Join Us At The Whistle Stop!


Love History? Love Trains? See Union Pacific Vintage Locomotive #844 Steam Down the Sunset Route. Join us as we celebrate Arizona's Centennial and 131 Years of Vail, AZ History. Twitter and Trains. The twain shall meet! Vail Preservation Society, the local historical society, has teamed up with students from the Vail School District for this historic event. 4th grade school students from Acacia elementary will interact with the progress of Engine #844 using 2011 technology; following the locomotive via Twitter as it chugs from Willcox to Vail. Next, in real time, students will see the 1880 steam technology that helped begin their hometown and grow Arizona from a Territory into the 48th state. Share the excitement as youth and technologies meet. The sound of a train whistle first split the air in Vail on April 24th of 1880. A telegraph line was built simultaneously alongside the tracks as they moved eastward. These marvels of modern technology would establish more firmly the United States' westward expansion and build a national identity while providing a perception of accomplishment. In commemoration of the Arizona Centennial, Vail AZ, a humble town Between the Tracks, will have the opportunity to relive a historic moment at the original town site near the adobe Old Vail Post Office and the Shrine of St. Rita in the Desert. When asked, J.J. Lamb, Director of the Vail Preservation Society had this to say. I expect we will have a large crowd for this once in a lifetime opportunity. It's been generations since most people have witnessed a steam engine on the tracks and we plan to pay proper homage to the day.


WHAT: Union Pacific Railroad Arizona Centennial Tour - Whistle Stop in Vail. Vintage Steam Locomotive #844

WHEN: Thursday, November 10, 2011

TIME: Activities begin at 11:30

WHERE: The Vail Crossing-railroad tracks-Near 13260 E. Colossal Cave Rd., Vail, AZ South (#1) track at Success Drive, south of the Shrine of Santa Take I 10 east to exit 279, proceed one mile north of I 10 to the crossing. Follow signs to the Shrine of St. Rita southeast parking lot on Success Dr.

TO DO: 4th Cavalry Band Ensemble-enjoy tunes from Arizona Territorial times! Boy Scout Pack 780 will present the colors. NTRAK Model Railroad Club-Vail N Gauge train layout display. Historic railroad Station Wagon sponsored by the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum. Hands-on Heritage Activities. Voices of Vail & Mail by Rail Exhibits. AZ Rangers, Tucson Chapter.


CONTACT INFO: call J.J. Lamb at 520-419-4428