety features. In 2019, they received another fresh coat of paint and even more modern parts.
Journey Through Time: The Railroad's Story
The tracks used by the Verde Canyon Railroad have a long and interesting history. They first opened in 1912.
Early Days of the Tracks
These tracks were part of a bigger railway system. They connected a copper factory in Clarkdale to the copper mines in Jerome. The tracks then linked up with the Santa Fe Railway near Drake. The Santa Fe Railway owned and ran this 38-mile (61 km) section of track from 1912 until 1988.
New Beginnings for Passengers
In 1988, a person named David L. Durbano bought this railway line. Passenger train rides started again in 1990. This is when the Verde Canyon Railroad began its journey. The passenger trips go from Clarkdale to Perkinsville.
The railway line still carries freight (goods) all the way to Drake. But the fun passenger trips stop at Perkinsville.
The Scenic Route
A trip on the Verde Canyon Railroad is a 4-hour adventure. It's a 40-mile (64 km) round trip from Clarkdale to Perkinsville and back. The train follows the beautiful Verde River. You'll cross many bridges and trestles. It even goes through a 680-foot-long (210 m) curved tunnel!
Much of the land along the railway is protected. It's part of the Prescott National Forest or the Coconino National Forest.
A Popular Ride
About 100,000 people ride the Verde Canyon Railroad every year. In 2005, the railroad celebrated a big milestone: its one-millionth passenger! The next month, the Governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano, called it an "Arizona Treasure."
John Bell Railroad Museum
If you visit the Verde Canyon Railroad, be sure to check out the John Bell Railroad Museum. It's right at the main station complex in Clarkdale.
The museum is inside an old boxcar. It shows off cool railway items and old photographs. Many of these items came from John Bell's own collection.
See also
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
- List of historic properties in Clarkdale, Arizona
