Western Railroad Discussion > Colorado Railcar - Final Days

Colorado Railcar Manufacturing, LLC, previously Colorado Railcar, LLC, at Fort Lupton, CO, has laid off most of its employees in December 2008. The parking lot on December 24, 2008 only had three autos in it. Signs saying they were hiring during the Spring of 2008 are long gone. Mountain in distance is Longs Peak.

On east side of complex are the Philip Morris (cigarette company) cars from the deal struck in 1995 to build a $28 million dollar luxury train. Company was then called Rader Rail Car located in eastern Denver near the old Stapleton International Airport. By the spring of 1997 the $28 million dollar train became a $70 million dollar train with costs rising. Philip Morris stopped the project. Rader Railcar cut up the unfinished, never had wheels under them cars - scrapped most keeping the few seen at Fort Lupton.

GrandLuxe Express cars are on site from the American Orient Express purchase in 2006. Next to the Union Pacific RR Greeley line (right to left); SAN ANTONIO, crew sleepers TALLAHASSEE and PACIFIC STAR. Full length dome next to SAN ANTONIO is NEW ORLEANS. Looks to be about eight (8) GrandLuxe/American Orient Express cars on site.

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I guess that means that the Florida Tri-Rail DMUs are orphans now....

With SMART Rail being approved by the voters for commuter trains on the NWP, I wonder what they will do now? The DMU's is what they planned on.

Happy Holidays!

Jamie Miller

UP9000 Wrote:
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> I wonder what they
> will do now? The DMU's is what they planned on.
>
> Happy Holidays!
>
> Jamie Miller


Rebuilt RDC's from Industrial Rail Services?

There was a bit of a discussion that touched on this a few weeks ago.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,1824896


Jim

Bi-level sleeper car or lounge from the Philip Morris contract (red car at right) sits at Fort Lupton, CO, awaiting its fate December 24, 2008. GrandLuxe car at left is crew sleeper SAN FRANCISCO.

Cars in back lot include bi-level ex-Alaska RR, eex-Southern Pacific commuter cars (painted blue and white by Rader at Tillamook, OR) and crew cars (red ones) that were part of the Philip Morris luxury train project.

GrandLuxe Express (formerly American Orient Express) great dome lounge New Orleans sits next to San Antonio-800643 supply car.


Rader Railcar II and First American Railways were involved in the $10 million Florida Fun Train project. First American Railways went bankrupt in 1998.

Mr. Rader, 62, made millions in 1987 from selling a company that created Alaska rail tours. He moved into the rail car manufacturing at Tillamook, Oregon, using the former blimp hangar. His passion for railroads and spotting opportunities blossomed into a promising company that has hit some rough times.

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I think they'll look towards Bombardier ... they have a somewhat decent looking DMU available for the States

UP9000 Wrote:
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> With SMART Rail being approved by the voters for
> commuter trains on the NWP, I wonder what they
> will do now? The DMU's is what they planned on.
>
> Happy Holidays!
>
> Jamie Miller

While SMART originally planned to use FRA compliant DMU's, before the most recent ballot measure, they also looked at using non-FRA compliant DMU. These non-compliant DMU's are used widely in Europe, and are used in both New Jersey (on the River LINE, I believe) and in the San Diego Area on the Sprinter.

I wonder if the failure of Colorado Railcar and TriMet's experience will push SMART toward the "light" non-compliant DMU's...

Aren't the two gallery cars on the left in the second of the two groups of pictures former SP Peninsula gallery cars? Almost looks like they're still in a partial "Lark" paint job...

Brian,

As you well know, the Bombardier Talent isn't FRA-compliant. Nobody makes an FRA-compliant DMU. Not yet.

Jody
The World's Only Unemployed FRA-compliant DMU Manual Writer

Macster Wrote:
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> I think they'll look towards Bombardier ... they
> have a somewhat decent looking DMU available for
> the States

The two gallery cars are ex-SP, I'm fairly sure. They are in a blue and white paint scheme that they wore when they were working in Alaska back in the '80's. I've seen pictures of them in service on John's Alaska Rails site, http://www.alaskarails.org. There are three more just like them (but with trucks and probably a good deal less pigeon poop) in Pasco, WA.

Hope that helps.

Jody
Practicing for a new career.
"Do you want fries with that?"


mojaveflyer Wrote:
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> Aren't the two gallery cars on the left in the
> second of the two groups of pictures former SP
> Peninsula gallery cars? Almost looks like they're
> still in a partial "Lark" paint job...

potb101 Wrote:
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> Brian,
>
> As you well know, the Bombardier Talent isn't
> FRA-compliant. Nobody makes an FRA-compliant DMU.
> Not yet.
>
> Jody
> Unemployed FRA-compliant DMU Manual Writer
>


Find some good used Budd RDC's or SPV's. Both are MU'able.

Does anyone see a pattern here? Colorado Railcar Mfg, appears to be simply a reincarnation of a string of failed companies dating back to 1987. Now I know how he managed to stay in business after the Philip Morris debacle. Amtrak had more than a little bit to do with those cars not running, when it was pointed out that the trucks weren't designed to support the weight of those cars, thus were not, and would not be Amtrak-compliant. Having Amtrak compliance was the only way that train would have operated.

Jody, I thought the AGC were compliant DMU's or at least the Hybrid version was going to make its way to the U.S Market and tour in late 2009?

Sorry to hear things go down hill for you...at least you got to experience some things that a lot of people could have only dreamed of!

Brian

potb101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Brian,
>
> As you well know, the Bombardier Talent isn't
> FRA-compliant. Nobody makes an FRA-compliant DMU.
> Not yet.
>
> Jody
> Unemployed FRA-compliant DMU Manual Writer
>
> Macster Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I think they'll look towards Bombardier ...
> they
> > have a somewhat decent looking DMU available
> for
> > the States

Brian,

To the best of my knowledge, there are no other certified FRA-compliant DMUs on the market. That said, I do know some competition is coming. If Colorado Railcar did nothing else, they've finally gotten the attention of the market and its foreign occupants.

And you're right. This was a tremendously well-suited job from which I have taken away an unbelievable amount of good experience. I'll land on my feet. And I'll be glad for this time later on down the road, once the sting of the immediate effect has lessened...

Jody

PS - I'll be a Pacific Northwesterner again soon. Just signed a lease on a house in Port Orchard and I'm headin' home.

So not just a returning member of the PNW, but back to Kitsap County, as well, eh? Welcome back!

BigDave in Bremerton

Thanks, Big Dave. Should be interesting. Any trains actually move around Bremerton?

Have a good one.

Jody

The three cars in Pasco are owned by Princess Tours. They were the foundation for he original Ultradome rail cars they developed with Tom Rader when he was in Oregon.

Sorry about CRM many friends in my thoughts and prayers.

potb101 Wrote:
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> Any trains actually move around Bremerton?
>
> Have a good one.
>
> Jody

Just the occasional move to PSNS, and I've only seen that when I was driving by. There are also runs up to Subase Bangor, but I have never actually seen these trains, only heard them. These days, hanging around a naval base with a camera isn't the best thing to do. I usually go up to Tacoma to do my rail-fanning.