DENVER—A company that operates lodges and restaurants in national parks has bought 25 passenger cars that belonged to a defunct luxury train operator.
Xanterra (zan-TEAR’-uh) Parks & Resorts said Thursday it is buying the cars of GrandLuxe Rail Journeys, which stopped operating last year.
Xanterra President and CEO Andy Todd said the company plans to use the cars “to enhance the national parks experience” at several Western parks but doesn’t have specifics yet.
A company spokesman said 20 of the cars are operational. The price was not disclosed.
Xanterra, based in the Denver suburb of Greenwood Village, is owned by Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz.
His company, the Anschutz Co., operated the Ski Train between Denver and the Winter Park resort until April, when it closed the train down and sold the equipment.
Xanterra has properties in Death Valley National Park, Calif., Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz., Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., Mount Rushmore National Memorial, S.D., Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks, Utah, and Crater Lake National Park, Ore., and in eight Ohio state parks.
It also owns the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Ariz.
GrandLuxe, based in Evergreen west of Denver, said in August it was “financially unable to continue operations.” It was formerly known as American Orient Express.
