All aboard! Fans of classic trains can take a steam-powered excursion to the Grand Canyon once again starting in March 2024. The Grand Canyon Railway announced dates for the 2024 season, and will run its 1923 steam engine on select Saturdays.
Fewer than 200 steam engine locomotives—once a widely-used means of transportation in the 19th century—remain in the U.S., and just a handful are in operation as passenger trains. Grand Canyon Railway has one of these trains, and offers leisurely, steam-powered excursions to the Grand Canyon once a month.
Steam engines of the past were powered by coal, but Grand Canyon Railway’s steam engine GCR No. 4690 is now powered by nearly carbon-neutral waste vegetable oil and snowmelt. The train’s fuel source has earned it the nickname “French Fry Express.”
Grand Canyon Railway offers steam-powered journeys from Williams, Arizona to the Historic Village on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on Steam Saturdays: the first Saturday of each month between March and October. The engine will pull the 9:30am train on these days.
The full-day journey drops passengers at the Historic Village at 11:45am. You can then explore the area for a few hours before the train departs for Williams at 3:30pm. Tickets start at $70 for adults, $36 for children ages two to 15. Find dates, details and booking info on the Grand Canyon Railway’s website.