While viewing a Google map of the Grand Canyon Railway, I noticed there are two stations at the Grand Canyon Village area.

One is obviously the original station, and appears to be the one they're using today.

The second is on the "dead" leg of the wye. It seems to be in use by the National Park Service, but it's pretty obviously set up for use as a train station, and looks to be set up for bus service currently.

What's the history of this second station? When was it built? Is it used for rail at all?

The Pete Lerro charter used that station platform to park on. I didn't know it existed and was quite surprised. When questioned, someone (can't remember if it was a GCRY employee or just a fellow rider) said the National Park built it when they had planned to operate essentially commuter trains into the park. (From where? I'm not sure, maybe even Williams). Obviously they got as far along as building the station / platform before abandoning the plan. Our tax dollars at work.

It may have been the Park was going to pay the GCRY to

It looks like a commuter station, all set up for bus access and signs visible in street view seem to indicate there is local bus service. In fact, that was my first thought, that it was for some kind of commuter service, but I couldn't figure out a likely origin. Park workers living in Williams?

That is the Park Information Center. I think that's where you get hiking permits and whatnot. When I was last there in 1990 or so, there was no development in that area. There was a four or five track yard moldering under the pine needles and fallen tree debris. I seem to recall two tank cars (fire water?) parked there but nothing else. Certainly a lot different than today.

From what I remember there was a push to operate trains to and from the airport, and that particular station was built for that reason. Not sure why the extension to the airport was not done, but if it had been it would have given the railroad a bigger presence in the park.

The Back Country Office was originally built to be a station for the proposed light rail system that was going to be operating at Grand Canyon National Park. Ultimately, it was decided that the entire project would have been too disruptive to the local ecology and too expensive, so the plan was changed to use buses instead.

Prior to the reopening of the rail line the back country office was in the historic depot. With the light rail plans the tail of the wye was lifted for the light rail with the new depot that the back country office has today.

Robby

The above posts are essentially correct. The Maswik Transfer station was built about 1995. The plan was to build a branch line from the GCR main at Apex (now called Imbleau) to the town of Tusayan, about 4 miles. Commuter style trains would run push-pull from Tusayan to GC, about 45 minutes each way. The initial motivation was to keep automobiles out of the park.

The Transfer station was built with an open breezeway in the middle, so passengers could easily transfer from the commuter trains to busses on the other side (or possibly a light rail system eventually?)

Other than the construction of the transfer station, nothing was built to fulfill this plan. Eventually, winds changed in the Park administration and the plan was dropped. Instead, a large Visitor Center was built near Mather Point with a large parking lot and rerouting of the park shuttle busses.

This photo shows #18 passing the Maswik Transfer station in 2002. This was the last year of operation for #18 on the GCR, and shortly thereafter the breezeway was walled in to create the Backcountry Office.

Eric

That is the way I remember it as well Eric. At the time this was proposed, designed and built, it was intended for use regarding the proposed line to the airport as explained. It was completed about a year before I left the GCRY in 1994. I do not recall using it after completion during my time. I do recall that initially there were some clearance problems that had to be addressed before we could use it....if needed.

Mike Ramsey
Former Trainmaster, GCRY

I rode the GCR in 2008 and 2017 and I never noticed that structure!