Scottsdale Railroad Park

    While staying with Erik's parents in the Phoenix area we visited the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale one afternoon. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day, perfect for playing at this fabulous train park. On top of two wonderful playgrounds, there is a huge model railroad building, an antique carousel, train museums and exhibits, restored rail cars, two small railroads, and an arboretum. We spent a very happy afternoon playing, learning, and exploring this wonderful park. The kids all loved it, and Erik and I had a great time as well. The rides were reasonably priced; we spent about $25 and the kids and I rode the carousel twice, we all toured the museum and rail cars, and Erik took Peregrine and Poppy on the train ride. (Oh, and it was educational too!)  It's definitely a place we'd visit again, and highly recommended if you're in that part of Arizona.

Raphael was "sticking like glue" to me, and didn't want to ride on a horse. He did feel brave enough to ride in the covered wagon, but only with mama!

Peregrine and Poppy had fun riding the horses .  There's something about a carousel that's magic, and I was so glad to see that children still enjoy the simplicity of it. 

I had a couple of boys who were interested in this exhibit of tools used on and around old trains.

One of the two playgrounds was set up like an old western town.

Standing on the back balcony of the Roald Amundsen Pullman Car, where several presidents stood to give speeches! We were able to walk through the car, which has been beautifully preserved, and learn about how it was used to transport several US Presidents. It was kind of like the "Air Force One" of trains in its day. In the lounge area we saw several pictures of President Franklin Roosevelt spending time there. From the park website:
"The Roald Amundsen Pullman Car was built in 1928 for $205,000. As one of the last cars built by the Pullman Company, the Roald Amundsen is best known for its presidential travel. The car provided maximum security and was used at various times by every president from Herbert Hoover through Dwight Eisenhower. It was on this car in 1940 that President Franklin Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister W. L. McKenzie King signed the Ogdensberg Declaration, an agreement that provided for the joint defense of North America, now known as NORAD. The car was donated to the park in 1971 by Mr. and Mrs. Franz Talley. Click here to see a video."

Erik, Peregrine, and Poppy rode the Paradise & Pacific Railroad around the park.  Raphael was dead set against getting on the train, so I hung out with him and Pearl at the playground.

Magma Arizona Railroad Engine No. 6, with a railcar that has been turned into a nice little museum, followed by the Roald Amundsen Pullman Car behind. 

Engine Number Six from the front. From the website:
"Magma Arizona Railroad Engine No. 6
hauled copper ore from Superior to Magma, Arizona for 38 years. Built in October 1907 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the hard working 2-6-0 engine served the mining railroads of Arizona for 54 years before being retired in January 1960.

Engine No. 6 was purchased by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society in 1977 and is the only Arizona & New Mexico engine remaining in Arizona."