It's Man vs. Machine from Grand Canyon to Williams
It has taken almost a quarter century, but the Train is getting a rematch.
Back in 1991, about 300 cyclists — including 137 professionals — raced the Grand Canyon Railway's steam-powered Engine No. 18 from Tusayan to Williams in a 50-mile Man-vs.-Machine match race.
The train got smoked.
The engineer got steamed.
And a young pro named Krzysztof Wiatr led a pack of 51 cyclists who finished ahead of the locomotive to pocket the winner's share of a $13,000 purse.
The 5-foot-7 Wiatr, who would go on to win a U.S. National Criterium title in 1993, hammered old No. 18 by 15 minutes.
Stories about the race captivated Robert Krombeen, a justice of the peace in Williams who told his friend P.J. Bohrman, an avid cyclist and occasional event organizer, all about it.
It reminded the two of the Iron Horse bike race in Colorado that pits cyclists against a steam engine from Durango to Silverton. So Bohrman and Mark Booth, his business partner at Grand Canyon Racing, decided it was time to give the Train another shot.
On Sept. 26, about 400 cyclists are expected to line up in Tusayan to race a steam-powered train roughly 54 miles to Williams.
This time the more powerful Engine No. 4960 will represent Grand Canyon Railway, which is sponsoring the event. No. 4960 is one of the few steam engines in the world that have been converted to run on recycled vegetable oil.
"It's definitely an iconic locomotive," Bohrman said. "It's only run a few times a year, and it's really a unique opportunity because it usually runs with a diesel pusher."
Despite going without the pusher, Bruce Brossman, a spokesman for Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which is the parent of Grand Canyon Railway, said he is confident the outcome will be different this time.
Or, at least, organizers will try to handicap the race so that it's a fair fight.
"Last time, they beat the train by 15 minutes and we don't want that," Brossman said. "Our train guys want to win, that's the funny part of this. They don't want to lose to a bunch of bicyclists."
Details of the first race are sketchy, but it took place on Oct. 5, 1991, and was sanctioned by what was then called the U.S. Cycling Federation. The cyclists started in Tusayan, and it is believed the train started in Grand Canyon National Park.
"The cyclists effectively had a head start because the slowest part of the train trip is down Coconino Canyon with steep switchbacks," Brossman said. "After that, it's pretty flat the rest of the way."
The train folks might have felt like they were railroaded that day. The train traveled about 11 miles farther than the cyclists, and three sections of track were in poor condition. The engineer was required, by the railway's rules, to slow below 25 miles per hour in those sections.
The engineer told reporters after the race that he made the run faster than he ever had, arrived 11 minutes ahead of schedule, but still got his caboose kicked.
Brossman notes that the track has long since been upgraded, and Bohrman said this event is aimed at recreational cyclists and not professionals, although there is a $500 prize for finishing first.
Organizers hope to time the departure of the train so that cyclists will have to average 21-23 miles per hour to have a chance to beat it.
The result figures to be a race that goes down to the final whistle.
"We want a portion of the field to have a fair chance to beat the train," Bohrman said. "But the wind might blow. What if the train is completely loaded? There are some dynamics we won't know, which is going to make it fun."
Brossman said the configuration of the train is still being determined, but it is likely to pull five 1923 Pullman Harriman-style passenger cars and a café car.
Grand Canyon Racing will provide shuttle service for riders and their bicycles from Williams to the start, and Grand Canyon Railway is selling tickets to ride the train during the race, which figures to be a popular vantage point for family members of the bike riders.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has issued permits to allow cyclists to ride on State Route 64 into Williams. The final stretch will take place on Route 66 to the Grand Canyon Railway Depot.
State, county and local police officers will monitor the race, which will start at 1 p.m. — typically a lower traffic period on SR 64, which will not be closed to vehicles for the event.
After the race, everybody can blow off steam at a party sponsored by Historic Brewing Company of Flagstaff. And Grand Canyon Railway Hotel will offer room specials.
Details: 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. $60 until July 15, $80 after. $25 for shuttle to start. grandcanyonracing.com, thetrain.com.
Explore Arizona reporter Bob Young is a six-time Ironman finisher, marathoner and ultra-marathoner. Reach him at 602-444-8271 or bob.young@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobYoungTHI.
Try this next week
The YMCA Goodyear Firecracker Reverse Triathlon is an ideal event for kids, newcomers or experienced triathletes. It has mini (1.5-mile run, 8-mile bike, 200-meter swim), maxi (2-mile run, 12-mile bike, 400-meter swim) and maxi (2-mile run, 16-mile bike, 800-meter swim) options. The youth event is a half-mile run, 4-mile bike and 100-meter swim.
Details: 6:15 a.m. Sunday, July 5. Southwest Valley Regional YMCA, 2919 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear. $62-$101. trifamilyracing.com.