This national park train is getting an electrifying makeover: 'A unique chance to bring modern efficiency to a historic rail icon'
The Grand Canyon Railway runs from Williams, Arizona, to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, spanning 64 miles. The train runs daily, transporting more than 225,000 visitors yearly and keeping approximately 50,000 cars out of Grand Canyon National Park.
Eric Hadder, GCR chief mechanical officer, explained in a news release that each end of the track is at a similar elevation but that the railroad drops 1,100 feet in the middle.
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"As we're coming down the hill toward the center of the railroad, the energy from our braking efforts is being dissipated as heat," he said. "So, what we thought is if we were able to recapture that energy and store it as electricity in our batteries, then we could recharge our batteries on the downhill and then continue to use that energy in order to propel the train up the hill on the other side."
Regenerative braking, a key feature of this project, allows electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles to convert kinetic energy from braking into electrical energy that recharges the vehicle's battery. For the new locomotive, this extends its range, allowing it to travel one full round trip on a single charge, according to Matador Network.
Going electric and using regenerative braking not only reduces wasted energy, but it also reduces dependence on diesel — a dirty energy source that, when burned, contributes to harmful air pollution and the rising global temperature. An electric-powered locomotive produces zero exhaust stack pollution, meaning cleaner air for passengers as well as a quieter ride.
A grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program funds 80% of this exciting electric conversion project, which is set to be finished by 2027. The remaining portion falls to Xanterra, the company that operates the GCR, per Matador Network.
"This project is a unique chance to bring modern efficiency to a historic rail icon," Hadder said, per KTAR News.
Kevin Crosby, director of sustainability at Xanterra, added, "This project will significantly reduce the already low environmental impact of visiting the Grand Canyon via rail."
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Associated Press
11-07-2025
- Associated Press
CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour to Visit Montana and Wyoming to Highlight How BridgeUSA Improves the Lives of All Americans
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At each stop in Montana and Wyoming, CIEE will showcase how BridgeUSA improves the lives of all Americans by creating rich cultural exchanges for international visitors that boost America's image abroad, enhance economic opportunities for American businesses, and enrich American communities. The BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program brings international college students to live and work in the United States during their summer break, helping more than 4,000 businesses, large and small, across the United States expand and extend the tourist season, leading to enhanced local economic benefits while injecting more than $1.2 billion into the broader U.S. economy each year. This leg of the CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration Tour will honor top employers who host BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel participants in America's Big Sky Country, including Xanterra Travel Collection, an American company that provides concession services within Yellowstone and other national parks. Business leaders, local community advocates, and individual exemplary staff will be recognized with the CIEE BridgeUSA Champion Award for their contributions to strengthening their local communities while advancing American interests. 'BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel participants support the staffing needs of businesses in remote locations where there is not enough year-round local staff,' said Martine Mangion, Senior Vice President, Inbound Exchange Programs at CIEE. 'In the Yellowstone region, for example, finding enough local staff is a constant challenge. BridgeUSA students help fill critical seasonal roles, allowing businesses to stay open, be more prosperous, and ensure visitors can experience the beauty of this beloved American landscape.' 'We simply would not be able to serve millions of guests a year without BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel participants,' said Noel Mayes, Executive Director of Operations at Yellowstone National Park Lodges, part of Xanterra Travel Collection. 'Meeting, working side by side with, and sharing a passion for Yellowstone with students from all over the world is truly special.' BridgeUSA Makes America Safer and Stronger BridgeUSA programs bolster America's national security and strengthen America's public diplomacy by fostering mutual respect between Americans and people of other nations. BridgeUSA participants return home and spread word of their positive experience in the United States which improves the American image abroad and makes our country safer. BridgeUSA Makes America More Prosperous Most importantly, BridgeUSA participants enable local economies to prosper by expanding and extending the tourism season, allowing businesses to employ more Americans for a longer seasonal period, and allowing hundreds of local businesses—from laundromats to general stores, from local diners to grocery stores—to extend the duration of their peak-season sales surge, compounding the positive economic impact in each community. 'The core premise of the BridgeUSA program is that international students come to America at their own expense on temporary visas to help American businesses and American communities thrive,' said James P. Pellow, president and CEO of CIEE. 'BridgeUSA students pay their way to come to America, they help make American businesses more profitable while they are here, and then they return to their home countries with a deeper knowledge and respect for American culture and American values, including the power of democracy and free speech. If BridgeUSA did not exist, someone would need to invent it, as it truly enriches all Americans.' Additional CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration events are scheduled for later this summer: If you are interested in participating in a future CIEE BridgeUSA Celebration event, please reach out to Carye Duffin, CIEE Senior Vice President of External Affairs, at [email protected]. About CIEE: CIEE builds bridges between different people, different countries, and different cultures. For 75 years, we have helped young people participate in high-quality international exchange and study abroad programs that bring the world together. Since 1947, CIEE has supported more than one million student exchanges for participants from more than 140 countries. We change lives, our alumni change the world. Learn more at Media Contact: Leslie Taylor, [email protected], (207) 553-4274 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Yahoo
