Colorado Railcar
 |
|
| Industry | Railcar Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Fate | Liquidated |
| Successor | US Railcar |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Tom Rader |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Products |
Passenger cars Diesel multiple units |
Colorado Railcar was a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock, railcars and diesel multiple unit commuter vehicles. Both products come in single- and double-level versions. It shut down in 2008, with its assets being purchased by US Railcar.
The company was first organized as Rader Railcar. Founded by Tom Rader in 1988, the company changed its name to Colorado Railcar in November 1997.
Rader and his company were featured in the PBS-aired documentary Dome Car Magic in 2006.
In 2008, it was announced that sometime in 2007 TriMet had to directly pay Colorado Railcar's suppliers in order to financially support the company.
On December 23, 2008, Colorado Railcar ceased operations, and creditors began dissolving the company after a "major liquidity problem." The shut-down was at least partially caused by the State of Vermont's cancellation of a deal to buy several DMUs for the Vermonter train.
In 2009, private investors affiliated with Value Recovery Group, Inc. (VRG) of Columbus, Ohio, led by Barry H. Fromm acquired the Colorado Railcar DMU and remaining assets. A new company, US Railcar, was established, appointing Michael P. Pracht its President & CEO. US Railcar planned to resume production of Colorado Railcar products in a new manufacturing facility located in the Midwest (likely American Railcar’s plant in Paragould, Arkansas).
Colorado Railcar had two main product categories:
These cars were primarily marketed for "luxury daytour trains, to trans-continental sleeper trains, dinner trains, business cars for Class I railroads".
Models included the double-deck Ultra Dome railcar, the Single-Level Dome railcar, single and bilevel sleeping cars, entertainment cars, dining cars and custom cars. These cars are in use by American Orient Express, Princess Tours, Alaska Railroad, Rocky Mountaineer, and Holland America Line (formerly "Westours"). The Ultra Dome cars are "glass-domed, bilevel cars 89 feet (27 m) long and 18 feet (5.5 m) high, and seat up to 88 passengers".
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