After a recommendation from friends and hearing from others here in the RV park what a scenic train ride that the Verde Canyon Railroad offers plus the viewing of wildlife, especially bald eagles, we decided to take the plunge. The train rides that we have taken over the years have proven to be a disappointment and way too long for our liking. A two hour train ride should only be an hour, four hour train ride should only be two hours - you get the picture. That opinion still holds true after this train experience. The scenery was pretty, we were shown some neat rock formations, and provided with bits of information.
Here's a picture of our car The Cottonwood and the outside rail car we spent most of our time on.
The train had two FP702 engines of which only twelve remain. Both engines were painted with an eagle on their sides.
Our only view of an eagle way off in the distance. Wasn't sure it was an eagle until I was able to blow up the picture.
If we had seen a few bald eagles and some other raptors soaring in the sky, our opinion would probably be different. In all fairness, the train personnel said the best time to take the train is in March and October. The train personnel assigned to our car and flatbed were very personable and knowledgeable and did add to the experience.
