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A brief report of a brief trip. We took the SWC out of Los Angeles at 6:45 pm bound for Williams, AZ. We were able to reserve our dinner time in the station at the information desk. Oddly, the new information desk, with a glass divider and a metal screen for talking located at the height of a 10 year old, makes it essentially impossible to hear or be heard. Since there is no sign telling people to check in here, get dinner reservations, etc., it is pretty much unused. Only repeat customers like us know what to do or where to go at LAX. We were told to stand in line and we would be boarding in about 10 minutes (at least I think that is what he said). But we went to the redcap with the cart and he drove us to the train immediately and we boarded out sleeping car, 4030, roommette #2 (my favorite for many reasons).
Our attendant was Bob, a refugee from the Coast Starlight. Rumor via Bob and our dining companions, who had taken the #11 Stublight down from San Jose, is that the Starlight will not be back in service until June 1st at the earliest. So much for the May 8th trip I have scheduled.
Dinner is now real food and much better than the SDS. We both had the 1/2 Game Hen and it was good, our table mates had the beef dish and called it good as well. There is actual ice cream available for dessert. But of course all is not perfect. There are appetizers which it was noted would cost extra even for the sleeper passengers but that was a moot point as none were available. In addition the baked potato ordered next to us was not available. Seems like they should have just stocked up, doesn't it?
Our ride was all in darkness so we spent time reading in the lounge car and then to bed. We were due in to Williams Junction at 5:30 am and that is what happened. Brrrr, it was cold there at that time of day. The bus from the Grand Canyon Hotel was there to pick us and about 10 others up at the cement platform in the middle of nowhere. It takes at least 15 minutes via forest, dirt road and regular road to get to civilization from the platform. What an odd idea.
We spent time in the hotel, had some breakfast and took the Grand Canyon Railroad to the canyon at 10:00 am. I would recommend this trip. The scenery isn't much but the car we took, the most expensive one called a lounge car, was very nice. The car attendant is full of information and makes the 2 1/4 hour trip very pleasant. There is a full bar but only soft drinks are free. There was also some pastries and fruit and plenty of coffee or tea.
The Grand Canyon speaks for itself. The El Tovar Hotel was great and their dining room excellent. We had the additional thrill of seeing a very special bird while at the canyon.
The return train trip to Williams was the next day at 4:00. It began to snow just as we boarded. On the way back there is entertainment via the train robbers. All is done in great fun. I was impressed with how efficiently they handled 200 people including their luggage, ready as soon as we disembarked. I think it made the trip in a faster truck.
We lounged in the hotel, had some dinner and I kept checking with Julie on the Chief. It was reported as about five minutes late. The hotel driver took us to the platform, we were the only ones going to the train and no one was disembarking, at about 10:30 pm. The train was ultimately about 25 minutes late, not bad for a trip from Chicago. The engineer stopped with our sleeper, 3030, right where we were standing. Back into roommette #2, Joan our attendant. She was the same one we rode all the way to Chicago with last June. She has 30 years seniority so she is not getting bumped off her route by the Starlight crews who are bidding on routes each day.
We popped into our beds. Breakfast was said to be from 5-6:00 am. I let Art go to that and he found, as I suspected, that all that was available was the continental and the blueberry pancakes. Guess they didn't know anyone was coming to breakfast. We arrived at LAX at 8:15. This was described as on time but it was actually an hour early as the time had changed during the night.
Loved the SWC ride even though it was mostly at night. I needed a rail ride fix. The timeliness of that train is really quite amazing. Try the Grand Canyon Railroad too, it was fun.
posted
Thanks Vicki! The pictures were fun to see. I'm so glad you rode the Southwest Chief. The Grand Canyon looks magnificent. Luv the condor! Fred
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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It looks like that Hotel in Williams AZ is now called the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. This OFFICIAL Grand Canyon Railway website reports that it was the former Fray Marcos Hotel. : http://www.thetrain.com/hotel/ and TinyURL link for the Amtrak Vacations Hotel sales in Williams AZ: http://tinyurl.com/yvyu9f This is what I found with a quick internet search. ---- Daniel
quote:Originally posted by smitty195: Thanks for the report, Vicki! That's a trip I would like to try sometime. If you don't mind, a few brief questions:
-What is the name of the hotel in Williams where they come and pick you up at the platform?
-Did you arrange each part of this trip separately, or did you book everything through one source (hotels, Amtrak, and Grand Canyon Railway)?
