Halloween is around the corner and we love playing dress up. For the ultimate themed event lovers, the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona – a private train comprised of three ultra-luxurious 1940s and 1950s railcars is offering a truly unique event experience.

How about a Mad Men themed wedding or The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon-style party?

The train set, consisting of a rear open-aired observation car (The Kansas); a parlor/café and lounge car (The Utah); and a coveted vista dome/sleeper car (The California) will be available for charters for the first time ever from Williams to one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon, beginning November 1, 2019. In addition, two other historic rail cars will be made available for charters: The Santa Fe a luxury parlor/lounge/café car; and the Max Biegert, also a luxury parlor car with an open air rear platform.

What this means is that neighborhood associations, groups of families and friends, civic organizations, wedding parties and corporate events can run their own train on what amounts to their very own railroad, something almost impossible on non-tourist railroads in the U.S. The five cars can accommodate 200 guests because there is lots of “living room” and full-on bedrooms and galleys (kitchens) on this train set. 

Grand Canyon Railway is not a tourist railroad or heritage museum – it’s an everyday (except Christmas) working passenger railroad that runs 65 miles from Williams (itself on historic Route 66) to within steps of the South Rim of Grand Canyon, known for El Tovar, Mary E.J. Coulter architecture, the Bright Angel Trailhead, and Hopi House. It may just be the only non-heritage railroad in the U.S. where people, companies, brands, and “Hollywood” or advertising agencies can charter their own personal train, complete with chefs, bartenders, entertainers, and staff and actually go somewhere – somewhere like one of the seven wonders of the world and one of the greatest national parks.

In addition to the open-air platform rear observation car, and “Mad Men-era” dome car, there is also a sleeping car complete with Pullman-style sleeping berths. Charters even have a choice of engines – a traditional diesel engine or a magnificent steam engine. Grand Canyon Railway is one of the last passenger railroads in the U.S. that still rosters working, glistening steam engines which always brings romance and excitement to the rails. And yes, if you charter the train you can pull the whistle.

And everything is flexible given the Railway actually owns and runs the entire railroad. For example, it’s possible to have just one car (and engine) for a charter, or two cars, or all five. Of course, this includes an Engineer, Brakeman, Conductor, and Passenger Service Attendant to provide for every need. It’s possible to add stops along the way (on sidings) for a Chuck Wagon dinner, bar service, live entertainment, custom food service (these passenger cars have kitchens or galleys as they are called), a personal chef, or even do a sleepover in the private sleeping cars.

While there are a variety of options when it comes to chartering a train (time, number of passenger cars, food, is it a sleepover, etc.) prices for a full charter with 200 people can cost less than $160 per person.

For more information about the Grand Canyon Railway, visit www.thetrain.com.

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Yvon Lux is a tastemaker, influencer and editor for her Apple News channel.

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