Grand Canyon Railway #4960, The Green Machine
Carrying passengers between Williams, Arizona, and the southern parts of the Grand Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon Railway is more than just a mode of transportation in the desert. It offers a memorable trip back in time to a period when the steam locomotive was king. To provide the most authentic experience, the railroad operates the Grand Canyon Railway #4960, lovingly referred to as The Green Machine.
A Brief History of the Grand Canyon Railway #4960
Belonging to class “0-1a,” #4960 is a Mikado-type steam locomotive with a wheel arrangement of 2-8-2. It was manufactured in 1923 for the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy (CB&Q) Railroad by Baldwin Locomotive Works. It served the railroad for over three decades until its retirement in 1957.
Railfan Depot features several programs covering the Grand Canyon Railway including this one that focuses on #4960 leading one of its many excursions.
Instead of sending it to the scrappers, CB&Q used the locomotive for its excursion program until it was shut down in 1966. #4960 was then bought by the Circus World Museum but was donated to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum. It was then put in storage for almost a decade before it was bought by the Grand Canyon Railway in the late 1980s and put in excursion service after its restoration.
Current Status
Today, #4960 runs as an excursion train on the Grand Canyon Railway. It runs from Williams, Arizona to the South Rims of the Grand Canyon National Park. The locomotive runs once a month and is one of the few steam locomotives that run on eco-friendly waste vegetable oil and water derived from snowmelt. This is one of the reasons why it’s named the “The Green Machine.”
#4960 and her diesel siblings carry thousands of tourists every year. You can visit the Grand Canyon Railway website to learn more about Grand Canyon #4960, its conversion to use vegetable oil for fuel, and to plan your trip.
A longtime railfan, Bob enjoys the research that goes into his articles. He is knowledgeable on many railroad topics and enjoys learning about new topics. You can get a hold of Bob at his email link below.
