Globe Miami Times & Copper Spike brings Visitors

The Conductor calls Aaallll Aaboaard! for the afternoon train

The Globe Miami Times has teamed up with the Copper Spike Excursion Train and Cable One advertising to film a commercial for the new 2010-2011 Train Season. Thursday, Dean Seyfferle with Cable One was in town and spent a good part of the day shooting in the Depot, on the Train and North of Globe where the train winds its way through low desert scenery.

The 30-sec commercial is scheduled to run on CNN, Fox News, A& E for the next 5 months and will be seen by audiences from Apache Junction to Safford. It is part of GMT’s year-long ad campaign featuring the tag line :

“GlobeMiamiTimes and GMTeconnect  bringing Globe-Miami to you!” The Copper Spike ad will rotate with GMT’s latest testimonial ad: Community_2. … Continue Reading

Copper Spike adds meal service in the Dome Car

Meal Service aboard the Copper Spike includes a full Luncheon Menu

By Linda Gross

The Copper Spike Excursion Train will be offering meal service in the Dome Car this season, including both a lunch menu and a dinner menu. Yesterday, local residents were treated to a trial run and a free meal before the official launch of Season 3 begins on Thursday.

Harking back to a time when white linen table cloths and waiters in white jackets were the de riguer, the Dome Car offers a step back in time and a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience. … Continue Reading

Passenger Train arrives in Miami, Az

Rosemary Castenada, Ray Pini, Marlene Tiede, Darryl Dalley,and Wes Sukosky enjoy the view and the fanfare of the morning

This morning passengers flooded the Old Depot in downtown Globe, Az to board the Copper Spike for a special VIP trip to Miami and back. Over 150 people, made up of mostly local media,  area merchants, and political and community leaders found seats throughout the train’s five passenger cars.

The ride was free this morning. It’s intent to drum up enthusiasm and local support for extending the excursion rail line to Miami.

While this idea has floated around for decades, it seems the combination of Globes’ success in restoring their old Depot and drawing ridership from all over the State, plus the support of Mr. Ellis who owns Arizona Eastern and operates both the freight line and excursion train in this region, and the political will of those in charge at both the City and County levels may just move this idea from pipe dream to possible.

Ken Bitten, Director of Operations and Steve Torrico, Engineer with Arizona Eastern both have strong backgrounds in operating passenger and excursion rail lines.

According to Arizona Eastern engineer Steve Torrico, who is working his 3rd season with the Copper Spike and makes his home in Miami during the Nov-May season, this latest incarnation of bringing rail service to Miami began with the Genesis Group out of Miami, now headed by Susan Hansen, the Miami City Council, Kip Culver of Globe’s Main Street program and the Arizona Eastern Railroad.

“We all wanted to make an effort at building local interest at restoring the track between Globe and Miami and bringing back passenger service between the two communities,” he said. … Continue Reading