| Prescott’s nicely restored Santa Fe Depot is located downtown on Sheldon Street. Opened in 1907 the rails were pulled up in 1986. The structure sat on the road’s fabled “Peavine” that linked Phoenix with the mainline at Ash Fork. The heavily graded route was bypassed by a new alignment in April 1962, which reduced travel between the points by up to two hours while also placing Prescott at the end of a branch line. Passenger service as of 1950 included connections with the Grand Canyon and the Chief as well as a diner and through sleeper. Northbound no.42 stopped at 9:45PM and returned as no.47, headed for Phoenix at 3:45AM. By 1961 the run was down to coach only with no convenient connections at Ash Fork. The 1971 Steve McQueen movie “Junior Bonner”, available on You Tube, includes a scene at the depot as well as a pair of ATSF Geeps trundling by. |