If there is anybody in Phoenix who is unaware that Amtrak provides train service to this city, they must have been out of town Saturday and Sunday, February 13th and 14th, the weekend of the second Phoenix Union Station Days. When this event was held two years ago, it made headlines above the report of the start of the ground war in Iraq. This year thirty thousand people came to Phoenix Union Station to see an Amtrak trainset (sleeper, lounge-cafe and coach) and Princess Tours' luxurious dome car, even braving the half-hour wait in the cold and rain on Sunday.
Children attending the event were delighted with the fans and engineer caps that were handed out in the Santa Fe museum car. Attendees were able to purchase rail books and tapes or view tapes, such as those of the Grand Canyon Railway. Operation Lifesaver was there to deliver its message of grade-crossing safety. Amtrak brochures were available for those who wanted to learn more about train travel in the USA, and, of course, ARPA had a booth as well.
ARPA's treasury was increased through the sale of soda and popcorn and especially through the efforts of Marylouise Barns with her silent auction.
The event was sponsored by Amtrak, Bombardier Corporation, General Motors' Electro-Motive Division, Princess Tours, Santa Fe Railroad, and Southern Pacific Railroad. EMD endured the major disappointment of the weekend: the planned appearance of a Metrolink train from Los Angeles was aborted due to the derailment of a freight train near Indio, which halted all of Southern Pacific's traffic into Arizona.
That unfortunate incident also delayed the arrival of the Amtrak equipment for Saturday's display, and it prevented the use of Metrolink equipment for Friday's demonstration of regional rail.
An event like Phoenix Union Station Days does not just happen by itself. The event organizers, headed by Michael Garey and Nancy Crosby, included George and Betty Loulan, Marylouise Barns, Elizabeth Garey, Sam Morse, Jay Meyers, John Gale, and others, all of whom worked tirelessly to overcome every obstacle that threatened the event. Thanks also to the sponsors, Rob Wright of EMD, Marci Larson of Amtrak, Cathy Westphal of Santa Fe, and the Station Agents -- Clay Gilliland, Frank Petrone, and Richie Caristo -- for their generous and essential support. Also to Maryann Kowalski and Gary Hallman of Bombardier Corp. (manufacturers of Metrolink and other railcars.)
The inaugural run of Amtrak's Coast-to-coast service from Los Angeles to Miami was many things to many people. To an historian, it was the first time in the history of the US that a regularly scheduled train carried passengers from one coast to another. To Amtrak Public Affairs it was a by-invitation-only media event designed to bring publicity for the extension of the Sunset Limited's route beyond New Orleans to Miami. To the crew aboard the March 31 train eastbound out of New Orleans, it was a dry run before the first revenue trains in April.
But to the residents of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle, it was the restoration of passenger train service that had not been seen for more than two decades.
In order to accommodate the outpouring of glee and excitement of the new towns on the route, the official inaugural run was done in the daylight hours, stopping for the night in Pensacola and in Jacksonville. The new schedule of the eastbound Sunset Limited (printed in this newsletter) will normally visit Mississippi, Alabama and western Florida in the dark. The train carried invited guests from the media, travel agencies and organizations (like ARPA) that promote rail travel. The most famous passengers were the Disney characters, Pinocchio, Donald Duck, Pluto and Jiminy Cricket -- the theme of the trip being "From Disneyland to Disneyworld." Also on board were Amtrak officials (to make speeches at the station stops) and entertainers (piano players, barbershop quartets and costumed Mardi Gras celebrants) to ensure a lively time.
The festivities started in the Crescent City, New Orleans, to the accompaniment of a Dixieland jazz band, followed by the appearance of the Disney characters, speeches by Amtrak officials and mayors of some of the towns being served by the new service. Miss New Orleans (Cheryl Leah Ebert), daughter of an Amtrak employee, christened the train with a bottle of champagne which she smashed against the back of the Beech Grove, Amtrak's private car, the only single-level car on the bi-level train.
The first day's itinerary had the train stopping for ceremonial receptions at the Mississippi towns of Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula; the Alabama towns of Mobile and Atmore; and stopping for the night in Pensacola, Florida. Every town, big or small, brought thousands of cheering adults and children to the stations to welcome the Sunset Ltd. High school bands played; Amtrak and local officials made speeches; and the Disney characters worked the crowd. There even were many people waving or filming the train as it cruised by them between stops. The friendliness and excitement were overwhelming to the train riders.
The phrase "southern hospitality" is not a cliche.
On board the train, the mood was festive, with many people boarding and disembarking at various stops to share in the revelry. Sadly, the Disney characters kept to themselves while on the train, staying in their Deluxe accommodations with their curtains drawn. The Disney employees who served their meals had the demeanor of Secret Service agents.
