Steam & Excursion > Update on the Greenbrier Express with 614

burgman99 Wrote:
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> CarolVoss Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am curious about the "ownership" of
> Greenbrier.
> > I thought that CSX was unable to unload it on
> > anyone except Marriott which took out a 5 year
> > lease to see how things went instead of buying
> it
> > outright.
> > Too lazy to google around at this point but
> maybe
> > someone knows who is running the show?? I am
> sure
> > that CSX would be eager to cooperate in
> anything
> > to keep this a going concern and ultimately get
> it
> > off their books???
> > C.
>
>
>
> Marriott was in the process of purchasing the
> Greenbrier when another company came in and outbid
> them. I forget the name but they are now full
> owners and a casino is about to open in I believe
> July. The Greenbrier is fully off CSX's hands.

Thanks. I believe I had heard about the casino but didn't realize that Marriott was out of the picture. At least CSX can breathe a sigh of relief. :-)
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

nathansixchime Wrote:
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> Which works better for a story?
>
> "Last 4-8-4 steam locomotive built commercially in
> the United States"
>
> or
>
> "Last steam locomotive built in the United
> States."
>

How about:

"One of the last steam locomotives built in the US"?


> You can't mess up "last steam engine built in the
> country." Period. It's about selling the aroma,
> not the meal! ;)

Ah, but they did mess it up. Exclamation point!

It's about accuracy and facts when it's reported as
news.

/Mitch

No, they didn't mess it up if that's all they were told!

That's the point. The rest is semantics to a non-railroader.

burgman99 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CarolVoss Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am curious about the "ownership" of
> Greenbrier.
> > I thought that CSX was unable to unload it on
> > anyone except Marriott which took out a 5 year
> > lease to see how things went instead of buying
> it
> > outright.
> > Too lazy to google around at this point but
> maybe
> > someone knows who is running the show?? I am
> sure
> > that CSX would be eager to cooperate in
> anything
> > to keep this a going concern and ultimately get
> it
> > off their books???
> > C.
>
>
>
> Marriott was in the process of purchasing the
> Greenbrier when another company came in and outbid
> them. I forget the name but they are now full
> owners and a casino is about to open in I believe
> July. The Greenbrier is fully off CSX's hands.


Right. The Marriott deal was conditioned on several labor matters, including staffing. It also respected the Marriott family's traditional resistance to gambling facilities. This last item unsettled local residents and politicians who saw a casino as a job creation opportunity.

When Jim Justice, a local guy, stepped in with his investors and his money, he made it very clear that he wanted a casino, and he wanted local jobs. That, and his good business reputation, sealed the deal.

Keystone1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just HATE it when some uninformed women reporter
> writes about the "last steam engine built in the
> United States." When you KNOW she is wrong about
> something that you are knowledgeable ... it makes
> you not beleave her about all the other points,
> which you have NO knowledge of. In other words...
> her reporting is suspect and useless.

Would it be preferable to have an uninformed male reporter write about the "last steam engine built in the United States?"

Mgoldman Wrote:>
> It's about accuracy and facts when it's reported
> as
> news.
>
> /Mitch

Not quite. They reported what a reputable source told them, which meets the standard. If this fact were pivotal to the story, a good journalist would check it. In this case, the statement is hardly critical to the story. If reporters had to fact check every little detail, there would be no news printed or broadcast.

Dear Friends,

Here's what I'm at liberty to share with you at this early stage.

The Greenbrier Express project is real and the check has cleared the bank, therefore it is no longer a " concept" but rather a solid project.

The GBX will be a 17 car long, ultra first class day train that will bring 210 guests from Washington DC to the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs,W.Va. It will operate the same route as the Cardinal, departing Wash.,DC on Tuesdays at 10:00 am arriving at WSS at 5pm. Upon arrival the train will be met by a bevy of 10 horse drawn carriages which will carry the guests to the front entrance of the hotel. Roundtrip fare will be $ 750. No childs fare. A world class brunch will be served in each direction.

The GBX will return to Washington on Sundays, departing WSS at 10:00 am arriving DC at 5 pm.

In addition to the 7 parlor cars there will be 2 dining room cars, one all kitchen car, an open platform, brass railed tavern-lounge observation car and other specialty cars.

Motive power will be a mix of modern diesels and classic mainline steam locomotives. On the steam powered portions of the journey there will be NO diesels in the train with HEP supplied by 2 baggage/generator cars. No kissing your sister here!!!!

The cars for the train will be refurbished at Pottstown,Pa.

Service is scheduled to commence on July 2,2012.

The GBX's by-line will be " World's Finest Train" and we will spare no effort to earn that.

Further details will be forthcoming in the weeks/months ahead!

Thanks, Ross Rowland,President&CEO
Greenbrier Express Company,Inc.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/10 08:52 by co614.

Congrats Ross!

2012? Dosen't the world end in 2012?

Wahoo !!!!!