The Verde Canyon Railroad

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Thursday found us having a picnic lunch outside the train terminal for the Verde Canyon Railroad. This renovated railroad line runs a four hour slow ride up and back through the Verde Canyon. The train is diesel powered with an assortment of different class passenger cars including our Budd Company, 1947 all stainless coach. 

Each passenger car came with a tended refreshment bar and piped in music. Between each passenger car is a converted freight car that offers outdoor riding and viewing. The canyon ride is beautiful and you are close enough to touch the canyon walls in some places. The right of way goes right through the Cocino National Forest and the scenery is beautiful. The train ride stops, the engines move from the front to the back and off you go again back to the terminal. 

The ride ends in Perkinsville, a town that served the railroad, had 12 families at its peak, and is now populated by ghosts and cows. There is little left of the pioneers who moved to this area far away from family and friends in the Midwest. They were amazing people.

I'm not sure how much Julia enjoyed the train ride but she never complained and let her grandpa ride the rails.