Producer: Greg Scholl
Locations: Coconino Canyon, Williams
Timeframe: 2011, 2017
Length: 1 hour 12 minutes
Source: Ron Burkhard
Two separate event weekends starring ex: CB&Q 4960 on the Grand Canyon Railway in Arizona. Grand Canyon #29 is on another event. Photo Specials from 2011 and 2017. The line is Williams to Grand Canyon. Originally, a Santa Fe branch of 65 miles. Additional locomotives are listed below.
A single DVD. Fullscreen 4×3 aspect ratio. Live environmental audio. High quality video and sound.
Main Chapter Menu. A chapter advance. On-screen graphics. Preview section. Narrated by Christopher Kovacs.
To the Trains…
May 14-15, 2011. Former Burlington Route #4960. A Baldwin built 2-8-2 Mikado. This steamer continued on excursions for CB&Q until 1966. It is lettered as Grand Canyon now. A photo freight with photographers runbys. The scenery is diverse in Arizona. It can appear about the same as nearly 100 years ago.
The 4960 has clear stack talk. On the 14th, the mixed train had dropped the passenger coach to be a regular freight train with vintage cars. The Santa Fe wide vision caboose being a modern piece in the consist. Multiple runbys.
The addition of a passenger car used to be a hallmark of mixed trains. Traditionally, these were local freights that offered passenger service.
In the hole at Willaha. Regular ex: Amtrak F40PH pair passes the steam train.
The second day has 4960, pulling a passenger train. All exterior views this weekend. The narrative drops out, and it gets a bit repetitive.
Finally, a scenery change. Tall pine forest at Coconino Canyon. Cut and S curve.
Closeup view of a runby.
February 7-8, 2017. This time, 2-8-0 #29 is running. This Consolidation was on the Lake Superior and Ishpeming. Still photos only the first day. Day 2 has video. Engine 29 is the star. The 4960 is present and also on double-headers. Early diesel MLW FPA-4 also appears.
The 29/ 4960 double-header is featured for the rest of the day. Action is at Milepost 55.1 in the Coconino Canyon. The camera is onboard the train for some views that follow.
Some runbys at Miller’s Wash to conclude the event. Milepost 36.5.
Grand Canyon Steam Spectacular
Pro shot video and a fine soundtrack. Good narrative. Plenty of train sounds only scenes. Nice weather provided great lighting.
This doesn’t show either the Williams station area or the Grand Canyon endpoint. It only does the main runbys in high desert and Coconino Canyon.
A worthwhile show of the two steam train photographer specials. To rate an outstanding. The show should include the origins and destinations. That would be Williams and Grand Canyon. It is slightly incomplete without these station stops. Otherwise, this is a fine release with Grand Canyon Steam!
Rating: 4 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 