50-606: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is a Class III railroad operating diesel-electric and steam-powered excursion trains through Peninsula, Ohio , in the Cuyahoga Valley , primarily through the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park . During the 1860s, as railroad construction across the United States was booming, citizens of the Cuyahoga Valley area expressed their desires for their own railroad. Plans were subsequently made for
100-615: A Class I railroad was used until January 1, 1956, when the figure was increased to $ 3 million. In 1956, the ICC counted 113 Class I line-haul operating railroads (excluding "3 class I companies in systems") and 309 Class II railroads (excluding "3 class II companies in systems"). The Class III category was dropped in 1956 but reinstated in 1978. By 1963, the number of Class I railroads had dropped to 102; cutoffs were increased to $ 5 million by 1965, to $ 10 million in 1976 and to $ 50 million in 1978, at which point only 41 railroads qualified as Class I. In
150-609: A capital campaign, "Leading the Way Locomotive Fleet", to help it acquire the engines. By June 2024, it had raised $ 1.5 million toward its goal of $ 3 million. In late June 2024, the CVSR acquired an Alco FPA4 and an FPB4 from the Grand Canyon Railway , giving it a total of five locomotives. The acquisition allows the railroad to operate two trains at once. It also allows for one locomotive to receive maintenance without impacting
200-554: A couple originally from Nebraska, had made their fortune in crop dusting through Biegert Aviation, founded in 1947, which had a large federal government contract for its B-17 and later C-54 fleet. After leaving the crop-dusting business, they operated a for-profit day care business in Houston, Texas , which became the Children's World Learning Center and is now part of KinderCare Learning Centers . The Biegerts never intended to get into
250-638: A day, passenger operations gradually dwindled, until only one train remained—the Cleveland Night Express . The Cleveland Night Express was discontinued by the 1960s, as competition from automobiles, trucks, and buses caused a major decline of both freight and passenger service on the division. The B&O's successor, the Chessie System , retained and upgraded the rails of the Valley Division to operate their daily ore trains between Cleveland and
300-939: A hiatus without excursions for two ensuing years. In 1987, the National Park Service (NPS) purchased the Cleveland-Akron line for $ 2.5 million, intending to expand passenger train service on the line to attract visitors to the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. The Cuyahoga Valley Line resumed its excursion operations in 1988. In 1994, the Cuyahoga Valley Line was reorganized as the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR), and expanded operations while upgrading their equipment with new ALCO and MLW diesel locomotives and Budd steel passenger cars. In June 1999, construction
350-675: A mile walk or so, one-way. Class III railroad Railroad classes are the system by which freight railroads are designated in the United States . Railroads are assigned to Class I, II or III according to annual revenue criteria originally set by the Surface Transportation Board in 1992. With annual adjustments for inflation, the 2019 thresholds were US$ 504,803,294 for Class I carriers and US$ 40,384,263 for Class II carriers. (Smaller carriers were Class III by default.) There are six Class I freight railroad companies in
400-476: A mock train robbery during the return trip from the Grand Canyon to Williams. The Grand Canyon Railway offers at least one daily round trip of its Williams Flyer train between Williams and the Grand Canyon every day except on Christmas Day, December 25. During peak demand periods a second train departure is added. During the winter season (November – January), the line runs The Polar Express from Williams to
450-552: A possible theme park background, which would ensure that the railroad, hotels, RV park, restaurants (and a possible new amusement park in Williams) would continue to be operated as one entity. On September 21, 2006, it was announced that Xanterra Travel Collection , submitted the winning bid (for an undisclosed sum) and was selected as the new owner for the Grand Canyon Railway. Xanterra is the corporate name and identity for what
500-470: A rail line to be built through the area, but they were quickly dropped, due to a lack of financial support. The project was then resurrected by the financial support of David L. King, who owned various acres of property in the area. On August 21, 1871, the Valley Railroad Company was incorporated, with the intention of running trains from Cleveland to Akron , Middlebury , and Canton , rivaling
550-526: A special move in 1979, all switching and terminal railroads were re-designated Class III — even those with Class I or Class II revenues. In early 1991, two Class II railroads, Montana Rail Link and Wisconsin Central , asked the ICC to increase the minimum annual operating revenue criteria (then established at US$ 93.5 million) to avoid being redesignated as Class I, which would have resulted in increased administrative and legal costs. The Class II maximum criterion
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#1732852154669600-558: A variety of trips throughout the year. It operates excursion trains, and in a partnership with the NPS, the railroad helps visitors access various parts of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The CVSR also co-operates with Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (WLE) to operate on trackage south to Canton. National Park Scenic excursions allow passengers to ride throughout the entire route as well as get on and off at various stations along
