Xanterra, one of billionaire Phil Anschutz’s holdings, couldn’t be reached for comment.
American Railway Explorer had proposed multi-day trips originating in California and operating to major tourist attractions starting next year. Prices were set between $900 and $1,500 per day.
Xanterra had acquired cars from the defunct GrandLuxe Express. The company had planned to refurbish them with standardized equipment to reduce maintenance costs. Trips destinations included Napa, Calif.; Santa Fe, N.M.; the Columbia River Gorge; and an 11-day transcontinental journey from Los Angeles to Washington.
The shutdown “is kind of surprising, just because the name [Anschutz] is behind it,” said Todd Powell, general manager of Vacations By Rail, a Chicago-based travel agency that was preparing to book passengers on the trains. “We had a list of 15,000 people who were potentially interested,” he said. “There’s going to be quite a few disappointed people.”
