Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Canyon Railway
Grand Canyon Railway 4960 on a special run for photographers pulling freight cars, 2011
Locale	Coconino County, Arizona, U.S.
Terminus	Grand Canyon Depot Williams Depot
Commercial operations
Built by	Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Original gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Owned by	Xanterra Travel Collection
Reporting mark	GCRY
Length	64 mi (103 km)
Commercial history
Opened	1901
Closed to passengers	1968
Closed	1974
Preservation history
1988	Purchased by Max and Thelma Biegert
1989	Reopened
2006	Purchased by Xanterra
Website
thetrain.com
Route maps Show static map Legend 63.7 Grand Canyon Depot turnback wye 59.9 National Park Boundary 57.2 Coconino 52.0 Imbleau (formerly Apex) 50.0 Hopi 44.8 Anita 43.8 Woodin 37.7 Willaha 29.0 Valle 20.0 Quivero 9.0 Red Lake 7.8 Pitt 1.3 BNSF Seligman Subdivision 1.0 locomotive shop I-40 Williams Junction (closed 2018) turnback wye 0.0 Williams Depot BNSF junction BNSF Phoenix Subdivision This diagram: view talk edit Show route diagram map

The Grand Canyon Railway (reporting mark GCRX) is a heritage railroad which carries passengers between Williams, Arizona, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

The 64-mile (103 km) railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was completed on September 17, 1901. The arrival of trains led increased tourism to the area, and the railway company was instrumental in the creation of the Grand Canyon Village to serve guests. Declining ridership due to the increasing usage of the automobile led the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to cease passenger service of the Grand Canyon Railway in July 1968 and freight service on the line ended in 1974.

Private investors purchased the line in 1988, restored the facilities, and started running passenger trains again on September 17, 1989. Today, the railroad carries hundreds of passengers to and from the canyon every day and operates year-round.

The entire Grand Canyon Railway has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing the contribution the train has made to the history of the United States.