The "greenest" steam train in America. At least that's how they bill today's Grand Canyon Steam operations. Both of the line's two steamers are converted coal-burners, each now fueled by some sort of bio-degradable vegetable oil. Although some say the exhaust smells like french fries, it still smelled like regular waste-oil to me.
Consolidation #29 seen here running in Coconino Canyon, was built in 1906 by the American Locomotive Company in Lima, Ohio to haul iron ore trains on the Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad in Michigan. The long-serving engine was finally retired by the LS&I in 1960, and changed hands a couple of times over the next three decades, before coming to the Grand Canyon Railway in 1989. It entered service on the GCRX in 1990 and operated until 1995 when it was sidelined for a major overhaul. It re-entered service in 2004 and ran until new ownership decided to suspend steam operations in 2008. Although it had a relatively fresh FRA Form 4, it was parked and used as a display locomotive for the next 8 years. Finally, in 2016, for the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the 29 was restored to operating condition and has been alternating with the 4960 on the line's monthly steam weekend runs. If you've never seen this big Consolidation run, get yourself out to Williams sometime in the next couple of years. Her current Form 4 expires in 2019 and there are no guarantees after that.
The Grand Canyon Railroad, operating a 64-miles former Santa Fe branch to the eponymous natural wonder, is one of the best tourist railroads in the United States. It operates both steam and diesel locomotives.
