Participants and Sponsors: Amtrak, Princess Tours, Metrolink, Operation Lifesaver, General Motors Electro-Motive Division, SantaFe, Southern Pacific,Verde Canyon Railway, Grand Canyon Railway, Sierra Madre Express
From the March 1993 ARPA newsletter
Several months have passed since Phoenix Union Station Days. Now the fond memory of the event holds a brighter candle to the bumps and bruises my colleagues and I endured in order to see the weekend off to a welcome by the public.
Saturday morning the event started a bit late because of the eastbound train beeing late out of Phoenix. Once the Amtrak Superliners and The Princess Observation car was spotted on the tracks south of the station, lines formed to board the train for a look.
I took a position in the deluxe sleeping room with an adjoining bedroom to answer questions and direct the crowd in one door and out the other. Questions most often asked was, how much does it cost? Is your meals included? How many people will each room sleep and where is the shower? The only thing that hooks you in more than looking is taking a relaxing, stress free trip on Amtrak Superliners to make you never want to go by automobile or plane again.
Many booths were present for the display of our current regional rail proposal presently being reviewed in the legislature. Amtrak, of course was there to answer questions, give out hats for the children, travel planners and price information. They also gave away several free trips.
The Santa Fe Museum car, Grand Canyon Railway, Arizona Central Railroad, The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Operation Lifesaver, T-Shirt sales and two local authors joined our event to bring railroading alive once again in Phoenix. We were also fortunate to have the city of Phoenix give us the Barkley bus [with a whole-vehicle decal depicting Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns] and a small bus as well as staff to help explain how important it is for all modes of public transportation can work successfully together.
Rain began Saturday evening and rained continuously through Sunday afternoon. This did not stop the crowds. Sunday our line continued down the trainset, across the platform, through the building and out to Fourth Avenue. Families and fans stood patiently in line under umbrellas for an experience many had never known existed.
The weekend was a great victory for A.R.P.A. My special thanks to Amtrak, Marci Larson, Princess Tours and the Santa Fe Railroad for their participation. I am still hearing people talk!
-- Nancy Crosby
(from left) George
Loulan in grey jacket talking to Ken Heaton (Legislative aide to Rep. Lela
Steffey). Mike Garey, Lela Steffey, Rob Wright of General Motors EMD. Sam Morse
is in blue jacket, right rear.
Representative Lela
Steffey (left) talking with Mike Garey (right).
George and Betty Loulan
at the ARPA Information Booth.