Passenger Trains > AOE Done for 2005?

Is the American Orient Express done with its 2005 trips? Where do they yard the train during the winter months?

The AOE round-end observation lounge NEW YORK was visiting Denver Union Station, Denver, CO, the evening of Nov. 8, 2005. Train left on AOE's last Rockies and Sierras trip west over UP's Moffat Tunnel line the next day.

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Their trips are usually over by the 1st of December and the train is stored somewhere in Tacoma. Check their website for the 2006 schedule. They cancelled all their Copper Canyon trips and no longer run in Canada or the northeast US.
C.

Anybody have an idea how AOE is doing financially?

They are a privately held concern and are obligated only to release financial results to the IRS and possibly to "third parties in interest".

Are they really a going concern or are they simply some well-off guy's hobby?

Enquiring mind wants to know.

GBNorman Wrote:
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> Anybody have an idea how AOE is doing
> financially?
>
> They are a privately held concern and are
> obligated only to release financial results to the
> IRS and possibly to "third parties in interest".
>
> Are they really a going concern or are they simply
> some well-off guy's hobby?
>
> Enquiring mind wants to know.


They are not some rich guy's hobby. Check their website: www.americanorientexpress.com
There was some speculation earlier on this board about them having financial troubles.
They did abruptly cancel their Mexico Copper Canyon trips in Sept. and substituted western national parks tours as an option, and they will have no more Mexico OR Canadian trips in the future. They also cancelled their northeast US trips. I heard that it had to do with not being able to guarantee the fall foliage experience-----having toured Savannah and Charleston last spring with few blooms due to unseasonable cold weather, I can understand the decision, though it would seem to me that any reasonable person would not expect a tour company to predict and procure ideal weather, blossoms etc.
AOE tries to promote frequent traveler deals, reduced rates for people who have made one or more AOE trips. My problem with AOE is that most all of the places they are now traveling to are places I have been to, sometimes more than once. The AOE is very pricey and certainly the ambiance, service, food, beverages etc are worth the money----but I would also like to travel to other places that they either don't or no longer go, so I won't be repeating the experience.Apparently the Canadian railroads were not friendly to them and they also had to employ all Canadian citizens and use all Canadian products on the train which made for a hassle. We have friends whom we met on the AOE Copper Canyon trip who had traveled with them prior and then took what turned out to be the last Canadian trip in July. They said it was not the best experience---lots of delays on the railroad, staff disorganization, lecturers who didn't know the subject matter well, etc.
The AOE is not looking for the railfans, unless they are wealthy and want the "luxury cruise experience". A reporter did a story in the LA travel section and quoted an AOE px saying she was disappointed that the train didn't run at night so she could hear the clickety clack etc.
Believe me, most of the people who ride the AOE are NOT looking for clickety clack----clink of ice cubes, shuffle of card deck, yes, but not rocking and rolling and clickety clacking!! :-)
C.

Speaking of AOE movements - have a look at the Sandpatch camera 12-6-05 @ 0821. The three car consist looks to be AOE cars to me - color scheme matches with the lettering on the center of the car and the emblem on the end. Not enough detail to tell for sure, though.

westcoaster Wrote:
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> Speaking of AOE movements - have a look at the
> Sandpatch camera 12-6-05 @ 0821. The three car
> consist looks to be AOE cars to me - color scheme
> matches with the lettering on the center of the
> car and the emblem on the end. Not enough detail
> to tell for sure, though.

Looks like private cars returning from the Liberty Limited trip.

I wonder if the lack of movements in the NorthEast is related to the fact that they have a dome car on the train now? Don't know where clearance issues are on the corridor (the New York tunnels, anywhere else?).

warbonnetwillie Wrote:
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> I wonder if the lack of movements in the NorthEast
> is related to the fact that they have a dome car
> on the train now? Don't know where clearance
> issues are on the corridor (the New York tunnels,
> anywhere else?).

What I heard was that the fall foliage was the main attraction and the trees did not perform on cue and px were disappointed that they paid all that money and got the same old green leaves. There may be other reasons as well. I believe the dome cars were never an issue .
I believe there have always been dome cars on the trains, even when they were running two sets.
C.

Dome car "Copper Canyon" is sitting on track one at Portland bad ordered. (broken spring?) Dec 7

jb

Their service facility is located in Tenino, WA, and the trains enter and leave the BNSF mainline at Western Junction, near Chehalis, WA.

If the AOE needs money - and sounds like there's one trainset not even operating - perhaps the AOE could attach some sleepers (and even a diner or lounge car)on the rear of Amtrak during peak periods and offer premium service. Amtrak could also demonstrate they have tried "contracting out the Sleeping Car service." Probably where things are peaking now is the trains from the North to Florida.

The AOE used to attach cars on the rear of the Capitol Limited.

Check the AOE Web and you will see they are planning trips fall of 2006 in Canada. It seems they have worked out the problems with the Canadian government.