Steam & Excursion > Man vs. Machine

Grand Canyon Railway will do man vs. machine on Sept. 26, 2015. The race will be bicycles on Rt. 64 from Grand Canyon (Tusyan) and 4960 with four Harrimans and a cafe car. WILLIAMS, ARIZ. (July 24, 2015) – The Grand Canyon Railway (GCR) will run a rare all steam (no diesel helper) vintage passenger train as an extra train on Saturday, September 26, 2015 from Williams, AZ to the South Rim of The Grand Canyon.  A photo run-by is scheduled.
 
The special train will be powered by Locomotive No. 4960, a 1923 Baldwin (ex CB&Q) and feature four 1930’s Harriman passenger cars and a café car. The train will depart Williams after the regularly scheduled GCRR train departs for the Grand Canyon.  The special train will run the entire 65 miles from Williams to The Grand Canyon, turn at the “Y” at the Grand Canyon to be in position to participate in the “Man vs. Machine” bicycle race.
 
The Man vs. Machine bike race is an event that last took place 25 years ago and now it has returned to take on a new group of challengers.  The Grand Canyon Railway steam engine will take on hundreds of intrepid bicyclists on a 54-mile course that will climb 2,023 feet starting at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to iconic Williams, Ariz.
 
Round-trip tickets are available for the train, which will depart the Williams Depot on September 26 at 8:00 a.m. PDT; boarding will take place at 7:45 a.m. The train will arrive at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon at about 11:30 a.m. The train will depart the Grand Canyon at 12:30 p.m., and the race will officially begin at 1 p.m. Rates will be $75 for adults and $45 for children 16 and under. Due to servicing of the vintage engine, and quick turnaround, there will be no time at the Grand Canyon for viewing. Because this is a National Park Free Day, no National Park Service fee will be added to the train ticket cost.
 
For more information on the train and to purchase tickets visit www.thetrain.com. For more information on the race, watch the official race video or visit www.GrandCanyonRacing.com.  
 
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Media Contact (visuals available upon request):
Rene A. Mack, rmack@percepture.com, 201-312-4252
 

I can't make it but I'm impressed that you can ride a secondary main line at a reasonable speed all day through interesting scenery for that money.
When I do ride the GCR I like the older "cheap seats".
I get plenty of sealed up riding from Amtrak.