Western Railroad Discussion > Adults-only party train from O.C. to Vegas

In today's LA Times.

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-adults-party-train-oc-vegas-20121126,0,7115914.story



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/12 07:14 by checkmate007.

Marlboro train part deux.....crash and burn.

My small town newspaper here in Kansas even ran the AP article on this "endeavour" a few days ago...

Posted from iPhone

Milw_E70 Wrote:
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> My small town newspaper here in Kansas even ran
> the AP article on this "endeavour" a few days
> ago...
>
> Posted from iPhone

Hugh and the bunnies will be the first to ride it. A tank car of viagra attached to it

Add a Commuter car..Hand holds and plenty of Poles...

They need to put a dorm car on the rear and charge for rooms by the minute

I tend to frequent Vegas, but I refuse to go on weekends. The crowd is completely different than on weekdays. On weekends, you absolutely, positively get the rowdy drunk young people who think they have to be wild and drunk in order to "do Vegas" properly. Lots of gang members from LA show up in Vegas on the weekends as well. I will avoid this alleged "party train" like the plague. I want nothing to do with that crap.

Also, keep in mind one thing about Vegas weekends. EVERYTHING is more expensive and the lines are a heck of a lot longer. Hotel rooms, show tickets, buffet prices, crowds at the tables and slots---everything is ramped up on weekends. If you want an enjoyable Vegas experience and you don't need to be grossly drunk and wild, skip the weekend thing and go have fun on any weekday.

Reportedly they will use former Metra gallery cars and I think some old GO Transit F59PH's. Still sounds like high hopes to me, but if it does come together then look forward to chasing the first run.

Can't wait for this train to start rolling. For me, it's be a good reason to finally railfan along the Cima Sub.

George Cataulin
San Diego, CA
Left Coast Rail Videos



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/12 14:25 by gjc.

My wife and i are planning a trip to southern California in 2014. I am keeping an eye on this train as we are going to go to LV for a day or two. If the 99 price is more than a starting price we may very well take a ride. I would rather just have a standard coach seat.

DNRY122 Wrote:
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> We were discussing the Vegas train at lunch
> today--either they unlock the slot machines and
> take the dice and chips out of the safe at the
> state line, or they make a deal with the Mohave
> Tribe to allow gambling once they get into the
> high desert.

It appears there is no gambling for money on the train.
Got this from the x-train website:

With two "ultra lounges" and an entertainment car in which passengers can play games for prizes (but not for cash payouts), the concept is designed to safely extend the party atmosphere to the travel time on both sides of a Vegas weekend.

George Cataulin
San Diego, CA
Left Coast Rail Videos

I'd like to see a train operating on the "other side" of Las Vegas, that it is Las Vegas with Salt Lake City. First, I would guess the scenery would be more interesting. However, connecting two cities with vastly different cultures by train would also be very interesting.
Yes, I know the California Zephyr links Salt Lake City with Sparks and Reno, but they are not in the same league as Las Vegas.

DNRY122 Wrote:
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> We were discussing the Vegas train at lunch
> today--either they unlock the slot machines and
> take the dice and chips out of the safe at the
> state line, or they make a deal with the Mohave
> Tribe to allow gambling once they get into the
> high desert.

????? What does the "Mojave Tribe" have to do with this???? The Mojave National Preserve is NOT the same as the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation. The Mojave National Preserve is like a national park (it is managed by the National Park Service) established by Bill Jefferson (BJ) Clinton. You could not get much gambling done between the CA/NV state line & Sin City.

Old Bob out in Lost Wages

Oops, got my tribes mixed up. Will edit that out.

Sounds more like wasted money, just run a train from Fullerton to Vegas and back and see how it goes.

Just run a standard train and nobody is going to come but commuters, and there aren't that many commuters from Orange County to LV. Most of them take turnaround busses.

On the other hand, get 10 sleepers and 5 bar/diners and call it an adult party train and charge $500 a ticket, and you will get more rich-kid drunks than you have room for. Just make sure the toilets are working.

I'd ride this train soley to see the line and scenery. Of course that's a railfan's perspective, not the general public.

When this train was first discussed, they wanted to run Thursday thru Monday or Tuesday, with no train iether Wednesday, or Tuesday and Wednesday. I thought that was a good plan. Now it is 2 trainsets, one goes on Thursday, the other goes on Friday, and they both return on Sunday.

1. Who can afford to work 2 days a week?
2. How do you get a return on your investment running 1 round trip a week?

I don't see this schedule working without better turn-arounds and higher equipment utilization.

JimBo

RuleG Wrote:
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> Yes, I know the California Zephyr links Salt Lake
> City with Sparks and Reno, but they are not in the
> same league as Las Vegas.

And Reno doesn't *want* to be in the same league as Vegas...

What Reno & Vegas both have in common is the "light pollution" produced by the gazillion lightbulbs...you can see the glow of Reno in the night sky as far away as Gerlach, and the night sky glow of Vegas in Furnace Creek (Death Valley)...

Me, I'm actually excited by the prospect of a train to Vegas. Putting aside the fact I'm a modeler and railfan, from the aspect of being a thirty-something adult that loves partying with friends in Vegas (one of the demographics they're likely targeting), the idea of taking a train is a win. I've always hated flying, and it's even worse these days thanks to poor service (don't ask me my opinion of United, who I've got a lot of miles with), uncomfortable aircraft with seats and spacing designed for 90lb, 5'-2" weaklings (unless you pony up the big bucks or miles for First Class), and my favorite, gropings from the TSA. Driving isn't a lot of fun, thanks to gas costs, wear and tear on your vehicle, and of course, battling traffic, which leaves you exhausted by the time you get to Vegas. So a train that will get me there in relative comfort, relaxed, and in time comparable to if I had driven? All for only $99 one way, which for me equates to about 15 minutes of blackjack, or even faster in a Vegas strip club? And they'll even offer concierge and other services, to make the trip even more streamlined? Where do I sign up?

Yes, it's an ambitious plan, but despite the fact trains are involved, I don't think the average TO user is the target demographic. If they can get all of their ducks lined up, which seems to be happening, since they've been acquiring equipment, and making agreements with UP, then they may be able to pull this off. As long as they can deliver on their promises, and get their target market interested, they may be able to make a go of it. I know I'd be interested in using it, and a few of my Vegas buddies (non-railfan) that I mentioned this too were interested, too.