Thursday's main event was the first convention rail trip to the Grand Canyon. The trip was pulled by FP4's in A-B-B-A; this was only the second time in Grand Canyon Railway (GCR) history that these locomotives were coupled in this configuration.

The train departed the depot in Williams, AZ at 12:30 for a three hour journey to the Grand Canyon. Enroute at about 2:15, a photo runby was executed in the middle of a desolate high desert cow pasture at Anita; The A-B-B-A set of locomotives were a beautiful contrast against a bright blue sky, delighting photographers and videographers alike.

On-board the train ladies from the Winslow Harvey girls, dressed in uniform, were sharing stories of working for the Fred Harvey Company in days gone-by. Harvey girls were waitresses in Harvey Eating Houses on the Santa Fe Railroad in the West. From the 1880's until the advent and widespread of the dining car, Harvey Houses were wayside stations at which passengers were detrained and fed. In later years, Fred Harvey also operated hotels for the Santa Fe Railroad. Fred Harvey Girls were young women age 18 to 30 of "good moral character, attractive, and intelligent", and single. Harvey Houses and Harvey Girls were renowned for their service. The mother of the two "young ladies", Millie & Marie, who are shown at the right, was a Harvey Girls.

After the sixty-four mile journey, the train arrived at the Grand Canyon (south rim), much like Santa Fe trains of old, at the historic depot. From the picture of a Pullman car in front of the depot, it was hard to tell if it was 1934 or 2002.

During the layover passengers had a choice of a variety of activities: an early dinner, shopping in one of the gift shops, mailing postcards home, hiking along the rim, and photographing the sunset as it painted a rainbow of color across the canyon walls.; at approximately 7:09 pm as the sun slid below the horizon, replacing the colors of the sun with deep dark shadows.

At 8:15 pm our train left the depot for the return to Williams. Although a brief delay was encountered enroute due to a cow that was blocking the tracks for a few minutes enroute, we arrived on-time at 10:30 pm.

Locations of Fred Harvey Hotels & Names:

Train consist for the trip is provided

Train Consist :

Train consist for the trip is provided here.

Sources of information on Harvey Girls:

• Winslow Harvey Girls, Winslow Arizona - 928-289-3737.
• "On Becoming a Harvey Girl" courtesy of the Winslow Harvey Girls - " The Harvey Girls, Women who Opened the West" by Lesley Poling-Kempes.

* All photos by J. Lilly, Dir. of Internet Services, NRHS