650-496: The Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway . Class III railroads are typically local shortline railroads serving a small number of towns and industries or hauling cars for one or more railroads; often, they once had been branch lines of larger railroads or even abandoned portions of main lines. Some Class III railroads are owned by railroad holding companies such as Genesee & Wyoming or Watco . Some examples of Class III railroads would be
700-705: The Maryland and Delaware Railroad , the San Pedro Valley Railroad , and the Buckingham Branch Railroad . Grand Canyon Railway The Grand Canyon Railway ( reporting mark GCRX ) is a heritage railroad which carries passengers between Williams, Arizona , and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park . The 64-mile (103 km) railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ,
750-463: The 'North Pole', a station about 17 miles (30 km) north of town. In 2008, this winter service carried about 78,000 passengers. The route included stops at Quivero, Valle , Willaha, and Coconino stations. The entire Grand Canyon Railway has been added to the National Register of Historic Places for being associated with events that made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
800-476: The Chessie System was initially reluctant, the company's chairman, Cyrus Eaton , agreed to allow the foundation trackage rights for the division. The Cuyahoga Valley Line's inaugural train ran on June 26, 1975. In 1985, the Chessie System's successor, CSX , obtained permission to abandon the right-of-way in favor of an alternate route that ran to Cleveland, and the Cuyahoga Valley Line consequently went through
850-588: The GCR, whether its for special events like Santa Fe 3751 or modern units from Amtrak , or just for temporary storage, like Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway No. 4, or the Arizona State Railroad Museum 's locomotive collection. The railroad carries hundreds of passengers to and from the canyon every day, totaling about 225,000 people per year. The restored Santa Fe Railway Station in Williams serves as
900-471: The Grand Canyon Railway added to its fleet of diesel locomotives, purchasing two additional F40PH units from New Jersey Transit . As of 2021, the Grand Canyon Railway only has two steam locomotives left in their roster. In 2019, the GCR purchased three Ex- Rio Grande business cars, and since then, the GCR used them exclusively for private charter service, with the option of being pulled by steam or diesel. There are also other locomotives that occasionally visit
950-422: The Grand Canyon Railway on September 19, 2009. Xanterra converted the steam locomotives to operate using waste vegetable oil collected from restaurants across Northern Arizona and installed a rainwater collection system on the maintenance building to fill boilers when available. Since 2011, special occasion trips, and at least one roundtrip per month during the summer is operated using a steam locomotive. In 2017,
1000-408: The Grand Canyon Railway purchased three late-1970s F40PH locomotives from Amtrak and placed them into service in 2004. In March 2006, owners Max and Thelma Biegert announced to the media that they were placing the railroad and its associated restaurants, hotels and amenities up for sale. The combined properties had an annual revenue of nearly $ 40 million. The Biegerts sought a new buyer/operator with
1050-511: The Mississippi River. Canadian Pacific Kansas City , doing business as CPKC, runs from southern Canada, then goes south through the central United States to central Mexico. In addition, the national passenger railroads in the US and Canada— Amtrak and Via Rail —would both qualify as Class I if they were freight carriers. Mexico's Ferromex would qualify as a Class I railroad if it had trackage in
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#17328521546691100-775: The Santa Fe designed and built the El Tovar Hotel , located just 20 feet (6.1 meters) from the Canyon Rim. El Tovar opened its doors in January 1905 Competition with the automobile forced the Santa Fe to cease operation of the Grand Canyon Railway in July 1968 (only three passengers were on the last run), although Santa Fe continued to use the tracks for freight until 1974. Plans by entertainer Arthur Godfrey to resume service in 1977 fell through. In addition, two other companies attempted to resurrect
1150-605: The United States. A Class II railroad in the United States hauls freight and is mid-sized in terms of operating revenue. Switching and terminal railroads are excluded from Class II status. Railroads considered by the Association of American Railroads as "Regional Railroads" are typically Class II. Some examples of Class II railroads would be the Florida East Coast Railway , the Iowa Interstate Railroad , and
1200-541: The United States. Initially (in 1911) the former federal agency Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) classified railroads by their annual gross revenue . Class I railroads had an annual operating revenue of at least $ 1 million, while Class III railroad incomes were under $ 100,000. Railroads in both classes were subject to reporting requirements on a quarterly or annual schedule. In 1925, the ICC reported 174 Class I railroads, 282 Class II railroads, and 348 Class III railroads. The $ 1 million criterion established in 1911 for
1250-635: The United States: BNSF Railway , CSX Transportation , Canadian National Railway , CPKC , Norfolk Southern Railway , and Union Pacific Railroad . Canadian National also operates in Canada and CPKC operates in Canada and Mexico. In addition, the national passenger railroad in the United States, Amtrak , would qualify as Class I if it were a freight carrier, as would Canada's Via Rail passenger service. Mexico 's Ferromex freight railroad would also qualify as Class I, but it does not operate within
