McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

Photographs taken at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The park displays the Roald Amundsen Pullman Car, which 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 being used 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 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. The car has been placed on the National Historic Register.

Also on display is the Magma Arizona Railroad Engine No. 6, which hauled copper ore from Superior to Magma, Arizona for 38 years. Built in October 1907 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the 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.

In addition, the beautifully carved and restored Scottsdale Charros Carousel, a 1950-vintage Allan Herschell carousel, was purchased by the Scottsdale Railroad and Mechanical Society with significant participation by the Scottsdale Charros, a local service group. It is registered with the National Carousel Association for the preservation of antique carousels. It boasts 30 horses and 2 wheelchair chariots.

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park’s newest attraction is the 10,000 square foot model railroad building that houses four model railroad clubs, three layouts and a variety of exhibits and hands-on amenities. The LEED-Gold building was designed to weave contemporary architecture into a long and low structure that recalls the style of 19th century train sheds. From the building’s lobby, you can see at least eight scales of trains, from the smallest Z-scale to the full-sized Roald Amundsen Presidential Pullman Car.

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