The 10:00 to the South Rim

The mesmerizing sound of a howling whistle and the rhythmic rocking on the tracks transports travelers on the Grand Canyon Railway back in time, to an era when getting from point A to point B was half the fun.

In 1901 a steam train set out from Williams, Arizona, to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, allowing travelers for the first time to view one of the earth's most scenic wonders by means other than horseback or a laborious stagecoach ride. Automobiles brought another mode of transportation to the South Rim in 1923. But rail service continued until 1968, when superhighways all but ended the age of passenger trains.

The railway's closing nearly transformed the quaint town of Williams into another Arizona ghost town. Reopened in 1989 by Max and Thelma Biegert, the train not only restored rail travel to the South Rim but revitalized Williams. It's once more a thriving little railhead, and the place to find the action is down by the station, early in the morning, when stuntmen drum up a realistic "gunfight" before the train pulls out at 10 a.m. ...

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