1300-579: The Valley Railroad's route, and in the fall of 1889, brokers from New York purchased the majority of the Valley Railroad's stock and turned them over to the B&;O. The line between Cleveland and Akron was subsequently reorganized as the Cleveland, Terminal and Valley Railway; it later became known as the B&O's Valley Division. While the division was originally the route of various passenger trains that ran once
1350-425: The carrier's annual revenue. The thresholds, last adjusted for inflation in 2019, are: In Canada , a Class I rail carrier is defined (as of 2004 ) as a company that has earned gross revenues exceeding $ 250 million (CAD) for each of the previous two years. Class I railroads are the largest rail carriers in the United States. In 1900, there were 132 Class I railroads, but as the result of mergers and bankruptcies,
1400-478: The fleet of steam locomotives and allowed the railway to grow into a year-round operation. In 1996, the railway boosted their steam roster by rebuilding a 2-8-2 mikado ; former Chicago Burlington and Quincy 4960 , a locomotive with a long history of excursion service. The ALCO FA locomotives lacked the features found in more modern units, such as increased horsepower and dynamic brakes . Therefore, in February 2003,
1450-475: The history of the United States. In 1901, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed a branch line from Williams to Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. The first scheduled train to carry paying passengers of the Grand Canyon Railway arrived from Williams on September 17 of that year. The 64-mile (103-kilometer) long trip cost $ 3.95, and naturalist John Muir later commended the railroad for its limited environmental impact. To accommodate travelers,
1500-544: The history of the United States. In the nomination to the register, the railroad was credited with, "Opening up of a large area north of Williams, the building of the Grand Canyon National Park facilities at the south rim, establishment of a solid tourist trade in the American Southwest, support of cattle and sheep ranching, copper and uranium mining, lumber industries, and the building of a sub culture around
1550-709: The industry has consolidated and as of April 2023 , just six Class I freight railroads remain. BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad have a duopoly over all transcontinental freight rail lines in the Western United States, while CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway operate most of the trackage in the Eastern United States, with the Mississippi River being the rough dividing line. Canadian National Railway (via its subsidiary Grand Trunk Corporation ) operates north–south lines near
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1600-418: The line ended in 1974. Private investors purchased the line in 1988, restored the facilities, and started running passenger trains again on September 17, 1989. Today, the railroad carries hundreds of passengers to and from the canyon every day and operates year-round. The entire Grand Canyon Railway has been added to the National Register of Historic Places , recognizing the contribution the train has made to
1650-488: The line in 1980 and 1984, with each attempt helping to maintain interest in preserving the line and saving it from scrapping. In 1988, the line was bought by Max and Thelma Biegert. The railway was restored and in 1989 began operations as a separate company, independent of the Santa Fe. The first run of the restored railroad was on September 17, 1989, commemorating the September 17 debut of the original railroad. The Biegerts,
1700-683: The nearby Ohio and Erie Canal . Construction of the railroad's right-of-way began, but following the Panic of 1873 , a lack of funding halted the project again. In 1878, capitalists from Cleveland and New York chose to fund the project, on the condition that the railroad company increased its capital stock, and construction subsequently resumed. The first passenger train on the Valley Railroad's new route ran on January 28, 1880, between Cleveland and Canton. Regular passenger and freight operations began five days later, on February 2. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) expressed interest in reaching Cleveland via
1750-608: The operational schedule, which will enhance reliability. CVSR said it intended to purchase an additional FPA4 and FPB4 from the Grand Canyon Railway in the future. On January 26, 2023, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and its partner agencies established plans to extend CVSR from its current northern terminus at Rockside Road in Independence, Ohio, all the way into Cleveland. The CVSR has had several accidents in recent history: CVSR offers
1800-612: The passengers would then take the rail line. The first locomotives the railway acquired were a pair of EMD GP7u units from the Santa Fe, as well as four 2-8-0 consolidation steam locomotives formerly operated by the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad . In the early 1990s, the Grand Canyon Railway purchased a fleet of 1950s-era ALCO FA Diesel-electric locomotives , featuring an iconic "snub nose" design. The fleet consisted of two cab-equipped lead A unit models and two cabless booster B unit models. The new locomotives supplemented
1850-489: The peak travel season (March through October). The Grand Canyon Railway's fleet of historic ALCO FA diesel locomotives also see occasional use. Passengers ride to and from the Grand Canyon in 1950s era climate-controlled coaches. During the peak travel season, 1920s era Pullman Harriman style coaches with open windows are also available. The railroad adds to the Old West experience by having actors dressed as bandits stage
