To the 2013 AAPRCO Train and Convention

For the next few weeks, the Blue Parrot joins forces with Private Car Service to share with readers of this space a trip of a different kind.

Each year, the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners or AAPRCO holds a convention at a host location reachable by railroad. The reason being that this allows the members to bring their cars to meet and greet with other car owners. Since the first such gathering in Chicago in 1978, the number of cars traveling has grown from 3 to 28 in 2013. In many cases, a special train is put together of these private cars to travel to and from the convention site.

The 2013 AAPRCO train is known as the Napa Valley Limited. The convention will be held in Napa, California at the Embassy Suites. The special train begins in Seattle on September 25th and will finish the journey in Los Angeles on October 5th.  Check the convention web page for details.

The plan is to share a blog of the trip and the tales of the cars (and people) making the excursion as we roll the miles by. Be sure to check back as the days go past!

Seen above are the two cars scheduled to be on the rear of this year’s train. The former Canadian National touring car Burrard and the former New York Central sleeper-lounge Two Rivers. A bit of history of each to come!