Food service the first day consisted of Cajun food: gumbo, barbecued shrimp, catfish, and potato salad. The normally efficient and controlled dining room atmosphere one expects from Amtrak was absent. In its place was bedlam, as dining room personnel, car attendants, various other Amtrak employees, and even ARPA secretary Nancy Crosby pitched in to deliver the three-course meal to everyone's seat. This was not an easy task, as the train, which normally holds 450 passengers, was carrying as many as 750, many of whom filled the lounge, dining car and the aisles. A tray of food being delivered to a car at the end of the train would often be depleted before reaching its intended destination. After a stop in Quincy, Florida for thirty Kentucky Fried Chicken dinners, the starving masses were at last fed.
The second day's events were similar to the first, but this time the train riders were treated to southern hospitality Florida panhandle style. Opening ceremonies were in Pensacola, followed by stops at Crestview, Chipley, Tallahassee, Madison and Lake City, Florida, and finally Jacksonville for the night. The stop in Tallahassee, Florida's capital, was notable by the presence of the governor of Florida, Lawton Chiles, as well as the mayor of Tallahassee. The train rode through a banner commemorating the event.
The trip from Jacksonville to Miami was somewhat anticlimactic, both for the train riders and the townspeople at the station stops, for these cities have never been without regular train service. Occasionally, someone would execute a double-take after noticing that the expected Heritage equipment was replaced by Superliner bi-levels.
The high point of the Sunset Limited's ride through the Silver Star's route to Miami was the stop at Orlando, for that was where the train was met by Mickey and Minnie Mouse. There were conjectures as to why the Mouse couple did not ride along (FDA restrictions?), but the official words were "previous commitment."
The next newsletter will contain a report on the first westbound run of the Sunset Limited from Miami, as well as more observations on the inaugural run.
Westbound, Train 1/21 leaves Benson at 5:38P, Tucson at 6:40P, Coolidge at 7:44P, Tempe at 8:51P, Phoenix at 10:30P, and Yuma at 1:38A, arriving Los Angeles at 7:00A. Train 1 leaves Miami 1:30P (day 1); Jacksonville 10:15P (day 1); New Orleans 11:55A (day 2); and arrives in Arizona on Day 3. Train 21 is combined with Train 1 at San Antonio and comes from Chicago (depart 5:45P), arriving Dallas 2:49P (day 2) and arriving in Arizona on Day 3.
Eastbound, Train 2/22 leaves Los Angeles at 10:50P, Yuma at 3:12A, Phoenix at 7:25A, Tempe at 7:47A, Coolidge at 8:47A, Tucson at 9:47A, and Benson at 11:30A. Train 2 arrives San Antonio 5:55A (day 2); New Orleans 11:00P (day 2); Jacksonville FL 2:30P (day 3); and Miami 11:10P (day 3). Train 22 is split at San Antonio and arrives Dallas 4:05P (day 2); and Chicago 1:35P (day 3).
Tucson, April 13
Submitted by Tony Haswell on 4/13/93
On behalf of Old Pueblo Trolley, Inc., welcome to our grand opening!
This is an historic event... electric streetcars have not run in Tucson since December 31, 1930. Trolleys began operating in Tucson on June 1, 1906 and replaced the horse and mule drawn cars as a mark of Tucson's "modernity." The event drew quite a crowd including the mayor, L.H.Manning and C.K Durbin, owner of the new line. The Tucson Citizen ran an article "Electric Cars Running in Old Pueblo" in their Friday June 1, 1906 edition.
It reported that two new electric cars left the corner of Stone Avenue and Congress Street at 2:00 P.M. for the University Of Arizona filled with dignitaries and invited guests while an orchestra played a few tunes at the corner. The return trip was to Elysian Grove via Seventeenth where Emanual Drachman provided seats and refreshments for the banquet that followed. One car wore the banner "The Goods Are Delivered L. H. M.," demonstrating that Mayor Manning had come through on his campaign platform to "promote and establish an electric streetcar system." Hence, Tucson was brought up to date into the electric era.
Eighty-seven years later, Old Pueblo Trolley, Inc., a non-profit operating trolley museum celebrates the grand opening of our electric trolley system. Echoing the events of June 1,1906, we restore a bit of history
and thrust Tucson into the future with a "new" form of city transportation. It began as the dream of Ruth Cross, director for the University of Arizona's Centennial Celebration in 1983, to see the historic street cars returned to the Old Pueblo for the University's centennial. The dedication of a core of enthusiasts made that dream a reality.