1900-468: The press release, the railway and Xanterra reported over 225,000 passengers and over $ 38 million in revenue in calendar year 2005. The purchase of the GCR included all of the railway's assets, depots, hotels, RV park, rolling stock, shops and the land on which the 65-mile (105 km) line operates over. Steam locomotive operations on the Grand Canyon Railway were suspended in September 2008. Xanterra cited extra diesel fuel costs and environmental concerns as
1950-452: The rail business. They had loaned money secured by the tracks to another person for the rail line. When they defaulted the Biegerts took over the line. In conjunction with the startup, the Biegerts were principal investors in the short-lived Farwest Airlines, an air taxi service operating a DHC Dash 7 that was intended to bring tourists from California, Las Vegas and Phoenix to Flagstaff where
2000-414: The railroad's management consists of: ^ A: Elevation or Altitude approximations obtained through Wiki ToolServer GeoHack link to United States Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset : Where "-Longitude" is the degrees in decimal with the "W" suffix replaced by a "-" prefix "Latitude" is the degrees in decimal without the "N" suffix. ^ B: "Nearby" means within
2050-424: The reason for the decision, pointing out that each roundtrip of a steam locomotive consumed 1,450 gallons of diesel fuel (compared to the 550 gallons used by a diesel-electric locomotive) and 1,200 gallons of water. Industry experts said that ridership losses due to the late 2000s recession and rising fuel prices due to the 2000s energy crisis likely contributed to the decision. Steam locomotives would return to
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2100-590: The southern terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway and the Grand Canyon Depot , owned by the National Park Service, is the northern terminus for passengers of the line. Most trains are pulled by the Railway's fleet of F40PH diesel locomotives. They were regeared to run at freight locomotive speeds and have been redesignated as F40FH. Steam locomotives pull trains on special holidays and the first Saturday of
2150-866: The steel mills in New Castle and Youngstown . In the early 1970s, the Midwest Railway Historical Foundation expressed interest in using the railroad line between Cleveland and Akron for weekend tourist excursion operations, with Grand Trunk Western steam locomotive No. 4070 as the motive power. The foundation attracted support from Siegfried Buerling of Hale Farm , the Western Reserve Historical Society , and lawyer and Cleveland County Fair director Henry Lukes. A new organization—the Cuyahoga Valley Preservation and Scenic Railway Association—was formed in 1972. While
2200-548: The train one way from any one of CVSR's nine stations. The bike is loaded onto a re-purposed baggage car and bikers are seated in a car directly following it. Similar programs are in place for hikers, runners and passengers with kayaks for a slightly different price. The Explorer program (previously known as Bike Aboard) is only offered from May through October. In summer 2003, CVSR began service between Akron and Canton . CVSR provided service between Akron Northside Station and Canton Lincoln Highway Station until 2013. As of 2021,
2250-444: The two classes. The bounds are typically redefined every several years to adjust for inflation and other factors. Class II and Class III designations are now rarely used outside the rail transport industry. The Association of American Railroads typically divides non–Class I companies into three categories: In the United States, the Surface Transportation Board categorizes rail carriers into Class I, Class II, and Class III based on
2300-416: The way. Grand Trunk Western 4070, a steam locomotive, was originally the primary motive power of the CVSR, but since 1990, the locomotive has been out of service. During select operating years in the 21st century, the CVSR hosted steam excursion trains pulled by visiting steam locomotives, including Canadian Pacific 1293 , Viscose Company 6, and Nickel Plate Road 765 . For a small fee, a bicyclist may ride
2350-403: Was completed by the NPS on a new shop facility for the CVSR to use for locomotive maintenance. The railroad adopted a strategic plan which recommended that it expand its operational capabilities. To do so, additional locomotives would need to be purchased. The plan specified that the CVSR seek to become "the largest collection of preserved Alco locomotives in the country." The railroad established
2400-513: Was completed on September 17, 1901. The arrival of trains led increased tourism to the area, and the railway company was instrumental in the creation of the Grand Canyon Village to serve guests. Declining ridership due to the increasing usage of the automobile led the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to cease passenger service of the Grand Canyon Railway in July 1968 and freight service on
2450-434: Was increased in 1992 to $ 250 million annually, which resulted in the Florida East Coast Railway having its status changed to Class II. The thresholds set in 1992 were: Since dissolution of the ICC in 1996, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) has become responsible for defining criteria for each railroad class. The STB continues to use designations of Class II and Class III as there are different labor regulations for
2500-491: Was originally known as the Fred Harvey Company , a company with restaurant, hotel and service ties to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway as far back as 1876. Xanterra said that it intended to keep all 480 of the railway's current employees, and planned to focus on growing the business and increasing the coordination between the railway and Xanterra's other services in the Grand Canyon National Park's South Rim. In
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