In 1989, the Grand Canyon Railway, a former Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe short line between Williams and the Grand Canyon, was reopened for public excursions.
The first four locomotives they purchased were former Lake Superior and Ishpheming 2-8-0 consolidations(18, 19, 20, and 29), but Ervin and Franzen also wanted the railway to give No.
4960, which was still in dead storage at Fort Wayne, another chance at life.
Mechanics disassembled the locomotive into sections, in order to ship them to Williams.
The running gear was hauled by truck, and the rest of the components, including the boiler, frame, cab, and tender, were hauled on flatbeds.
Restoration work finally began in July 1993, and this time, the work was a little more advanced than it ever was on the B&NW or even on the Burlington Route.
Flues, tubes, bearings, coal systems, and other old parts were removed to either be repaired, or be replaced.
Boiler men, welders, and electricians took their time to get the work done, and Robert Franzen, No.
4960's old fireman from the B&NW, was supervising the restoration process.
After three years of being worked on in the GCRX's Williams shops, No.
4960 was back under steam once again, but this time, it looks a lot more like a typical USRA mikado rather than its Burlington Route appearance, due to the variety of modifications it was given, including a new whistle.
It was also converted to oil burning in the process.
It was also given some minor modifications in recent years; for example, it was given a feedwater heater, in 2007.

Ever since it came back for a third time in 1996, it's been pulling tourist trips between Williams and the Grand Canyon Village, and back, alongside former LS&I 2-8-0s No 18 and 29.
In 2002, Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe 4-8-4 No.
3751, based from San Bernardino, California, traveled to Williams to participate in that year's National Railway Historical Society Convention and to perform a doubleheader with No.
4960, as well as a tripleheader with No.
18, to the Grand Canyon, and back.
After the convention was over, No.
3751 returned home, while Nos 4960 and 18 resumed on the GCRX.
In 2005, No.
4960 performed a doubleheader with No.
29 for a photo session.
In 2006, the GCRX was undergoing new ownership, and almost all of the former LS&I 2-8-0s were sold off, in order to purchase former Spokane Portland and Seattle 2-8-2 No.
539.
No.
19 was sold to the city of Frisco, Texas, where it resides today, while Nos 18 and 20 were sold off to the Mount Hood Scenic Railroad in Oregon before ending up at the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad in Alamosa, Colorado, where they reside today.
Now, the GCRX was having another mikado besides No.
4960, but 539 never ran.
No.
4960 was temporary on static display in front of the Williams Depot, in 2009.
In 2012, Santa Fe No.
3751 returned to the GCRX to perform another doubleheader with No.
4960 as part of the state's Centennial.
In 2016, No.
4960 performed, yet, another doubleheader with No.
29.
In 1989, the Grand Canyon Railway, a former Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe short line between Williams and the Grand Canyon, was reopened for public excursions. The first four locomotives they purchased were former Lake Superior and Ishpheming 2-8-0 consolidations(18, 19, 20, and 29), but Ervin and Franzen also wanted the railway to give No. 4960, which was still in dead storage at Fort Wayne, another chance at life. Mechanics disassembled the locomotive into sections, in order to ship them to Williams. The running gear was hauled by truck, and the rest of the components, including the boiler, frame, cab, and tender, were hauled on flatbeds. Restoration work finally began in July 1993, and this time, the work was a little more advanced than it ever was on the B&NW or even on the Burlington Route. Flues, tubes, bearings, coal systems, and other old parts were removed to either be repaired, or be replaced. Boiler men, welders, and electricians took their time to get the work done, and Robert Franzen, No. 4960's old fireman from the B&NW, was supervising the restoration process. After three years of being worked on in the GCRX's Williams shops, No. 4960 was back under steam once again, but this time, it looks a lot more like a typical USRA mikado rather than its Burlington Route appearance, due to the variety of modifications it was given, including a new whistle. It was also converted to oil burning in the process. It was also given some minor modifications in recent years; for example, it was given a feedwater heater, in 2007.
Ever since it came back for a third time in 1996, it's been pulling tourist trips between Williams and the Grand Canyon Village, and back, alongside former LS&I 2-8-0s No 18 and 29. In 2002, Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751, based from San Bernardino, California, traveled to Williams to participate in that year's National Railway Historical Society Convention and to perform a doubleheader with No. 4960, as well as a tripleheader with No. 18, to the Grand Canyon, and back. After the convention was over, No. 3751 returned home, while Nos 4960 and 18 resumed on the GCRX. In 2005, No. 4960 performed a doubleheader with No. 29 for a photo session. In 2006, the GCRX was undergoing new ownership, and almost all of the former LS&I 2-8-0s were sold off, in order to purchase former Spokane Portland and Seattle 2-8-2 No. 539. No. 19 was sold to the city of Frisco, Texas, where it resides today, while Nos 18 and 20 were sold off to the Mount Hood Scenic Railroad in Oregon before ending up at the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad in Alamosa, Colorado, where they reside today. Now, the GCRX was having another mikado besides No. 4960, but 539 never ran. No. 4960 was temporary on static display in front of the Williams Depot, in 2009. In 2012, Santa Fe No. 3751 returned to the GCRX to perform another doubleheader with No. 4960 as part of the state's Centennial. In 2016, No. 4960 performed, yet, another doubleheader with No. 29.
Grand Canyon Railway 4960