Travel
Not only was this First Class railroad
car completely comfortable and
relaxing during our scenic journey on
the Verde Canyon Railroad in
Clarkdale, Arizona, the view outside
the window was absolutely
spectacular for the entire trip.
There is a private, open-air viewing
car for First Class which turned out
to be a great place to get photos.
We could relax in the comfort of the
closed car, then just stroll out into
the open to enjoy the weather and
take photos. The area we traveled
through was virtually devoid of
human occupants. We saw a couple
of dwellings, but the ruins of the
tiny settlement of Perkinsville are a
sad reminder of how difficult life can
be in this area, where there is little
transportation and where fresh
water is not easily obtained.
This means that the windswept
desert and towering mountains are
clean, unspoiled and quite lovely. We
saw beautiful mountain streams and
rivers meandering through deserted
landscapes, where the only sound
was the quiet noise of the train as it
passed through.
We passed over bridges and through
tunnels, and it was like taking a trip
back to the time of pioneers and
settlers who tried to tame this area
and failed.
We enjoyed every minute of our
scenic train trip and thought it
would be particularly wonderful for
train-loving kids. The train runs daily
all year long, rain or shine, most days
of the week, and the striking
scenery is different during each
season. Ticket prices vary, so check
the web site.
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