Contacts:
Chelsey Hamilton: chelsey.h@verdecanyonrr.com or 480-417-8844
Brandon Hamilton: brandon.h@verdecanyonrr.com or 623-986-9908
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Verde Canyon Railroad Shares Appreciation for Crew, First Responders and Passengers
After Rare Weather Event Impacts Excursion Train
Clarkdale, Arizona — [November 24, 2025] — On November 18th, 2025, shortly after Verde Canyon Railroad’s 1 p.m. excursion rolled out of the Clarkdale depot, unseasonably heavy rains caused concern along the train’s historic wilderness route. The decision was quickly made to truncate the usual four-hour trip and return back to the depot. Safety is always the primary concern for the management team of this heritage railroad, which has been operating as an excursion train since 1990 on a line completed in 1912. As the train neared Clarkdale, rain loosened and unleashed a rockslide, which blocked the tracks as it fell, preventing the train and its 400+ passengers and staff from returning to the depot.
This historic incident required quick mobilization and emergency response from the train staff, management team, the train’s Maintenance of Way (MOW) crew and local First Responders. Rail-worthy passenger cars scheduled for interior renovations were quickly cleared and attached to a freight locomotive to form a “rescue train,” which rolled to the location of the slide area, where the passengers and staff were retrieved. Guests were gracious and patient, making new friends as they awaited this unusual and unexpected return to the depot. First Responders from the Verde Valley Fire District were on hand to assist passengers with mobility issues, and Clarkdale Police maintained a presence to assist as guests arrived back at the depot.
Passengers were fully refunded for the trip, and many sent beautiful sentiments of support and gratitude for this unexpected adventure:
“We truly appreciate all of the hard work everyone put in to make sure our group members as well as everyone else stayed calm and made it off the train and back to the station safely, ” wrote Emily Lewis of Peoria, AZ
Tim Cody of Minnesota was on board and shared praise for the rescue by writing, “Best free trip I ever had. Your staff was great; we could see them going from car to car keeping us up to date. They were all just as surprised and curious as us, but awesome. The amount of help you wereable to round-up and assist was great. I was an emergency contact for ‘disasters’ and a safety and environmental engineer at a medical manufacturing facility, and I know the effort it took to tackle such an unexpected event.”
By the following afternoon, the MOW crew had cleared and repaired the damaged areas of track, and Clarkdale residents were once again delighted to hear the train horn as the excursion train arrived back in town just before sunset.
Verde Canyon Railroad wishes to thank their amazing train team, MOW crew, the local First Responders who provided additional support and the intrepid passengers. The Verde Canyon Railroad is back on track, and they promise to get you to Perkinsville and back on a real wilderness adventure!
It’s not the Destination; It’s the Unforgettable Journey
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About Verde Canyon Railroad
People travel from all over the world to ride the rails into the Verde Canyon to experience Arizona’s longest-running nature show. Over 120,000 people per year enter the depot doors to learn more about the Railroad and the ride, a scenic 40-mile, four-hour roundtrip journey that immerses passengers in breathtaking scenery alive with vibrant flora, diverse fauna, and captivating geology. The Railroad’s mission is linked to the beautiful Canyon through which it passes, including the preservation of the environment, conservation of wildlife, protection of historic equipment and artifacts, and sharing with others the red-rock wilderness that makes this train ride a governor-designated “Arizona Treasure.” Learn more at verdecanyonrr.com.
