Napa Valley Wine Train

LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-03 AT 00:53 AM (EDT)

Today we went to Napa! My grandma was driving to Taylor's where we would meet up with my unle and another friend when I noticed the back of the Napa Valley Wine Train! I had seen adds in Trains Magazine, but I kind of had thought they only had a few excursions, not a real schedule. We were now getting closer, and I could barely see the sides of the engines, but at that angle not much could be seen. We were now almost to the front, when traffic stopped for the crossing where it crossed the road. We were almost at it again when a red light. Then a slow driver. Then construction. At that point I had honestly got out the owner's manual for that Lexus and hoped the it would say that the axles were about 4' 8.5" ! we lost it, and Taylor's was ahead. I was sure to sit where I could see the track! And sure enough, soon 2 diesels in the attractive NVWT paint scheme come pulling a train. I was interested in riding it, until I learned the rates! Also, I am underage I want to learn more! I looked at NVWT's website but not much to see. I was particularly looking for a history on the engines and track, and a map, but to no avail. My uncle, grandma, and grandma's friend knew some, such as the founder invented Rice o' Roni and there was a lot of protest, but that is about it. Where can I find more?Also, I noticed that it said on a flyer that it was not allowed by regualtion to stop anywhere besides a station. What does that mean and why?P.S. Guess who pays for track-work and track-upgrades Thanks!
METRAUP

Chicago-Geneva Metra Line

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RE: Napa Valley Wine Train, smp11512, Jun-06-03, 01:14 AM, (1) RE: Napa Valley Wine Train, metraup, Jun-06-03, 12:54 PM, (3) RE: Napa Valley Wine Train, Swissie, Jun-06-03, 04:13 PM, (4) RE: Napa Valley Wine Train, metraup, Jun-06-03, 05:26 PM, (5) RE: Napa Valley Wine Train, Swissie, Jun-06-03, 06:31 AM, (2) RE: Napa Valley Wine Train, metraup, Jun-06-03, 05:28 PM, (6)

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I have a calender for this year with the train on it . I don't know what not being permitted to stop anywhere but at the station means it exactly and as for who pays for the track maintance I would think either the winerey or the Rail Road that owns the mainline ( UP, BNSF, whoever) .My website for MSTS Pic's www.msnusers.com/shanestrains

If everything tastes like Chicken then what does Chicken taste like ?

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Thanks for that information, Swissie! smp11512, believe it or not, the goverment does the track-work! No freights go over it anymore, and NVWT owns the trains, but since it is a regional RR, the goverment pays!Thanks!
METRAUP

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LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-03 AT 04:17 PM (EDT)

Hi again, Metraup> Thanks for that information, Swissie! (...)Just to avoid confusion - that is more guessing (hopefully "educated guessing") than verified knowledge as I haven't been in the Napa region for more than 10 years now and am not in the possesion of said rules. I actually noted that you originally wrote "the RR is not allowed by regulation..." so it is actually not even within the NVWT's discreetion to decide on a flag stop policy. Seems they wouldn't be allowed to do so even if they wanted. But it is certainly a safety issue. Passengers alighting from a stopped train "en route" is something no RR really likes to see. The step from the door to the ground is quite high in most cases, there is no walkway nearby, maybe even very little room next to a wall or the edge of a cliff, etc. And if it were on a route with a parallel "live" track where another train could pass any minute, it would become extremly dangerous! So it makes sense to ban any off-plattform boardings & disembarkings, apart from emergency situations where we'd rather have to speak of an evacuation of the passengers under directions / following instructions of the train crew. Come to think of it - en-route calls are probably not allowed under Swiss RR laws either, but it allows for designated "stops on request", i.e. small depots where there is a plattform, but where trains only stop if a traveller signals that he wishes to board or disembark by punching the appropriate button on the plattform or the train respectively.Lukas a.k.a Swissie

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Here is the exact statement:"Current regulations do not permit the train to stop or disembark passengers enroute, except at designated stops or stations."Thanks!
METRAUP

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Hi Metraup,> Also, I noticed that it said on a flyer that it was not allowed by regualtion to stop anywhere besides a station. What does that mean and why?I guess that means that the RR will not allow any kind of flag-stops at any intermediate point of the route. With regards to the wineries it passes on its way, I am sure that groups and individuals have repeatedly asked the train crew to "drop" them at a specific winery instead of the nearest plattform. Presuambly for safety & insurance reasons, the RR does not want to run any risk. Knowing of some of the more aggressive US lawyers specialised on personal injury claims, I imgine it wouldn't take too long with flagstops until some passenger - mildly alcoolized from all that wine - alighted somewhere en route, where there is no plattform, thereby misguessing the 3ft+ step from the doorstep of the car onto the track bed, broke an ancle or wrinkled a toe on that ballast and sued the railroad for some "real money", say 100 Mio $ for starters... (P.S. I'm into teaching law, so please forgive me this side-smacking at some run-away trends in your legal system)Lukas a.k.a Swissie

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By the way, has anyone simulated something NVWT?Thanks!
METRAUP

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