The hotel in Williams is part of the same concern as the Grand Canyon Railway itself. You probably can't make all arrangements through Amtrak but your Williams/Grand Canyon needs.....including shuttle to the Amtrak platform.....can be made in one place.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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The above notes are correct about the hotel. The railway and the hotel are one operation. We arranged our trip parts ourselves - Amtrak, El Tovar, Grand Canyon Railroad trip. The GC Railroad has packages but they have you staying at their hotel in Williams and they do not use the El Tovar at the canyon. Many people we met were on the package trips and they were loving it. The GCR Hotel was very nice, very organized. But, since we wanted to take Amtrak SWC we had no need to stay there - the Chief arrives in Williams in the early morning, leaves in the late evening. The GC Hotel van or bus goes to the Amtrak platform at Williams Junction every morning and evening, even if they are not aware of any passengers disembarking. This is just in case someone boarded at the last stop and they are a surprise passenger. This platform is literally out in the nowhere - someone must be there to pick you up. It is open to the public and locals do come there to pick up people at times but you would need to be local to know how to find it.
Amtrak does have a vacation package with this trip, see their website for this. Lots of people drove to Williams, the large parking lot was full. Then one would want to stay at the GC Hotel and the whole package would be great. They use the Maswik Lodge at the canyon and folks said it was very nice.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Great report and pics, Vicki! You answered my question about the train robbers! Lots of fun and their way of collecting tips as i understood it.
We stayed two nights at what was then called the Fray Marcos (as was the original hotel that is part of the station complex). It was very nice and a very well run operation.
I believe ownership of the whole complex may have changed. There were rumors when we were there that it was for sale.
Frank in sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Our car attendant said it is all for sale. It was just sold a year ago. It looks like a gold mine to me, this isn't even high season and there was quite a crowd.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Great report, and a lot of great information. I'm a bit partial to Chief trip reports.
I like your note about how Williams Junction and the ride to and from there is "odd". It is pretty odd when you look at it today.
The whole Junction thing dates to the major line relocation of 1960 (referred to as the Crookton Cutoff). To simplify things, the relocation is essentially a modern day double track high speed bypass that cut off the rather difficult and twisty original right of way. But this bypass cut off the mainline from Williams, so the best alternative was the Williams Junction location.
If you study the line, like the Santa Fe/Amtrak nerd that I am, you'll find it's one of the few places where its straight enough and flat enough to put a station...and close enough to Williams, 15 miles being close enough I guess. So the Santa Fe built a very unique and modern depot in essentially the middle of nowhere in 1960. But it’s not really the middle of nowhere, it’s also where the line that connects to Phoenix, and goes through Williams connects with the main line…hence the “Junction”. So it was a pretty good location to place the depot since the Santa Fe could set off sleepers and then have these towed to Williams to be put on the Grand Canyon train via this “Junction” connection. This trackage is still used a lot today by the Phoenix freights.
After the Santa Fe dropped passenger trains and Amtrak took over, and more importantly when the Grand Canyon spur and service to Phoenix were abandoned for passenger service, the Williams Junction depot was more or less unnecessary. So the unique and modern 1960 depot was demolished (1984 I believe), and the road went into disrepair. The depot was derelict and almost had to be demolished.
It wasn't until the new reborn Grand Canyon tourist line really took off and someone smart said, hey the Southwest Chief goes by shouldn't we have a connection? So the old Williams Junction depot site once again came to life.
I went to visit it shortly after reopening. The guy at the Fray Marcos thought I was nuts when I asked for directions just to see the "slab" as he called it. But it was an interesting visit and the freight action was non stop. A really great rail fanning spot if anyone is ever looking for a remote wooded spot to watch trains. The road however was still in disrepair, and judging by your description doesn’t sound like a lot of work has been done to it.
Anyway, sorry to take up so much space of your great trip report thread. Thanks for posting it, I love reading about the Chief.
-------------------- Matt Visit gallery for photos of our train layouts Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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Your narrative and your pictures are really superb. And the condor is even more special. I believe that AAA has Grand Canyon packages that are slightly less expensive than the GCR ones. And the upgrades are also discounted. It's interesting that they have so many classes on one train, but from your piotures of the size of the train, it's not surprising. And you were wise in "piece-ing" the tour as sometimes the packages just don't work as they are more geared for westbound than eastbound travelers. You're right about El Tovar -- there's nothing quite like it. Thanks for posting.
Posts: 87 | From: Snowmass, CO USA | Registered: Jun 2003
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quote:Originally posted by sbalax: I believe ownership of the whole complex may have changed. There were rumors when we were there that it was for sale.
