Passenger Trains > Iowa Pacific Suspension

The Iowa Pacific website now yields "account suspended" page.

Just sayin'.

http://iowapacific.com

One of the final nails in the coffin?

It's what happens when you don't pay the bill.
Not exactly an unusual event with these guys.

Time to play 'Taps'?

I think the Looney Tunes theme song would be better. That's all folks.

jcaestecker Wrote:
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> Time to play 'Taps'?

Either way this shows why a private operator will never run passenger trains, who knows why DC for a while thought that was possible!

Posted from Android

You mean like brightline/virgin?  Yea, it could never happen. 

pdt Wrote:
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> You mean like brightline/virgin?  Yea, it could
> never happen. 

Rocky Mountaineer?

Posted from Android

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> Either way this shows why a private operator will
> never run passenger trains, who knows why DC for a
> while thought that was possible!

Bombardier? Herzog? Keolis? Yeah, will never happen...

DevalDragon Wrote:
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> ProAmtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Either way this shows why a private operator
> will never run passenger trains, who knows why DC for
> a while thought that was possible!
>
> Bombardier? Herzog? Keolis? Yeah, will never happen...

Bonbardier, Herzog and Keolis all get subsidies to operate commuter lines - and they have all had problems.
 

DevalDragon Wrote:
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> Bombardier? Herzog? Keolis? Yeah, will never happen...

They are subsidized. Not a bad idea though,

The only conclusion you can draw from the failure of Iowa Pacific has nothing to do with the viability of passenger rail service and everything to do with corporate ethics (and the total lack thereof).

pdt Wrote:
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> You mean like brightline/virgin?  Yea, it could
> never happen. 

Brightline lasted so long, it was sold to Virgin.  Hasn't even been around for five years yet.

dispr Wrote:
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> Bombardier, Herzog and Keolis all get subsidies to
> operate commuter lines - and they have all had
> problems.

Every commuter operator, whether government, corporate or privately owned has problems. Service on NJ Transit and Metra is not really much different than the contract operated service, especially for the average passenger. 


joemvcnj Wrote:
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> They are subsidized. Not a bad idea though,

Ed Ellis / Iowa Pacific's Hoosier State Train was also subsided - so not really any different from the 3 private operators I mentioned. Except that they are still in business.

tmurray Wrote:
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> pdt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You mean like brightline/virgin?  Yea, it
> could
> > never happen. 
>
> Brightline lasted so long, it was sold to
> Virgin.  Hasn't even been around for five years
> yet.

It wasn't "sold to Virgin".  Virgin bought 2% of Brightline, and Brightline adopted the Virgin name.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article228476334.html

It was a smart move by Branson.  He got his Virgin brand name out into the public eye of South Florida before his new cruise line starts doing cruises out of Miami.  My guess is once his cruise line becomes established, he will quietly sell his minority stake of Brightline.

tmurray Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pdt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You mean like brightline/virgin?  Yea, it
> could
> > never happen. 
>
> Brightline lasted so long, it was sold to
> Virgin.  Hasn't even been around for five years
> yet.

Brightline has not been sold to Virgin. Virgin has take a small stake in it, about 2%. Brightlineis is still almost wholly owned by FECI which is owned by the Fortress Group, which is owned by SoftBank. Virgin holds one Board seat. Brightline uses the Virgin brand and uses Branson as an advertizing front. But for all intents and purposes that is all that is there in the nature of the relationship. Nowehere near whole ownership. So to ay "Brightline was sold to Virgin" with a straight face requires a sigificant level of ignorance to back it up LOL!

Additionally, Brightline jontly owns the Florida Dispatching Company with FEC Railroad, FDC is responsible for dispatching all of FECR and Brightline rail routes in Florida. Brightline also effectively owns a a very significant portfolio of real estate in Florida.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/20 19:26 by Jishnu.

I don't know why there seems to be glee at eee / IPH difficulties.

Typhoon Wrote:
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>
> It wasn't "sold to Virgin".  Virgin bought 2% of
> Brightline, and Brightline adopted the Virgin
> name.
>
> https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article2
> 28476334.html
>
> It was a smart move by Branson.  He got his
> Virgin brand name out into the public eye of South
> Florida before his new cruise line starts doing
> cruises out of Miami.  My guess is once his
> cruise line becomes established, he will quietly
> sell his minority stake of Brightline.

I didn't bother looking it up, I was too lazy. My mistake. Still less than 5 years in actual service, and already a rebadge.
Good call on the cruise line.

It’s amazing that most of the folks on here, loved Iowa Pacific and eee, now that he has finally met his fate, everyone seems to be cheering.

Posted from iPhone

another_view Wrote:
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> It’s amazing that most of the folks on here,
> loved Iowa Pacific and eee, now that he has
> finally met his fate, everyone seems to be
> cheering.

Well, just my opinion, the "railfans" of course loved the IPH and "eee", but those people that worked for his various organizations, or did business with him, have a totally different opinion of him and/or his organization.