Williams, Ariz. • The train rolled in well past sunset as a couple of shuttle drivers waited at a dimly lit platform for passengers headed to the Grand Canyon.
After loading the shuttles, the last driver turned off the lights, closing down the Williams Junction station as the Amtrak train faded into the distance.
The routine had become one of passengers’ most treasured experiences in the American West, but it ended with the new year. The company that runs the shuttle service between the train stop and the small city of Williams 3 miles (5 kilometers) away said it was becoming too much of a burden, effectively closing the station.