This is from Texas Zephyr’s post on another thread (hope you don’t mind Tex)
Texas Zephyr wrote:
Especially since the American Orient Express is defunct. They were purchased by a company calling themselves something like Grandluxe Rail Journeys, which apparently couldn’t make the numbers work as a business venture and is planning on selling off the equipment. I think all the cars are sitting around Colorado Rail cars shops in Hudson CO.
I’m very saddened by this because, as I stated on the other thread, my wife and I were considering booking a trip on this train in the next year or two instead of on a cruise. I had been imagining what it would be like to ride in that “20th Century Limited” observation car of which I’ve seen so many photos of in the New York Central scheme. Now looks like that dream’s been “poofed!”
Anyone have the specific details as to what happened. Seemd that the AOE was doing well for a stretch with very strong bookings. Yes the economy is taking a bite out of the luxury travel industry, but the major cruise lines seem to b
Sorry to hear what happened with your potential trip. I think we discussed on another thread that this train simply became too expensive to operate for Amtrak in the current times. It is a shame, it’s always something special for people that can afford to do these things. I wonder how long before cruise lines do get affected like the airlines and everything else?
Last year GrandLuxe ran the ex-AOE cars behind the California Zephyr and Southwest Chief in November & maybe early December. I got to see the cars on their first journey east on the Zephyr in early November. Sadly, this was the only time I ever saw any type of AOE/GrandLuxe train. I was sad to hear that GrandLuxe shut down now, too. One can only wonder what will happen with the cars…hopfully a museum can get some of them and keep them up.
Grand Luxe apparently overestimated the size of the luxury market even before the economic downturn. I would also suspect that it was undercapitalized similar to AOE and Auto Train Corp. and had few resources available to weather economic adversities.
This train did just fine under AOE ownership. They knew which routes profited through experience, and they stuck with them year after year. It was then sold to GrandLuxe who decided to cancel some very profitable routes on the east coast (the southeastern Antebellum tour being one) and concentrate on western routes instead such as the trips to Mexico City; no offense, but who wants to spend $10,000 to go see the world’s largest polluted city?!! The “drag behind” trips using Amtrak trains were equally disasterous. And the old motto of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” especially holds true to GrandLuxe. They finally started to revive some of the old routes including the Antebellum tour after a two year hiatus. However, the damage had already been done, and it was only a matter of time before the ball dropped. (the last antebellum trip down here had only 36 passengers on it! In 2005 before the takeover, it was maxed out at 120 for almost every trip)
I’ll leave this post with a video link of, quite literally, the very last AOE/GrandLuxe trip to tour the southeast. I’m going to miss chasing this thing every April!!!
I agree ANB740. I don’t think I’d want to spend that obscene amount of money just to visit Mexico City.
Funny, From what you’re stating, this reminds me of what happened with the “Florida Fun Train” back in 1999 ( I think). Managers were given strong, viable suggestions as to how to run the operation but of course the old “in one ear-out the other” seemed to be in play. Sad part was that it had so much potential.
I wonder now why the original owners sold AOE in the first place? Especially if the operation was working well. Such a fine and beautiful train, now no more. Thank you for the vid link.
Like any good railfan, I’m always sorry to hear about the death of any train or the end of any service. The AOE was always way too much money for my wife and me to ride but I’m still sorry to know that now we can’t, no matter what. But I had an isight about it I’d like to share.
About 8 years ago one lovely summer’s afternoon we boarded the Empire Builder at E. Glacier Park and headed west. It was the first time for me over these rails and we spent a lot of time after dinner downstairs by the door with the window open, hanging our heads outside, thrilling to the dusk, the eagle racing the train, the air, etc. Suddenly we slowed and passed a train “in the hole” waiting for us. I was startled to see it was unlike any train I had seen since 1971. As we passed I could see luxury accomodations, then the fabulous diner, the piano, etc. I knew in a moment it was the AOE.
My small sorrow that I couldn’t be inside the AOE, riding it, eating that food, listening to the piano, was ended by this realization: If I were on the AOE I’d be standing in the dutch door, looking out at the dusk, the scenery, etc. In short, I’d still be hanging my head out of the window, not enjoying the expensive luxury.
For most of us an Amtrak deluxe bedroom is already outrageously expensive and thrill enough to ride in. Nevertheless, I remember the AOE fondly and mourn its passing. Somehow just knowing it was there was inspiring and comforting. I hope all the cars go to excellent and deserving homes. Vive la Orient Express!
Guys, I have to disagree on the point about these passenger cars being scrapped.
Reason? Restored American streamlined passenger cars that are in pristine condition have been selling for $100,000 plus over the past decade! There are several vendors, including Ozark, that have sold completely restored passenger cars at or above that price tag. Can you imagine what that 20th Century Limited observation car is worth? That’s a very significan piece of passenger railroading history.
The AOE cars have been well taken care of. My hope is that all of the cars will be sold as a set instead of scattered around.
Would be even better if someone bought out Grandlux outright, and strategically plan an AOE type of restoration of service. Doubtful with the current economic conditions, but it may be feasible in the long run if all or most of the cars are purchased by one owner.
I am hoping in the future this and even just local excursions that we used to enjoy around here will make a comeback, it’s too bad that things like this happen and almost seems like a step backwards.
I personally will be very surprised if a single entity purchases the entire train. Remember over 1 million was spent restoring each of the cars that the passengers see. The cheapest cars on the train are those that the crew lived in.
In todays economy I see a real buy for someone who wants his own personal train and has got the bucks to operate it, maybe Warren Buffet or one of the Silicon Valley types.
I personally am going to drop over to Napa and see what my chances of seeing it are, maybe I will rent a Rolls Royce for the day and they will actually let me go aboard. In any event I am going to take my camera and photograph as many as I can.
It is not a good investment under any circumstances in today’s economy and really believe it will be broken up in one to three car lots and sold to private car owners that way. It is my understanding that those cars in Colorado will not be at the Napa sale as many are not operational at this time and will need work to become fully operational. I am not even sure that there is that much interest in them by private car owners. In the days of yore many companies owned private cars for there executives now it is corporate jets. These cars were used to entertain customers while traveling on week long trips here and there. Today these corporations fly there clients to a destination and stick them in a hotel for a week. Maybe it is time to take a step back in time and slow the pace a bit. I personally have logged more hours of flight than I care to. I have supported trains from the time I was four and one-half boarding a new streamlined Empire Builder on February 28th 1947 from Seattle to St. Paul where we changed trains. Why does my first train trip stick in my memory so vividly. That date was also my mothers birthday and for dinner that night in the dining car a birthday cake had been baked for my mother and shared by all who sat around us in the dining car. For a four year old birthdays like that leave a permanent m
Speaking of going kaput. Little Rock and Western’s two ex-LV and ex-GBW C420s are going on for sale on the 15th. They have doomed since Genesse and Wy. got LRW