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| A highlight of this trip so far especially for me is today we ride The Verde Canyon Railroad.... It leaves from the Rail Depot at Clarksdale which is about 23 miles from home....... |
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| This is our railcar.......we have splashed out and gone "1st class" not a lot more in price than coach but a few extras and better seating...... |
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| Part of ticket price a glass of `'champagne" to toast our trip..... |
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| The Happy Travellers..... |
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| As we leave Clarksdale there is historical evidence of what copper mining did to the landscape and environment in this area, much like the "slag" heaps just outside of Dawson City, Yukon due to the gold mining...... The copper ore mined from nearby Jerome was brought here to the Clarksdale smelter by rail. The smelter originally covered almost 200 acres producing 50 million tons of "slag".......this slag heap (this is just part of it) covers 40 acres, averages 40 ft in depth and represents 40 years of operation ! |
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| Our train passing over the SOB Canyon Trestle on our way down through Verde Canyon...... |
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| Our journey is 40 miles there and back and takes 4 hours....... |
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| The Verde River..... |
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| As well as our Pullman coach there is also access to an open-air viewing coach......narration, knowledgeable staff and just about every train song every written complete the experience :) |
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| Arms and heads inside the car please !!! |
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| Around every corner is another fantastic sight...... |
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| We descend 500 ft in elevation on route to Perkinsville..... |
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| Stunning red rock formations...... |
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| Tunnel approaching..... |
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| The entrance to the 680 ft long curved tunnel....... The tunnel was blasted through solid limestone and is supported by timbers only for about 30 ft at the far end of the tunnel.....although all of the work was done by hand (a crew of 25 Swedes) it was completed in just 6 months ! |
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| The old and deteriorating depot at Perkinsville (now a ghost town).......this is the end of the line .........passengers stay on board while the engines are brought up the side of the train to hook up for the return journey to Clarksdale...... We are surprised that they haven't "done up" the depot and opened another gift shop ! |
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| What luck a sighting of a bald eagle in flight.....thank goodness for a very good telephoto lens..... |
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| We had the most wonderful day and even getting home to find once again we have no hot water (we thought it had been fixed) couldn't dampen (sorry for the pun) our spirits...... These are only a few of my photos of course, I have tried to get a flavour of the day and not bore you to tears !......I also have videos !!!! I haven't worked out how to get them onto the blog yet but give me time !!!! |
Hi Sue & Michael,
ReplyDeleteThat was some train journey super sights,even had the bonus of the bald eagle sighting wow.
Hope the champagne was well chilled looked that you were enjoying.
Point of sale delivery for me tomorrow 22/3/13 remember those Michael,happy days.
All the best.
Ann&Dave
PS snow first day of Spring snow forecast tonight
Good morning
ReplyDeleteOh we did have the best time.....
Champagne could have been a little cooler but then I'm fussy but it was very pleasant.....
Oh no not more snow, we have missed a very cold winter by the sounds of it......
My boy is still in the land of nod but then it is only 8 am here.......he used to love POS days NOT you know him "what have they sent more of that for" and "I didn't oder that" he he ! Happy days !
Have a great weekend
M & S