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Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Yahoo
J-1 student workers essential for summer hiring
Jun. 1—There were murmurings of different languages amongst stacks of suitcases at the Xanterra office in Columbia Falls. It was a cool, rainy day, and J-1 student workers from around the world were getting their first impression of Montana. Assistant Director of Human Resources Christine Wright said it's an exciting time of year as they welcome the student workers into the fold. "I love it when they arrive and it's all new to them. They're so excited and they've done tons of research. "But they get here, and it's still just like, 'Wow, all the pictures and information I looked up still doesn't tell the whole story," she said. The J-1 visa, also known as the Exchange Visitor Visa or J student visa, is for anyone outside of the U.S. who wishes to take part in study and work-related exchange programs. The program aims to foster global understanding through educational and cultural exchanges, according to BridgeUSA, the agency which oversees J-1 visas for the U.S. Department of State. 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There is a big effort to hire domestically too, as that's where they hire the majority of their employees. But, having J-1s to cover the beginning and end of the season is critical. "I don't think that we would be able to remain open without our BridgeUSA students. We have about 750 seasonal employees, so we're still hiring about 600 domestic employees every summer, but those students supplement all of our operations," she said. Whitefish Mountain Resort has been hiring J-1 workers since 2005, according to Public Relations Manager Chad Sokol. He said part of the process of hiring J-1s is showing the State Department that the company has tried to hire domestically. "There's a variety of factors, including application patterns from current and past seasons, so we know which departments tend to have the biggest staffing needs. We're very often in need of housekeepers, for instance," Sokol said. He said the program helps fill positions that would otherwise go unfilled. 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While Xanterra is watching the issue closely, Nix said there hasn't been an increase in visa denials, just the occasional question from applicants. Sokol said the resort hasn't had any hiring issues either. "I think our students coming in are still really excited ... but I definitely think this is an important year to continue advocacy for the program," she said. Working with CIEE, Whitefish Mountain Resort hired 40 J-1 visa holders from Jamaica, Spain and Romania for the summer season. Typically, the resort hosts about 75 visa holders each winter and has begun the hiring process for the 2025-26 ski season, Sokol notes. The country that sends the most students to work for Xanterra in Glacier National Park is Thailand, according to Nix. She said that's because the dates available best match what applicants are looking for and that it's a good fit culturally. Glacier National Park is also known to go viral on TikTok, which helps with hiring — Nix said it's something candidates often bring up in interviews. Though Thailand is the top sending country, the company also works with students from Bulgaria, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Romania, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine, among others. Nix said Xanterra hiring staff have gone on several trips to the top sending countries in recent years, where they learned more about cultures and met potential hires face-to-face. Some of the students show up and immediately look for Nix, because they are eager to see a familiar face. "A lot of times they bring us gifts from their countries, which is really cute, like a little tea or candy, something small," she said. "But yeah, it's a really fun reunion when we get to see them again. Two girls that were checking in this morning poked their head in my office and were like 'Hi, Victoria! Do you remember us?' I was like, 'Yeah!'" Preferences of the workers are considered during placement within the park. Nix said those who are very eager to hike and backpack typically love Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, while those who want to be a little closer to town prefer Lake McDonald Lodge. There's a draw in working at the beautiful Many Glacier Hotel for some hires, and Nix said it's one of the most requested locations. Once they arrive, summer starts rolling fast for these exchange workers. Students are taken to rodeos and firework shows on the Fourth of July, among other activities, to show-off American culture. But the exchange goes both ways with U.S. employees learning about their coworker's culture. It's the kind of closeness that comes with working side-by-side all summer long, Nix said. "It's always a 'cry-fest' on our check out days, because everyone forms really strong friendships. They're working with everyone every day," Nix said. "So, on big checkout days, if you drive up on property, you'll just see hordes of employees, both domestic and international, all hugging and crying and maybe kissing — whatever the nature of the relationship was." While they occasionally get homesick, Nix said the students generally have good sentiments about their time in Glacier National Park. They may be happy to come back another summer or already have plans with their coworkers to come visit them in their home country. While the Visitor Exchange Program may solve a lot of logistical issues for hiring managers in Northwest Montana, Nix said her favorite part of the program is the connections made by employees. "It's really beautiful to see another human being, person-to-person, and to maybe learn their country's games or share food with them or tell stories around a campfire," Nix said. "So, I think it's good for global diplomacy and global citizenship, because it's bringing people from all over the world together in a beautiful place like Glacier." Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4440 or by emailing tinman@
