When I was in Las Vegas recently I noticed what appeared to be construction going on in the lot behind (to the west) of where the trains used to be in between the Plaza and Main Street Station. Any idea what's going on there? Is it related to the pending work on the Las Vegas Club?
As to your last question, the answer is almost certainly “yes.”
The land underlying the former site of the Blackhawk and Cascade railroad cars was part of a deal between Las Vegas Club co-owner Derek Stevens and Boyd Gaming; Stevens bought the acreage from Boyd for $7.5 million. Trucks come and go, so it seems like some kind of staging area for the demolition of the Las Vegas Club and related properties. When reached by LVA, one of Stevens’ PR representatives corroborated that impression, saying, “We’re taking down Vegas Vickie and starting deconstruction for a new property at that site,” but wouldn't volunteer any additional details.
More interesting to us is the history of the train cars, shipped off to Western Elite up in Ely, NV, which will incorporate them into its “Christmas Express,” and the fate of Vegas Vickie.
Here's a little background on the train cars. It's been reported that William "Buffalo Bill" Cody lived aboard the Blackhawk during his Wild Wild West tours from 1906 until his death in 1917, although this is a subject of some dispute. A similar claim has been made about a Pullman car in Colorado. It appears that the car was built in 1906. How it made its way into Cody’s traveling show is a bit of a mystery, but it doubtless was good PR for new owners, the Burlington line. Not only is the original woodwork still in place, the car boasts a dining room, kitchen, and bathrooms with showers.
The Cascade was the flagship of the Pullman Palace Car Company and built for Colorado Midland Railway Chairman Charles Perkins. Finished in 1897, its features include an observation area, a dining room, and couches that convert to sleeping berths.
As for Vegas Vickie, the neon cowgirl who used to swing a leg over Fremont Street, in case you hadn’t heard, Stevens is removing her from the façade of the Girls of Glitter Gulch and shopping around for a new home for the newly homeless gal.
“Well, Vickie needs a little rehab. So we're taking her down and spending a little time in getting her back into shape,” Stevens told TV station Vegas Now. “We haven't determined the final location yet, but we're pretty big fans of Vegas history, so I know she's going to have a great home by the time we get done.”
Surprisingly, Vegas Vickie isn't going to the Neon Museum (although the Las Vegas Club marquee still might), but will remain under the auspices of the Fremont Street Experience. An FSE spokesperson told TV reporters that, while not a certainty, a return to somewhere on Fremont Street was “the most likely scenario” for the beloved sign.
