So how is this for some seriously upgraded Vintage railroad tracks?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFUBoBigr28
You can barely see it at the railroad crossing on the left but they built a giant hotel and conference center across from the Grapevine Depot and it is made to look like a Big City Train Station with clock tower. Wish I could afford to stay there but I am not paying $300-400 a night (probably a resort fee tacked on as well) unless the hotel is in Maui or somewhere.
Vin Hotel, Grapevine (Marriott):
https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/entity/CgoIw8qZwpO50YpNEAE/lightbox/CAESSmh0dHBzOi8vcGhvdG9zLmhvdGVsYmVkcy5jb20vZ2lhdGEvb3JpZ2luYWwvNzcvNzc3MDAwLzc3NzAwMGFfaGJfcl8wMTMuanBn?g2lb=2502548%2C2503771%2C2503781%2C4258168%2C4284970%2C4291517%2C4597339%2C4814050%2C4874190%2C4893075%2C4924070%2C4963888%2C4965990%2C10208620%2C72277293%2C72298667%2C72302247%2C72313836%2C72317059%2C72406588%2C72408739%2C72412680%2C72414906%2C72421566%2C72430562%2C72440516%2C72441002%2C72442338%2C72444277%2C72445425%2C72448541%2C72458707&hl=en-US&gl=us&ssta=1&ts=CAEaRwopEicyJTB4ODY0YzJiMTYzY2U1YThjMzoweDRkMTU0NWM5Mzg0NjY1NDMSGhIUCgcI5w8QDBgREgcI5w8QDBgSGAEyAhAA&rp=EMPKmcKTudGKTRDDypnCk7nRik04AkAASAHAAQKaAgIIAA&ictx=1&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwi408yh3ZeDAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBA&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls
While the track looks good for alignment and ballast - the undulating characteristics would play hell with a PSR sized freight train.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDWhile the track looks good for alignment and ballast - the undulating characteristics would play hell with a PSR sized freight train.
Neither would probably apply to a typical heritage-railway operation or excursion train, though.
Are they operating that heavy-rail equipment on some sort of waiver? That light-rail equipment can't possibly be certified for required collision with full-size trains, and I see it blithely operating only minutes before the Grapevine train...
OvermodAre they operating that heavy-rail equipment on some sort of waiver? That light-rail equipment can't possibly be certified for required collision with full-size trains, and I see it blithely operating only minutes before the Grapevine train...
Dallas Transit agencies got a waiver a long time ago for the Stadler trainsets, they can operate on lightly used freight lines. In this case the line is dedicated passenger and does not have freight operations and primarily only the Stadler trains and tourist train operate over it to my knowledge.
The Denton A train (on youtube somewhere) operates over mixed stadler and frieght. I believe they still keep seperated via hours of operation though as a precaution.
Trinity Railway Express (TRE) does as well but that is heavy former GO Transit equipment.
Dart Silver Line which will open in 2024 or 2025 will be all Stadler and passenger only as well. Another rebuilt Cotton Belt Line as is the one in the video. Silver Line will be a diagnal run across Dallas from NE to SW to DFW Airport.
Nice thing about Dallas area is we do not use the employment program approach that METRA uses. Stadlers is primarily one crewman and the tickets are automated kiosks at the station. The transit agencies seem to be free of politics in Dallas as well. TRE is operated via Herzog contract, sometimes they have a little kid as Locomotive Engineer but they do train handling OK.
I like that hotel. They did a nice job making it look like a big-city train station from years ago.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
CMStPnPNice thing about Dallas area is we do not use the employment program approach that METRA uses.
What program is that?
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
York1 I like that hotel. They did a nice job making it look like a big-city train station from years ago.
In my view there is a little bit of Disney in a lot of areas down here because the Texas tax system is based on Sales Tax reciepts in part. Each locality gets so many cents of the sales tax. So long ago they learned that entertainment and mall development is to be emphasized. They also do not let malls sit half full or abandoned, they tear them down or redevelop into something else if they are not producing decent sales tax reciepts. At least around where I live.
You should see Frisco, TX now. Thats where the railroad museum is now. Their plans below at first I thought was pie in sky but they will achieve them either via donations or the City Council or State will give them money because they want the property to produce traffic or taxes. Scroll down on link below:
https://www.historictrains.org/projects
https://www.historictrains.org/projects/phase-ii-capital-campaign
The architecture of the station like building above looks amazingly like a Walthers Station Building Kit I seem to remember from their HO Scale catalog.
https://www.historictrains.org/collection
zugmann CMStPnP Nice thing about Dallas area is we do not use the employment program approach that METRA uses. What program is that?
CMStPnP Nice thing about Dallas area is we do not use the employment program approach that METRA uses.
CMStPnPIn my view there is a little bit of Disney in a lot of areas down here because the Texas tax system is based on Sales Tax reciepts in part. Each locality gets so many cents of the sales tax. So long ago they learned that entertainment and mall development is to be emphasized.
My daughter lives in Southlake, and it's downtown is amazing. We love walking around there when we visit.
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