Desert Breeze Park located in Chandler, Arizona offers an urban fishing lake,
tennis courts, children's playground equipment and most importantly, a 16" gauge
miniature train. The approximately 7 minute train ride covers 5/8 of a mile and features some
attractive scenery for the minimal passenger fare.
|
|
         
The track is a "dogbone and loop design" that crosses a 25 foot trestle, and follows
the contour of an urban fishing lake before circling around a grassy knoll at end of
the dogbone. After retracing it's steps along the lake and over the trestle, the train
travels through a tunnel disguised as an old west mining town, passes by some playground
equipment and circles the tennis courts. Near the end of the journey, the train crosses a
low, but impressive 150 foot long trestle as the tracks guide the train back to the
loading platform where it will await the next group of anxious passengers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
         
The train concession at the park was closed for quite some time when it's original
owners J&E Enterprises filed for bankruptcy. According to newspaper articles
the engine and cars disappeared in the middle of the night and the City of Chandler
was suprised to find the gates locked and a handwritten sheet of paper stating the
train concession was closed. After fielding numerous angry phone calls from park patrons
wanting to ride the train, the City of Chandler posted a sign explaining why the train
was not running.
|
         
On October 9th, 2004 the train concession was once again opened to the public.
Bill Capell who owns and runs the train concessions at
Freestone Park
in Gilbert, Arizona, the
Enchanted Island Express
in Phoenix, Arizona and the
Daisy Mountain Railroad
in Anthem Arizona stepped in and brought a train back to Desert Breeze Park.
|
| |
|
|
         
The run days and hours of operation can be found at the
Desert Breeze Railroad website.