Canyon
Rails 2002
2002
NRHS Convention
Williams, Arizona
August 19 - 26, 2002
For only the second
time in NRHS History, we provided daily updates and reports, including
pictures, trip reports, and video clips, from the events at this
year's convention right here on nrhs.com.
This
year's NRHS convention was a truly unique itinerary, including
five steam excursions, a night photo session, railroad history
seminars, shop tours, and much more! There are also activities
aplenty for non-railfans. And of course, our destination, Williams,
Arizona, gateway to the Grand Canyon, provided the opportunity
for
adventure all by itself.
The 2002 NRHS Convention
was hosted by Grand Canyon Chapter NRHS. Their convention web
site, Canyon Rails 2002, was www.canyonrails2002.com.
Approximattely
800 people attended/participated. The headquarters hotel was the
Fray Marcos, in Williams, AZ.. Williams was a small town, on old
Route 66 in Northern Arizona. Most things were in walking distance
and shuttles were provided to move conventioneers between auxilliary
hotels, the depot, and events.
THE
FUN OF GETTING TO THE CONVENTION!
 |
|
Photo by Dan Echeto
|
Getting
to Williams, AZ and the 2002 Convention was a central theme of
this year's activities. For the first time in convention history,
inbound and outbound excursions that were an official part of
the convention will carry convention goers between Los Angeles
and Williams, AZ via a special train powered by former Santa Fe
Steam Locomotive #3751. Tickets for these trips were available
to those who were registered for the convention. This was the
recommended way to arrive at the convention in Williams.
How folks
traveled to the convention.:
- Travel by private
railroad car to and/or from the convention Aboard the restored
1923 heavyweight Pullman DOVER
HARBOR, which is operated
by the Washington, D.C. Chapter round-trip from the East
Coast in tandem with the MKT 403, a heavyweight business car
once used by Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton.
- Aboard Piedmont
Carolinas Chapter's 1950's era light weight lounge-buffet-pullman
car Pine
Tree State, which operated one-way to the convention from
Chicago.
- Aboard the Kitchi
Gammi Club, a heavyweight Pullman Lounge Sleeper operating
from the East Coast.
- The Grand Detour
to the Grand Canyon Convention - Bluewater
Michigan Chapter operated an escorted tour to the convention
via Amtrak from Detoit, MI. The Itinerary included stops at
several destinations enroute, including the Cumbres and Toltec
Railroad. Additional
details and pricing are available on their Chapter
Web Site.
- Amtrak
- Offers daily service to Williams and Los Angeles. Discounts
are available to convention goers. Discount information is available
in the convention registration packet.
- The ever popular
and always anti-climatic automobile,
bus, and airplane.
CONVENTION EVENTS & DAILY ON-LINE COVERAGE
The list of convention
events and a brief description of each are provided below. A detailed
summary of most activities, including pictures, will be posted
here within about 12 hours of the end of the event.
| Date |
Event
|
DAILY
ON-LINE COVERAGE/SUMMARY
|
| Monday,
August 19 |
AT&SF
#3751 led Canyon Limited Inbound Special (Day 1) - Los Angeles,
CA to Needles, CA. |
Posted
8/19/2002 |
| Tuesday,
August 20 |
ATSF
# 3751 Canyon Limited Inbound Special (Day 2)- Needles, CA
- Williams, AZ. |
Posted
8/20/2002 |
| Wednesday,
August 21 |
Verde
Canyon Railway Excursion
|
Posted
8/21/2002 |
| Wednesday,
August 21 |
Rail
History Seminars:
- Northern Arizona Logging Railroads
- When the Railroad Leaves Town
- Western RR Multimedia Presentation
|
Posted
8/26/2002 |
| Wednesday,
August 21 |
Meet
the NRHS Officers Session
|
Posted
8/26/2002 |
| Wednesday,
August 21 |
Night
Photo Session
|
Posted
8/21/2002 |
| Thursday,
August 22 |
Grand
Canyon Railway Shop Tour
|
Posted
8/22/2002 |
| Thursday,
August 22 |
Rail
History Seminar
- Harvey Girls
|
Posted
8/26/2002 |
| Thursday,
August 22 |
Flagstaff
Bus Tour
|
Posted
8/26/2002 |
| Thursday,
August 22 |
Grand
Canyon Sunset Excursion with Alco Diesels
|
Posted
8/22/2002
|
| Friday,
August 23 |
Rail
History Seminars:
- Grand Canyon Railway
- Santa Fe Railway
|
Posted
8/26/2002 |
| Friday,
August 23 |
Meetings
- NRHS Board of Directors
- NRHS Annual
Membership Meeting
|
BOD
Meeting Posted 8/24/2002
Membership
Meeting Posted 8/24/2002
|
| Friday,
August 23 |
Annual
Banquet
|
Posted
8/24/2002
|
| Saturday,
August 24 |
Grand
Canyon Limited Excursion featuring AT&SF #3751
|
Posted
8/24/2002
|
| Saturday,
August 24 |
Sedona
Bus Tour
|
Posted
8/26/2002 |
| Sunday,
August 25 |
AT&SF
#3751 Canyon Limited Outbound Special (Day 1) - Williams,
AZ to Parker, AZ |
Posted
8/25/2002 |
| Monday,
August 26 |
AT&SF
#3751 Canyon Limited Outbound Special (Day 2)- Parker, AZ
to Los Angeles, CA |
Posted
8/26/2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES:
Inbound
and outbound train fares include(d) a layover night with
hotel accommodations. Bus transportation to and from the
hotel, dinner and breakfast at hotel included.
|
Click
Here
to Sign our Convention Coverage Guest Book and enter yourself
in a drawing to win an original copy of a August 1916
B&O Railroad Employees Magazine
(Drawing
open 18 - 27 August, 2002 PDT)
|
Additional
Williams, Arizona Information
Arizona
Vacation Guide
Origin
of the Name Canyon Rails 2002
If a convention
attendee travels on all the rail trips then you will have traveled
through the Verde Canyon, to the Grand Canyon and over Hell Canyon
all in one state.
Other
Railroads at the Convention
The following
railroads are providing support for convention activities.
Burlington
Northern Santa Fe
Verde
Canyon Railroad
Arizona
& California Railroad
Amtrak
Metrolink
