This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/web_lurker to TrainWeb.US/web_lurker.

Rader/Colorado Railcar converts cars for custom orders. Rader Railcar built the glass-domed "guests cars" and double-deck entertainment cars for the "Florida Fun Train" at its Denver plant (closed & auctioned off in Nov. 1997). Rader's relocation to Fort Lupton, CO, and renaming as Colorado Railcar Manufacturing was due in part to First American Railways(FFT) defaulting on its car payments, though FFT likewise claimed their bankruptcy was caused by delayed delivery of the cars by Rader. Rader's "demise" may have also been partially caused by the aborted "Philip Morris" train, which was cancelled before the cars were completed by Rader. Other successful ventures by Rader were the "joint venture" with Bob Steele & Associates in Tillamook OR that rebuilt the original ex Milwaukee Road full length domes for Tour Alaska "Midnight Sun Express" service, the "Ultra Domes" for Princess Tours built from ex SP "Gallery Cars", and the "Goldleaf Service" domes on Rocky Mountain Railtours also built from ex SP cars. They are now turning out cars with regularity and have sold cars to British Columbia Railway (low-level like the Flordia Fun Train), Royal Celebrity Tours, and Golden Eagle Rail Journeys, and a new style with slanted end windows like traditional domes to Holland America Westours. By the time you read this, they will have probably added more customers. Note that many cars "built" from ex SP "gallery" cars ("Ultra" and "Goldleaf" domes) were actually built with only the frames and trucks from the old cars. The bodies of the cars were constructed from scratch, and new vs rebuilt trucks were also an option. The new Holland America cars may have been built new from the ground up.