All aboard! Cocktails on a vintage railcar - The Patron Tequila Express

July 27, 5:28 PMTequila ExaminerRyan Kelley

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The Patrón Tequila Express vintage 1927 railcar

High-class business executives often brag about how they travel: cars with chauffeur, "only in first class," or - if they're lucky - a corporate jet . John Paul DeJoria, founder of The Patrón Spirits Company, travels in the speed and style befitting a man who owns the best-selling ultra-premium tequila in the United States.

Evoking an era when times were slower, DeJoria and his friends and colleagues (including actor Dan Aykroyd, distributor of Patrón in Canada) enjoy the passing urban sprawls and serene countryside from Car #50 of the GM&O Railroad. Manufactured in 1927, the railcar has been meticulously restored and decorated, and was re-named "The Patrón Tequila Express."

The Patrón Tequila Express made a stop in San Diego over the past weekend, where Patrón was holding a few events in the downtown area to coincide with Comic-Con 2009, an international convention for fans, creators, and artists of comic books and other "popular arts." I took a couple friends to San Diego's Santa Fe Station where Patrón and Wired Magazine were co-hosting a cocktail party on the railcar's platform.

Amid the dull gray Amtrak cars and the bright red San Diego Trolley cars, the shiny green railcar was easy to spot. My friend Chris and I are both fans of bygone eras, so it was tempting to immediately hop on and take a look, but figured we should do it right and lined up at the bar that was set-up on the platform. The menu for the evening featured the three Patrón summer cocktails, and with three of us we each sampled a different drink. They are all easy to make, and feature Patrón's orange-based liqueur (Citronge) and fresh fruit juice. The ingredients compliment Patrón well, and each has a sweet summer taste that doesn't overpower the great taste of the tequila.

Armed with a cocktail, we boarded the 85 foot long railcar. The first room is the "Observation Room," which features a sitting area with four beautifully upholstered chairs. Above the chairs the top of the walls are lined with meticulously carved wood. Despite the traffic going in and out of the car, I could not help but sit and admire the beauty of the craftsmanship.

We moved along to tour the sleeping quarters, each bunk looked comfortable enough and the walls were adorned with art and exotic textiles. Beyond the sleeping quarters was the gourmet kitchen. Modernized and outfitted with stainless steel, the kitchen is small but has everything, including a place for a chef to sleep! My friend Aric, in town for "the Con," noted how there was nothing to protect some of the dishes from falling to the floor during a bumpy train ride. Patrón rep and railcar guru Chris Shaffer told us that the car was over 250,000 pounds, which offers a much smoother ride than an 80,000 pound Amtrak passenger car.

I was tempted to stowaway for the railcar's next stop - Guadalajara. Style, comfort, and great tequila - sounds like heaven for this Examiner!