Residents celebrated the grand opening of the City of Scottsdale’s McCormick Railroad Park on Saturday, October 4, at 11 a.m. with free train rides (normal cost was 35 cents), games, music, shootouts, but “with a bare minimum of facilities some of which had been moved along with the railroad equipment in 1972. The material cost of laying over one mile of track was $48,000. Rails, ties, etc. plus labor were donations. When the park opened it included the old Jolly Ranch garage and stable, which had been converted for use by local model train clubs, as well as the Roald Amundsen Pullman car, Gabe Brooks’ machine shop and the Peoria Depot. The highlight of the children was riding the Paradise & Pacific Railroad around the park. At the time of opening, approximately $1.25 million had been invested in the park and its facilities.
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