The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is a Scottsdale city park almost entirely devoted to railroading in various ways. There are several full-size pieces preserved, a 15" live-steam train, several model railroad clubs, and several historic station buildings. And I hadn't been there for a while, so I wanted to stop in. Due to schedule constraints, the sun was getting low when we visited, so some of these pictures are less than the best. For now I'll just cover the preserved equipment. If there's any interest, I suppose we could also take a ride on the 15" steam train.
Magma Arizona #6 is a 1907 Baldwin Mogul, in good cosmetic condition. It was built for the Arizona and New Mexico, which became part of the SP, and sold in 1922 to Magma Arizona, a mining road which was being converted from 3' gauge at that time. There it operated until 1960, and was donated to the city in 1977.
Then there's the Roald Amundsen, a 1928 Pullman private car used by FDR prior to the construction of the Ferdinand Magellan. Since it was late in the day, several of the displays were not open. The park's website has good information on the locomotive and the Amundsen, among other things. 
Here are a couple of the nicely restored and preserved station buildings. They are used for various park functions, including selling tickets to the rides. Admission to the park itself is free.
There are other freight and passenger cars also on display, some without trucks.
And Arizona's Merci car.
Close your eyes! We're about to run full speed right past this absolute displaying "Stop"!
This may be a first in Hicks Car Works history, as Katy and I visited the same park last February and I made a post about it: http://hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2012/02/beauties-in-arizona.html
ReplyDeleteI think those de-trucked coaches are ex CN "Rapdio" commuter cars.
Sorry, I'd forgotten that you had posted about the railroad park last year. With advancing age, you can no longer expect me to remember anything that happened more than five minutes and less than five years ago.
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to visit the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler also, but it's only open on weekends and the scheduling didn't work out. I took a couple of pictures from outside the fence, but your post was much better. My daughter now lives about two miles from there, if only I could get her to report on it for us!
Don't worry Randy, at least you got there in time for a train ride. Like you, we arrived at the end of the day, with the setting sun. I didn't have long to get good pictures.
ReplyDeleteHow was the train ride?
Randall,
ReplyDeleteI visited the park a few years ago and actually got to ride the miniature train which was a Diesel that day. most park trains are steam or steam look-a-likes.
The young employee was running the GP style engine coupled backwards too his train. So much for authentic operation!
Ted miles
When I was there, the train was pulled by a nice 2-8-2, running forward, of course. I'll put that up in a day or two.
ReplyDelete