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Years
The City of Scottsdale completed a $2.5 million makeover of the railroad park. A new, two-story, 5,000-square-foot replica of the 1913-vintage Clifton Station in Clifton, Arizona was built to serve as a park headquarters and provide a souvenir shop, and was named Stillman Station. A new train-loading platform was constructed to allow staff to operate a longer train and to help reduce wait times. New restrooms and a clock tower were also built. The Snackstop food concession, new carousel and playground were also relocated, as were several other park amenities. The rededication ceremony was held Friday, October 10, 1997. Mayor Kathryn
“Sam” Campana, City Manager Dick Bowers, Patricia Stillman and Bill Soderquist representing the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society spoke at the dedication. At the time of the renovation and re-dedication, Bob McNair was the city’s manager of the park. Within two months of reopening the park, attendance and revenue were up as much as twice that of November 1995.
DATE: October 10, 1997
In 1967, 100-acres of land was donated to the City of Scottsdale by the McCormick’s. Also at this time, Guy Stillman, a local businessman, announced he will turn over his miniature railroad as a long-term lease – purchase agreement with Scottsdale. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler McCormick had operated an Arabian horse ranch for many years upon these many acres. Guy Stillman donated his steam engines and rolling stock, with hopes that everyone could enjoy trains for years to come. This was indeed the start of something magical for Scottsdale.
DATE: February 25, 1974
The Santa Fe Railroad built a depot in Wendon, Arizona for the Arizona and California Railway. The depot was moved to Congress, Arizona in 1936, and finally to Aguila, Arizona (approximately in 1964). The depot also housed Aguila’s telegraph office. The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway company had closed the Aguila Depot effective August 4, 1969; in 1977 it was purchased by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society and moved by truck to the railroad park.
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This 1894 Peoria Depot was acquired in March of 1972, just as it was about to be demolished by its owner, the Santa Fe Railroad. It had a been a station along the route of the Santa Fe, Prescott, and Phoenix Railway, which was nicknamed the “Peavine.” The Atchison, Topeka, and SantaFe Railway Company closed the Peoria Station effective August 4, 1969, then transferred operations to the depot in Glendale, AZ. E.V. O’Malley donated materials to restore the station after it was moved to the railroad park. Prior to it being the Scottsdale Railroad Museum entrance, it served as Bill’s Trains and Tools shop and also Roy’s Train World.
Prior to being moved to Park (above).
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This ten-thousand square foot building now houses four model railroad clubs inside as well as the Live Steamers club member room. Live Steamers operates outside behind the building. The model railroad clubs include the Paradise and Pacific (O scale), Sun N Sand (N scale), The Scottsdale Model Railroad Club (HO scale), and newly added Z Guys (Z scale).
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Walter Lee “Gabe” Brooks
Gabe Brooks’ machine shop was acquired by the City of Scottsdale from Brooks’ daughter, Emmajeane Brooks Harris of Phoenix, at a cost of $5,000. The shop was moved from Earll Drive in downtown Scottsdale to the park in December, 1973. Brooks built the 20-foot by 20-foot shop circa 1930 on Powderhorn Ranch, the land he homesteaded in 1917 that is northeast of what was then unincorporated Scottsdale. He later moved the shop into the downtown area, first to Scottsdale and Thomas Road, then to 7125 E. Earll in 1945. The shop was considered state-of-the-art for its time and Brooks was considered a master precision machinist. Brooks was also known for his prowess as a water well digger throughout the Scottsdale area during the 1930s and 1940s and he used the shop’s equipment in his drilling business.
The machinery within the shop was mostly made in the 1800s and every lathe, drill press, and milling machine was run by a series of belts from overhead shafts. Many things were built within the shop, including scale model live steam locomotives and during World War II, Brooks was contracted by the AiResearch to build precision tools and parts for B-29 bombers.
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On November 10, Hartley’s General Store was dedicated to its generous benefactors, Ruth and Hartley Barker (whose funds were matched by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society to make the general store a reality). Hartley’s General Store was an interior reconfiguration of the historic Aguila, Arizona train depot 146 and featured hand-dipped ice cream, gourmet coffees, other food items and a gift shop offering a variety of railroad souvenirs. In addition to the Bil Keane “Family Circus” cartoon mural, the station store also featured an operational “G” scale railroad — suspended from the ceiling and circling the store — that was created by railroad park staff.
Nationally-syndicated cartoonist and Paradise Valley resident Bil Keane, creator of “Family Circus,” created and donated a mural – depicting characters Billy, Dolly, Jeffy, PG and mom and dad enjoying the park’s attractions and reflecting on a tasty treat – during Railfair ’99 October 9-10. The mural was displayed in the new Hartley’s General Store. (See Below)
A bronze statue commemorating “Family Circus” cartoonist Bil Keane, a 50-year resident of Paradise Valley until his death in 2011, was dedicated at the park in November. The statue was designed by Keane’s sons Jeff and Glen and placed in a ramada. “Giddy-up Daddy” was constructed by Bronzesmith Fine Art Fountry & Gallery of Prescott, AZ.
The 1930s-vintage Maricopa, Arizona Depot was moved to the park in October by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society. According to the plaque adjacent to the building, “This building was built in the 1930s by the Southern Pacific Railroad in the town of Maricopa, Arizona. The original two-story depot had burned and this smaller depot was built so railroad service could continue.
When the Southern Pacific closed the depot in the [early] 1960s, the building was purchased by Bob and Rozan Echols. The Echols moved it to their home in Phoenix, where it remained until being purchased and moved to the park in October of 2003 by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society.” The Echols also donated items from their personal railroad memorabilia collection for the park’s museum, which was housed in the Roald Amundsen Pullman car. The couple was also instrumental in recruiting volunteers for the park.
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Scottsdale’s Sister City, Interlaken, Switzerland, donated a Swiss precision railroad clock to the railroad park on October 8, 1999. Honorary Swiss Consul Max Haechler formally presented the clock to Mayor Sam Campana in the presence of Consul General of Switzerland Hans Peter Egger and a delegation from Interlaken visiting Scottsdale
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