The diesel power for our train. They still run steam occasionally, something like once month. They call it the "French Fry Special" because they fuel it with recycled waste vegetable oil (WVO), collected from restaurants and hotels in the area giving the exhaust a wonderful fragrance.
They put on a “Wild West” show in an outdoor theater before boarding now. They have a roving troubadour with a guitar come through and sing a few songs and tell jokes.
They did the hold-up when we rode last summer.....but it might be a seasonal thing. It was out in the middle of nowhere, so access and/or temps may keep them shut down during the winter. After the robbery, the bandits stayed on the train and visited with us. They also did the wild west show when we were there, so I don't think that was a replacement. Nice pics r_i.
More from the Verde Canyon RR. Crossing an arroyo. Bringing the locomotives around to head back down the canyon.The F7s were built for the Alaska RR. Looking up from the train at the canyon walls.
It has been quite some time since the last mention I'd heard of the Verde Canyon operation. Somehow it does not look so "verde".
The cottonwoods down along the Verde River were just starting to leaf out as winter comes to an end. The ecosystem along this rare riparian canyon really pops out of the desert surroundings giving it the name.
