The My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, Corman's original dinner train at its station in Bardstown.
Lexington, KY - The R. J. Corman Railroad Company has announced the launch of the R. J. Corman Lexington Dinner Train.
The train’s inaugural run will be on August 14, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the original My Old Kentucky Dinner Train in Bardstown.
“The Lexington Dinner Train continues the tradition of reinvigorating classical train dining for a modern audience,” a release from the regional rail company states.
The train will travel 15-miles from Lexington to Versailles starting behind Rupp Arena. The train will travel through horse farms such as Ashview and Calumet, pass Keeneland Race Course, through the village of Pisgah and turn around in Versailles for a return trip to Lexington.
This announcement comes after the Lexington Center Board filed a lawsuit against the R. J. Corman Railroad Company saying it was in breach of a lease of for ground behind Rupp Arena, adjacent to the Corman rail yard. The lawsuit claimed running a dinner train was required for the space, which rail and a building have been placed on.
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Noel Rush, Corman’s Vice President of Finance and Administration said he was unaware if Monday’s announcement ended suit proceedings. “The last I was aware it’s still pending,” he said in a phone conversation with .
Reached for comment, Lexington Center President and CEO Bill Owen said: “In as much as it’s on-going litigation, I really don’t have any comment and certainly without seeing the press release I wouldn’t do that anyway.”
The Corman website shows the train will run for lunch and dinner most Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through at the end of October. Runs after that have not been added to the calendar.
“We’ll see how it goes, we’ll see how the community wants to have this kind of thing,” Rush said.
The menu will consist of seasonal entrees prepared by chef Gil Logan.
“We take some of the freshest foods in Kentucky and put a classical continental twist on them,” Logan said in the release.
In addition to serving individual passengers, the Lexington Dinner Train will also cater to a variety of groups and events. Exclusive rates will be available for such special events and for parties of 10 or more.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.kydinnertrain.com or by calling 1-866-801-3463.
The Lexington Dinner Train will board at 150 Oliver Lewis Way. Lunch trips will cost $69.95 and $44.95 for children 5 to 12. Dinners will cost $84.95, $54.95 for children, according to the website.