Anschutz Kills Yellowstone Luxury Train Service Thursday, 05 August 2010 04:54 Luxury train service to Yellowstone National Park and other Western landmarks was spiked before it launched, as billionaire Philip Anschutz pulled the plug on the American Railway Explorer project, set to launch in 2011. Contractors were told to immediately cease restoration work on the vintage train cars purchase to transport visitors from the West Coast to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Jackson, Wyo. The plan was to have American Railway Explorer, affiliated with Yellowstone concessionaire Xanterra, to conduct 10-day tours at a rather hefty price tag: between $900 and $1,500 per day. Of course, such a plan had some logistical difficulties: the train line can get you as far as Livingston, Montana; from there bus coaches would transport folks south through the parks. And it's hard to imagine any bus tour worth $1,500 a day. It sounds like the project is totally dead: a spokesperson said that "operations have ceased." Bringing rail service back to Yellowstone National Park has been a goal for many activists in recent years. In many ways Yellowstone originally was a creation of the large American rail lines, who pushed the Park as America's Wonderland in an effort to spur traffic to the area. However, as passenger service declined in America, so did trains service to Yellowstone, and right now there are no rail lines leading to a Park gateway community.
I think it can easily be summed up by looking at what happened to the American Orient Express. They had trains running to the closest access to Yellowstone and they are now belly up. I don't think the economy can support such trains. Perhaps by 2015 things will change but my gut feeling tells me, it is going to get worse before it gets better. I do hope I'm wrong.
Way too pricey for needing buses at that distance. All three railroads to the Park and vicinity are long gone. I am not aware of sufficient lodging, dining, etc, choices around there for people who'd spend that kind of money. I agree, economics/timing for startup of such an endeavor were all wrong. Perhaps in 5-10 years, IF we're lucky. Boxcab E50
This kills me. One, because I hate to see the AOE dead. AGAIN! And two, the Sandy Creek was a resident of the museum I voluteer at in Indy. Some idjit representing us sold the thing for 50K with 150K worth of interior stuff IN it, and the buyer tgurned around and sold her into a doomed existance sans the interior stuff for almost 200K. Though I couldn't see the Xanterra prices working. TOO high. I don't recall why Grandluxe went belly-up, I don't think the market was the sole purpose though. I think, could be wrong, that there were a few less than ideal decisions made in the buisness plan. (Not illegal, just not wise)
That's too bad, the ROW from Livingston to Gardiner is still there, it looks like it's ready to lay rails.
