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Re: Current State of Private Varnish Storage and Rental and Leasing Biz on West Coast
Author: stash
Date: 03-14-2019 - 21:40
A sad state of affairs. Several cars were based at Los Angeles owned and operated by small business people. There were regular trips between LA and Santa Barbara and San Diego, which built up quite a following with the public and were very popular. Amtrak's PV decisions put those operators out of business. The PVs contributed a significant to Amtrak's revenue too.
Silver Splendor was sold and moved to Conway Scenic in N.H. Overland Trail and another Bill Hatrick-owned car are for sale. Pacific Sands is stored as far is I know. Tioga Pass has an uncertain future although there could be Canadian military escort charters in the future.
Anderson shut those operators down. Completely.
TopCat Wrote:
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> West Coast used to see regular private varnish
> action on trains 5, 6, 14 as well as 11. In
> addition, there were always several cars stored in
> Oakland Kirham St. yard (Amtrak). We're a year or
> so into the new Amtrak regime of charging through
> the nose for private varnish moves and switching.
> Only car that has been scene on the long distance
> trains is the Patron, which, so the rumors say, is
> owned by someone who can afford the service. But
> there are lots of other owners who have cars
> which were supposed to generate monies to pay for
> maintenance and storage. In addition, there were
> probably a few dozen people who worked these cars.
> How do things stand. Interest in the local cars at
> Oakland and any down in L.A. is specifically why I
> ask.
>
> Can those of you involved in owning, leasing,
> operating, renting, or travelling or working on
> these cars chime in?
>
> Thanks,
> Judy
Silver Splendor was sold and moved to Conway Scenic in N.H. Overland Trail and another Bill Hatrick-owned car are for sale. Pacific Sands is stored as far is I know. Tioga Pass has an uncertain future although there could be Canadian military escort charters in the future.
Anderson shut those operators down. Completely.
TopCat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> West Coast used to see regular private varnish
> action on trains 5, 6, 14 as well as 11. In
> addition, there were always several cars stored in
> Oakland Kirham St. yard (Amtrak). We're a year or
> so into the new Amtrak regime of charging through
> the nose for private varnish moves and switching.
> Only car that has been scene on the long distance
> trains is the Patron, which, so the rumors say, is
> owned by someone who can afford the service. But
> there are lots of other owners who have cars
> which were supposed to generate monies to pay for
> maintenance and storage. In addition, there were
> probably a few dozen people who worked these cars.
> How do things stand. Interest in the local cars at
> Oakland and any down in L.A. is specifically why I
> ask.
>
> Can those of you involved in owning, leasing,
> operating, renting, or travelling or working on
> these cars chime in?
>
> Thanks,
> Judy