Today you can experience a touch of the past by catching a ride on OPT's Car 10 to the University of Arizona's main gate. Ten years worth of volunteer hours,labor and materials in kind have made this possible. The efforts of Old Pueblo Trolley"s founders, donors and volunteers are responsible for the streetcars running in the Old Pueblo again.
This, however, is not the end of the line for Old Pueblo Trolley.
Regular operations is only the beginning. Plans to build a restoration facility and transportation museum at the carbarn are underway. Future plans include extending operations from the southern end of the route in the Downtown Arts District and the Ronstandt transit Center. With Community and City support these plans will be accomplished.
To the citizens of Tucson and OPT members who have waited ten years for this day, we say "The goods are delivered." For those new to Old Pueblo Trolley, we encourage you to take advantage of this exciting event and learn more about the history and future of the electric streetcars in Tucson.
The annual Railfair at Scottsdale's McCormick Railroad Park will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 9 and 10, from 10 AM to 5 PM.
The park is located at 7301 E. Indian Bend Rd., just east of Scottsdale Rd. Overflow parking is in the shopping center across the street. Access to the park is available via a pedestrian tunnel under Indian Bend Rd.
The Railfair is a family-oriented event with a railroad theme. The activities include a model railroad contest, train-face painting, rides on the park train, carousel and the Maricopa Live Steamers' trains. A steak fry will be held by the Maricopa Live Steamers club. There will also be displays of rail-related items, including artwork and model trains.
A number of individuals, clubs and organizations will be participating, including ARPA, which will have a booth to be staffed by ARPA members, including the person reading this article.
[This train operated earlier this year until about mid-May, when the Route 38E and Route 40E bridges reopened. - Ed.]
Southern Pacific Railroad is operating a flood relief train in eastern Yuma County for agricultural areas cut off by the heavy flows in the Gila River. These record water flows have damaged several bridges, and of course closed all river bottom crossings, isolating the area north of the river from Interstate 8 and Wellton and Yuma, leaving only the huge SP bridge intact.
SP is operating 14 round trip shuttles a day on a 5.9 mile route from Wellton to Roll. The service is operated with a single train shuttling back and forth, leaving the McElhaney Spur, at the Wellton end, every hour on the hour, and Roll on the half hour. The track is not running track speed, and takes about 15 minutes for the trip.
The entire service takes place on the Phoenix Line, and thus does not interfere with SP's heavy transcontinental traffic on the Gila Main. All other train traffic on the Phoenix Line continues to operate in normal fashion, including Amtrak service. Amtrak has no stops in the area where the flood service is operating.
The shuttle train is actually operating as a mixed train, with borrowed Amtrak coaches, and boxcars for freight. Transportation for both passengers and freight is provided free of charge.
Southern Pacific reports that the train is averaging about 500 passengers a day, with the record being 632 on one day. Service is expected to continue at least another month or two, as long as the Gila River keeps flowing at a high level.
Undertaking proceedings initiated by HR 2880 last year, the Joint Legislative Study Committee met May 12 in one of the House Hearing Rooms at the State Capitol. Topic: the implementation of Regional Rail for Arizona.
A presentation was given by Kimley-Horn and LTK Engineering Services, which are consulting on the Arizona Rail Passenger Feasibility Study. As detailed by the hand-out, the study area now includes Cochise and Yavapai Counties and the branches to Williams and Douglas.
Among key issues being considered in this study are: ridership forecasts; coordination with the railroads; selection of appropriate technology; and the need for public support of the final proposal. Ridership forecasts would include both comparison to similar systems and market surveys. Technology alternatives fall into three corridor categories:
More specifically, equipment considerations include not only the type of equipment (electric? diesel? loco-drawn or self-propelled? single or bi-level?) but also procurement (would remanufacturing be required? what arrangements for operation and maintenance?) as well as compatibility (with Amtrak, ADA and FRA). Additional concerns involve historic equipment (source; condition; and refurbishment standards).
The project schedule calls for completion of the recommendations by mid-December.
Another example of how people will respond to expanded public transit is the recently instituted Saturday service on Mesa bus routes 30, 96, and 104. According to the Arizona Republic/Gazette, officials expected about 300 riders for the three Sunrunner routes; but on July 10, the first day of service, more than 540 riders were counted... and ridership has since grown to over 570.
The radio tower on the south (track) side of Phoenix Union Station is for sale. Sprint no longer needs the tower, and has granted ARPA permission to sell it and have it removed. It is about 100 feet tall and at one time held several UHF and microwave antennas. If you know of any community, fire or police department, or other organization that could use this as a communications tower, have them contact the Association.