My understanding is that the owners who restored the Grand Canyon Railway to operation (Max and Thelma Biegart) sold the entire operation to Xanterra, which is the current owner of the Fred Harvey company (and operates the hotels at the South Rim). So this chunk of Santa Fe history is, for the moment, "back in the family", as it were.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Vicki -- great report and photos!! How lucky you were to see a California condor!!!!!!!!!! They are remarkable birds (and BIG too!)
The Grand Canyon looks much "colder" in your pix than it was when my wife & I went there 2 summers ago when it was about 100 degrees!!! Glad you had a good trip -- your trip reports are always good!
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Matt, interesting history on the "slab". GIBG - the AAA package is also available direct from the GC Railway - you just enter your AAA info and the reductions take place. RRRich - thanks for the comments, I find your reports and website fantastic so I appreciate your "appreciation".
By the way, my Garmin Nuvi 260 GPS was great on this trip. It was fun to watch it try to stay on a road when the tracks paralleled a road. But when the tracks deviated the little car icon wiggled about a bit and then leapt over to the tracks. I was able to turn it on during the night when we stopped and see where we were. Loved it! And of course I was essentially awake for every stop anyway. I also noted that we traveled at 90 miles an hour from Barstow to Needles.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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My family is headed for the Canyon on the Chief on Monday. We get off at Williams. I am curious why you got off at Williams Junction. Is there something you can tell me about the choice of one over the other. It seems that The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel is immediately next to the stop at Williams.
I appreciate any information you share. We're really exited.
Thank you.
Posts: 110 | From: Kansas City, Missouri | Registered: Mar 2008
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You will get off at Williams Junction too. You should have free tickets for the Amtrak bus from the junction to the town although no one was interested in seeing those tickets. The actual bus is the one from the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. Coming from the east you will arrive, hopefully, at 9:30 pm, now that the world except for AZ is on daylight savings time. Read Matt's note above, it explains why Amtrak no longer goes into town.
I assume you will be spending the night at the GCR Hotel. It seemed very nice. Have a great time. At the canyon go to the Ranger talk about the condors, it is at 4:00 pm each day, near the Lookout building. And look for those condors.
Take the free shuttle buses everywhere. The Arizona Room at the Bright Angel Lodge had great food and there is also a lower cost "Fountain" there with hot dogs and kielbasa if you are economizing. Check out the El Tovar Hotel, it is grand. Walk slowly, you are at 7400 feet and can get breathless pretty fast.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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In the time it took from my post until now, I found the information about Williams Junction and the shuttle. Thanks for information about the condors. We're staying at Kachina lodge (it's part of El Tovar and Xanterra and just across the driveway. We picked it because El Tovar has no rooms facing the Canyon except the suites, and Kachina guarantees a canyon view (at least that's what we paid for). We'll take our meals in the Tovar because the lodge is rooms only. Last summer we went to Crater Lake and stayed in the lodge there (wonderful). Next week is forecast to be sunny 58 degrees both days we're there and w/zero chance of precipitation. Lows are 25 and 18 degrees I think.
Did the sleeper attendant provide a little glass of wine at bedtime and a chocolate? They did the last time I rode the SW Chief, but that was 13 years ago.
Posts: 110 | From: Kansas City, Missouri | Registered: Mar 2008
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Several years ago my sister and brother-in-law picked me up in Flagstaff and we drove to Williams where we boarded the Grand Canyon Railway. At that time Williams Jct. was not yet a restored stop on Amtrak so I got off the train at Flagstaff. I bought tickets for the ex-CN private car with rear platform that was really great. I was also given a badge as a deputy sheriff since I "helped" the sheriff arrest the bad guys who were trying to rob our train. Great fun. Highly recommended.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:Originally posted by sfthunderchief: Thanks, Vicki,
In the time it took from my post until now, I found the information about Williams Junction and the shuttle. Thanks for information about the condors. We're staying at Kachina lodge (it's part of El Tovar and Xanterra and just across the driveway. We picked it because El Tovar has no rooms facing the Canyon except the suites, and Kachina guarantees a canyon view (at least that's what we paid for). We'll take our meals in the Tovar because the lodge is rooms only. Last summer we went to Crater Lake and stayed in the lodge there (wonderful). Next week is forecast to be sunny 58 degrees both days we're there and w/zero chance of precipitation. Lows are 25 and 18 degrees I think.
Did the sleeper attendant provide a little glass of wine at bedtime and a chocolate? They did the last time I rode the SW Chief, but that was 13 years ago.
No. Sadly the wine and chocolate at bedtime stopped 7 or 8 years ago. There will be juice, coffee, and water for sleeper passengers but that's about it on the SWC now.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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