Grand Canyon Railway (GCRY) 18 - Alco 2-8-0

Crew members hitch a ride on GCRY #18 as it turns around for the retiurn trip to Williams, AZ from the Grand Canyon Lodge. From 1989 to 2007, it headed up the iconic tourist train from Willims, AZ to the Grand Canyon rim. This is a Jim Lockart slide.

Resting at the Grand Canyon Lodge is GCRY 2-8-0 #18 . Built in February of 1910 as Lake Superior & Ishpheming #11 (renumbered to 18 in 1924), it served the LS&I, then the -Marquette & Huron Mountain tourist train before reaching the Grand Canyon Rwy. After leading tourist trains to the Grand Canyon for nearly 18 years, it was acquired by the Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon in 2007, who then in turn sold it to the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad (SLRG) in Colorado. Between 2008 and 2013, No. 18 pulled the SLRG’s tourist trains, but after the railroad filed for bankruptcy, No. 18 was put under receivership. In 2021, the locomotive was purchased by the Maguire Foundation, who reached an agreement with the Colebrookdale Railroad to eventually operate the locomotive on their line in Pennsylvania. This is a Jim Lockart color slide.

The tourists taking the interesting trip between Williams, AZ and the Grand Canyon Lodge look on in anticipation as GCRY 2-8-0 #18 rounds a curve near the Loadge before the return trip. This is a Jim Lockart slide.

Nice action shot of Grand Canyon Rwy 2-8-0 #18 running b etween Williams, AZ and the Grand Canyon. This loco has led an intereting life. Buiolt by Alco-Pittbusgh in February of 1910 as Lake Superior and Ishpeming #11, the loco was renumbered in 1924 to LSI $18. After serving the LSI for nearly 52 years, it was sold in 1962 to th -Marquette & Huron Mountain tourist train and renumbered MH 18. In 1985 it was sold again to the Lake States Steam Association who had plans to resotre it. Unfortunately they were not successful so it was sold again in 1989 to the Grand Canyon Rwy where it was restored to running condition. After leading tourist trains to the Grand Canyon for nearly 18 years, it was acquired by the Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon in 2007, who then in turn sold it to the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad (SLRG) in Colorado. Between 2008 and 2013, No. 18 pulled the SLRG’s tourist trains, but after the railroad filed for bankruptcy, No. 18 was put under receivership. In 2021, the locomotive was purchased by the Maguire Foundation, who reached an agreement with the Colebrookdale Railroad to eventually operate the locomotive on their line in Pennsylvania. An unknown photographer took this photo.

Vincent J Porreca photo

GCRY 18

GCRY 18. Your photographer is seen in the foreground in the pink hat.

That's me on the caboose.

On the flat

Grand Canyon Railway #18 making the backup move to pick up its train less than 30 minutes before departure for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on a beautiful warm, crisp morning in early May

I'm not sure if this tender was mated to #18 or #20 and was unable to get a pic of the other.

2-8-0 Consolidation ALCO SC-4, built 1910

Grand Canyon Railway 2-8-0 18 on display at the depot at Williams Junction.