Locomotive Engine at The Kingman Visitor Center in Arizona

A nice little park across the street from the Kingman Visitor Center caught my attention when I visited here in June 2023.

This is no ordinary thing, it’s a beast, it is a big boy.

A tiny footbridge provides access to the park to meet and greet a huge locomotive engine stationed there to awe the visitors.

The engine is so huge, I could not capture it in one frame without walking back farther.

I felt like one big eye :roll_eyes:

Here’s the view of the majestic Kingman Visitor Center, Museum, and Gift Shop looking back from the Locomotive Park.

They also have an accessible bench and like everything else around it is also painted black, and like everything else it has Route 66 engraved on it.

:wheelchair: Accessibility

The park is accessible for a wheelchair-bound person.

Also, they have a huge parking with several slots reserved for the differently abled people.

Note:

  1. Dogs are not allowed in the park.

  2. Do not climb on the locomotive engine.

Nearby Attractions:

The Visitor Center and Electric Cars Museum in Kingman Arizona

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Das ist doch sicher eine alte Dampflok @TusharSuradkar die ja wirklich sehr groß ist. Ein interessanter Artikel mit sehr schönen Bildern.

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Hm… the gift shop looks more prominent… right?

Well, to me, this looks like a short visit destination.

The engine gives a gigantic feel and probably would have designed for long trips with out reloading coal/water… what is your opinion? dear @TusharSuradkar ?

Good photographs which are very contextual.

Is that accessible :wheelchair: bench colour has any relevance - black?

Thanks for sharing these details, dear friend.

Waiting to see more from you…

Warm regards…

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Super memory nicely articulated @TusharSuradkar bhau

Of locomotive days.

Here too in some hill station still steam engine working.

Regards

Anil

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Fascinating place @TusharSuradkar but it is not a “Big Boy” engine. That is a “Northern”. The Big Boy is significantly bigger - it is basically two locomotives this size under a single boiler and cab.

Paul

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Thank you @TravellerG

I think the black color carries no meaning,

Most of the Route 66 symbols are black-on-white.

but in this case, it appears that they simply smeared all nearby objects with any leftover black paint that appears all over the locomotive.

Comparatively, the Railway Museum in Delhi has done a good job.

They have painted each part of a railway engine in contrasting colors like yellow, blue, green, pink, and white, to help people distinctly identify each part.

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Thank you, dear @Anil6969

Yes, in India everything is still working.

This engine in the post is dead and only the outer shell is on display.

In the Delhi Railway Museum, they also allow people to enter the railways and check internally.

But not here.

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Thank you @PaulPavlinovich

Frankly, the word ‘Big Boy’ was the only catchy word that I knew about large locomotives.

and was not aware of its actual meaning :grin:

These beasts appear magnificent when they move, though I’ve been lucky to see them only on YouTube.

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Hello, dear friend “Railway-Expert”… @PaulPavlinovich

(iI remember that you have mentioned above your volunteer time in railway… Am I right… Paul Ji?

Thanks for your comments - interesting…

Thanks for sharing…

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“… they simply smeared all nearby objects with any leftover black paint that appears all over the locomotive…”

Nice comment…he…he…he…

Too dull a ‘Theme’!

Overall, ‘Life’ is missing at this location…

Attractive big board of “Gift Shop”…

Even our Mysuru and Chennai Rail Museums are really worth visiting (really colourful)… Very engaging, informative and helpful…

Thanks for your kind replay in detail, dear Moderator friend @TusharSuradkar

:raised_hands: :two_hearts:

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“… though I’ve been lucky to see them only on YouTube…”

Oh… I see…

In fact, 1970s… 80s…luckily, I have travelled a lot…

You go home after a couple of hours of journey… “You will SMELL the TRAIN”… :blush:

All clothes also will turn dark… Deadly Days…

Surely, our Paul Ji will have more to say?

@TusharSuradkar and @PaulPavlinovich

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Wow! That’s wonderful news @TravellerG :+1:

About Mysuru and Chennai having Rail Museums - Now I must visit them on the next trip.

Thanks a bunch for this.

Yes, my last comment was a bit exaggerated, but I sincerely think they could have done a better job of the paintwork instead of painting it all black.

Yes, this place is very small, less crowded and silent, a feature that I like a lot when traveling in India or abroad,

The quietness and calm are truly enjoyable.

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Yes @TravellerG I am a volunteer steam locomotive fireman on a heritage steam railway, I fired a few days ago and I’m back again tomorrow for another shift in the hot box at https://puffingbilly.com.au/

PaulPavlinovich_0-1704926153780.png

I will be firing four services tomorrow alongside driver Gavin. I’ll be firing our oil burning locomotive 14A on services 9, 14, 21 and 36.

@TusharSuradkar those American locomotives were always black during their lifetime, most USA locomotives were in “modern” times with colours being very unusual except in the early days. The environment in Arizona is very harsh and it looks like that engine probably gets graffiti on it. The patchwork paintjob is most likely as you say any black the city has to hand when they’re dealing with the vandals so doesn’t look as nice as it could.

If you want an example of how locomotives can look in AZ, next time you’re in Arizona visit https://www.azrymuseum.org/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/ufo2daQL8pX3y2Fu7 (I think their website belongs in a museum too lol).

Paul

Paul

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“… my last comment was a bit exaggerated…”

Absolutely… We all take ch comments in the right spirit giving only the right weight…

“… The quietness and calm are truly enjoyable…”

It is like our temple festivals… Some people like crowd and sound…

I too love to be in breezy mood…

Mysuru, you can cover more than 20 very important PoIs, including Palace and Brindavan Gardens, Sand Sculpture Museum (very much worth), Sea Shell Museum… and many more…

Once again invite you to come and stay with us and from Bangalore you can cover, Bangalore and Mysuru…

Hope you will enjoy this…

(may be our dear @PaulPavlinovich Ji also may like this…

Note:

I’m so sorry… I forgot to tag you earlier.

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Indeed, you are most welcome at kalka shimla toy train,

Neral matheran in maharashtra.

Siliguri to Darjeeling westbengal.etc come n enjoy @TusharSuradkar bhau.

Regards

Anil

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Thank you dear @Anil6969 for the invitation.

I have taken the heritage train in Ooty but Darjeeling and Shimla are too far away.

But Matheran is only an hour’s drive from Pune, so will try visiting there first.

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Hello dear @PaulPavlinovich Ji,

Yes, I remember adding seen the website ‘Puffingbilly’ earlier - rather you gave me the link thanks - interesting!

Of course, Arizona Rail Museum - grand - thanks for sharing.

Regards from Bangalore, India.

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बहुत अच्छा @TusharSuradkar
आपका पोस्ट सुंदर एवं जानकारी भरा है मुझे लगता है यह पोस्ट इंग्लैंड से प्रकाशित हुआ है और यहां रेलगाड़ी के पुराने डिब्बे हमें रेलवे का अतीत याद दिला रहे हैं आज रेलवे सुपर ट्रेन और बुलेट ट्रेन के ऊपर जा चुका है पर जो भाव वाली इंजन और ट्रेन थी वह हमारी यादों में हमेशा जीवंत रहेगी |

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যে ইঞ্জিনটি দেখে মনে হচ্ছে ট্রেনের ইঞ্জিন এর মত বিশাল। খুব আদিম যুগের ইঞ্জিন।ইঞ্জিনটি এখন ভালো আছে কি সেটা জানাবেন। অনেক বড় আকারের ইঞ্জিন নিয়ে বিস্তারিত লেখার জন্য আপনাকে ধন্যবাদ।

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