Re: 2100 on the move
Author: douglasm
Date: 06-17-2007 - 13:53
You can pick your rumor. It appears to be on the way to Richland, and the current speculation is that it will run on the Tri-Cities and Olympia trackage out of there. This is reinforced by pictures the TC&O have posted on their website at www.tcry.com/photos.html
As to why, again you can pick your rumor. One of them is that the Golden Pacific is up to its running boards in debt, and given that they averaged about 50 riders a trip last year, I'm inclined to believe that one. I don't think the move of the Spirit of Washington dinner train had anything to do with the 2100's move for two reasons. First, there was a lot of talk about another location for that run, and second, the Golden Pacific missed their 2008 opening day of May 1st.
IMHO the Golden Pacific operation was a joke. I wouldn't pay $50 to ride a double decker coach to suburban Spanaway and aparently few other people did either. But as to the 2100's fate, it's all speculation. Is the loco for sale? Anybody's guess. Will it run out of Richland, who knows. Nobody, and I mean nobody with any official say has said anything. There's a good discussion on at www.railroadforums.com/forums under the "heads up" thread.