Travel Journal 2012: March 19, 2012

TUCSON TO SAN ANTONIO

Well, the train trip was certainly long, about 19 hours, and I got a little sore from sitting so long, but the train seats were quite comfortable, the service excellent, and it was a fun experience.

I left Tucson today on Amtrak at 1:30 a.m. Earlier in the evening I had dinner at Maynard's Market in the train station building.

Here are a couple of photos I took on Saturday of the beautifully restored Tucson Train Station.

Old Router used to schedule trains.

The three murals are by Maynard Dixon, a California artist born in Fresno, who lived in Tucson for several years. Southern Pacific Railroad commissioned the murals in 1909 for the then new Tucson Railroad Station. They hung in the station for 31 years, but were removed and stored in a warehouse in 1940 when the station was remodeled. Several years later they were cleaned and restored and Clay Lockhart, a Native Art dealer, bought them. In 1973, he donated them to the Arizona Historical Society where they still reside. Those on display here are reproductions.

I love this picture which was taken in 1954 or 1955 and is displayed in the waiting room. The sign below asks if anyone knows this person and, if so, to contact the Arizona Historical Society.