French designer Thierry Gauguin, who helped create the 260-foot-tall Venus yacht owned by former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, has revealed his plans to redefine private transportation. He proposed the "G-Train" which would be the world's first private luxury train.
The 1,300-foot-long "Palace on Rails" will consist of 14 cars made of technologically advanced glass that can go from opaque to fully transparent. Smart glass will allow the owner to bring natural and landscape lighting into the train. The project is estimated to cost about $350 million and will take at least two and a half years to build.
The train will also have 18 lodging suites. It will run at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour and will be prepared for rail travel across Europe and America. Luxurious features include an art gallery and garden. Train wings can be folded to create outdoor terraces for parties and other social events.
This is the first time Gauguin has ventured into a visualization of trains. He said the project was an old dream, and added that the train envisioned a "unique owner", rather than public transport or passenger trains.
Gauguin stated that he and his team worked for years to ensure the project was sustainable. A number of experts have been involved in the project, including Swiss train builder Stadler, glass manufacturer Saint-Gobain and security firm Marine Guard.
