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» RAILforum » Passenger Trains » Amtrak » AOE (Grandluxe) trainset finds a buyer

   
Author Topic: AOE (Grandluxe) trainset finds a buyer
Jerome Nicholson
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According to USA Today and AP, the owner of the Grand Canyon Railroad has purchased 25 cars of the former Grandluxe (nee American Orient Express) trainset. (Is that all of them?) 20 are said to be operational.

They are to be used to "enhance the experience" of visiting the National Parks. The new owner has things going in a number of the Western Parks. Whether that means operating a train to the different parks or having them as static hotel rooms like the Chattanooga Choo Choo, I can't tell.
I'd provide a link, but it's too late in the night for me to do that. Google News works fine.

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Stourbridge Lion
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I know there are several of them sitting in the Yard here in Denver so it would be good to see them get back into usage rather then sit and rot.

[Smile] [Smile] [Smile] [Smile]

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Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM)
Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
-- Darren

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Gilbert B Norman
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Mr. Nicholson, that would be the operator of the Grand Canyon RR, as distinct from the owner, which is the State.

The operator is the Xanterra Corp, an Anschutz concern, that holds concessionaire agreements to operate hospitality facilities at many a National Park.

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yukon11
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I have a question:

I recently saw a program,on the "Travel Channel", pertaining to the old American Orient Express (later GrandLuxe).

They mentioned that the American Orient Express laid a new "ribbon track" (long sections of track without welding breaks), kind of from Utah (Ogden, Salt Lake City?) up to either Idaho Falls or possibly all the way to West Yellowstone. I really don't know where it started and where it ended.

Does anyone know what has happened with the ribbon track since the demise of GrandLuxe? Does UP use it? It would be great if we might eventually see a new excursion train between Utah and the west end of Yellowstone Park.

Richard

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smitty195
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I don't know what the Travel Channel program was referring to. AOE did not have any MOW personnel---they rode on the tracks of others. Maybe the announcer got the info a little messed up?
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yukon11
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I don't know, Smitty. The Travel Channel presentation made a big deal about the ribbon track and told us how it really "smoothed out" the ride. I have to think it is real, but maybe they exagerated just how long a segment it is or was.

Richard

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HopefulRailUser
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Anschutz is also the owner of Staples Center and LA Live, the recently trashed part of LA thanks to the psuedo Lakers fans. And of course he has quite a holding in UP (is that the correct one Gil?).

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Vicki in usually sunny Southern California

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PullmanCo
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I do not know if he still has a position in UNP; his promised seat on the UP Board of Directors expired a couple years ago. His having a seat ended the "mandatory reporting" for the SEC 10-K form. The other trigger for mandatory reporting is IIRC 5% or greater common stock ownership.
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PullmanCo
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Smitty, the line to Idaho Falls, ID, from Ogden is UP. I don't know who has it beyond there, and indeed, looking at Googlemaps, my read of the airphotos are that the track has been taken up north and east of Ashton ID.

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The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations

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smitty195
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The only thing I can think of is that the UP installed ribbon rail, and that the AOE people maybe said (for camera's sake) that it was laid "for them" or "by them". I could be totally wrong, but I'm pretty sure that AOE was never into anything having to do with track work or track maintenance---they were strictly a land-cruise train.
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amtrak92
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The AOE didn't own its own track at all. They were like Amtrak by having host railroads. They didn't have any operational employes (conductor and Engineer) Amtrak provided those crews. All they owned were the railcars they used, and probably a small amount of track for those to be stored on at there shop. There only employes to my knowledge were attendants, cooks, executive, and maintenance. Other then that they had a very nice train. I hope they won't gut the cars, because those are nice cars inside and out.
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Gilbert B Norman
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There goes any notions held by some around here that Amtrak would acquire the two Great Domes (one each ex-GN and CB&Q) rostered by AOE and assign such Daily year round to the Adirondack.

Funny how after learning that Anschutz interests closed down the Ski Train and one would have thought they were looking for the exit signs regarding passenger rail excursions, they get right back in - and way deeper at that!

Finally, here is about as much regarding Philip F Anschutz as you will likely find out; he is known for conducting business quite "close to the vest' and most, if not all, of his enterprises are deemed "privately held" requiring no public disclosure of their financial results:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/business/yourmoney/22phil.html

Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

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