‘StarCar’
Diné woman entrepreneur presents Sunbeam Tours and Railways, EV passenger coach at Navajo Tourism Conference

By The Navajo Times

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A modernistic Sunbeam Tours and Railway “StarCar” was shown for the first time last week at the Navajo Tourism Conference here at the Marriott Conference Center.

STAR Founder/CEO Celesta Littleman unveiled a photo of the proposed StarCar, an all-weather, EV passenger coach that will be built with a fiberglass body onto an all-steel chassis.

If awarded an EOA – emergency operating agreement – by the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development, her company, Sunbeam Tours and Railway, will provide people from around the world with a thrilling experience using the newest EV technology to travel through some of North America’s captivating landscapes of mesas and plateaus of vibrant colors.

The concept is to use 45 miles of the former Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad track, said Littleman, who is Naakaii Dine’é and born for Tsi’naajinii. Her maternal grandfather is Bįįh Bitoodnii and her maternal grandfather is Tódích’íi’nii.

Littleman is originally from LeChee, Arizona. She is the daughter of Lester and Rose Ann Littleman, who run Mystical Antelope Canyon Tours and Arrowhead Campground.

“This is like a ride at Disneyland, only it’s Navajoland,” Littleman said. “It’s not a trip through a canyon, on a lake, or around a bend in the river. It’s one woman’s invention of an EV vehicle to take eager tourists who want a Navajo experience through beautiful scenery while learning about the Navajo people, how they survived, and how they live today.”

StarCar on BMLP Railroad, first presentation 

Her first public presentation went much better than she expected.

“My audience gasped with their mouths hanging open when they saw our prototype vehicle, we’ve dubbed the StarCar,” she said. “STAR is our acronym, and the name StarCar was just a placeholder until my team decided, ‘That’s it!’”

Her plan, she said, is to use the former BMLP Engine House on the former NGS lease area as a depot. From there passengers will board for a 90-mile round trip “rail journey.”

The 30-mph scenic ride will take about three hours. It will include stops at a Vendor Village with a restroom break at Midway. There the StarCar will reverse direction without leaving the tracks for an entirely new scenic trip.

This is a people-friendly way to experience cultural tourism in a zero-impact, zero-emission vehicle designed to support sustainable travel, according to Littleman.

“My goal is to offer a different and unique experience and serve my communities of LeChee and Kaibeto with employment,” she said.

Inspiration from leaders, scenic views 

When asked why she is enthusiastic about her proposed business, Littleman said she’s loved trains since she was a girl but was inspired by the words of today’s young Navajo leaders.

“I heard President (Buu) Nygren and Speaker (Crystalyne) Curley say they wanted to reverse the Navajo brain drain,” she said. “Dr. Nygren says he wants young, educated Navajos to return home, start businesses, employ other Navajos, help build the Navajo economy, and generate revenue for the Navajo Nation. When I heard that, I thought, ‘He’s talking about me, and I want to come home.’”

“The new approach will benefit the Navajo Nation and support our local economy,” she said.

Each StarCar will be ADA compliant – Americans with Disabilities Act – so individuals who need wheelchair access will be able to enjoy the trip. The StarCar is designed with comfortable seats and large windows in all directions so all ages can enjoy 360-degree scenic views.

“From mile marker 33, passengers will be able to see from Navajo Mountain to the San Francisco Peaks at the same time. It’s stunning,” Littleman said. “I know because I worked in the NGS Railroad and Heavy Equipment Department for six years.”

Having worked in the energy industry where safety is the highest priority, she said each StarCar is designed to be safe, secure, and luxuriously comfortable. She said they are equipped with air-conditioning for summer and heating for winter.

“It’s a fully enclosed, high-ceiled coach,” she said. “It’s perfect for safe operation in all weather and temperature conditions, from the spring winds through the summer male rains and 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) to the beautiful winter snow.”

Asked if she thought her business would be successful, she said, “I’m going to have to create a production line to keep up with the demand my StarCar will create.”

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