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Grand Canyon to put 2-8-0 steam engine in service
Hopefully this leads to steam running more often at the Grand Canyon.
Mr. Solberg, I share your sentiments 100%.
While there are numerous great photo opportunities along this route, ticket revenues are required to keep the wheels of historic equipment turning. I $trongly $uggest railfan$ $upport thi$, and other $team excur$ion$, with ticket purcha$e$. True, the photos from the day’s trip may not be as good as those available while chasing. The economic truth is that without revenues, train chasing opportunities will slowly disappear.
None of these steam locomotives are getting any younger. Each overhaul gets progressively more expensive as the wear and tear of operations digs deeper into the mechanical core of each locomotive.
Perhaps we can prevail on locomotive operators to schedule photo runbys at highly-scenic and isolated locations.
Or better yet - run/join a photo charter - you get the best of both worlds that way…
Rail enthusiasts may feel more enclined to ride the GCRY if the latter showed a little more respect for their passion. Which they didn’t on my last visit in the area.