Terrible's Rail City
Sparks, NV
 Rank:
#245 overall (tie)
#4 in Sparks
Games Info News Player's Club Comments Hosts Send
Update		 Monitor
Video PokerComments
Date Comment / Update
May, 2006 Herbst Gaming to buy Sands Regent
May, 2004 Sands Regent completes its purchase of Rail City.
May, 2004 This small local's casino is located in Sparks. It is on Victorian Avenue about a mile west of John Ascuaga's Nugget. As of May 1, 2004, it is owned by Sands Regent, the same company that owns the Sands Regency Casino/Hotel in downtown Reno and the Gold Ranch Casino and RV Resort in Verdi. They paid $37 million for the property, a price which certainly doesn't make sense to me – but then, I didn't have access to their books so who knows what the buyers saw in the property. Noting advertisements for triple points during the month of May, I thought it was worth a visit to see what may have changed. The Sands Regency is not known as a hotbed of player friendly games or full pay video poker . . . but then, Rail City was not known for its full pay either so maybe it's a good fit. Herewith, my review. Player's Club - Known as the City Express Player's Club, the system is Cashback PLUS comps. The formula is the same for both: $1 coin-in = 1 point earned, 2,000 points = $5 Cashback PLUS $5 comps for a return of .25% cash PLUS .25% comps. You can use the comp dollars in their combination coffee shop / buffet, or for logo wear, and that's about it. Their buffet is minimalist. The food is, shall we say, filling. During the month of May you are awarded 2,000 bonus points ($5) for earning at least 1,000 points ($1,000 coin-in) during the day. This is an effective return of .75% cash PLUS .75% comps, but only for your first $1,000 dollars coin-in played. After that you are earning the standard return on their player's club. You have to come back the next day to pick up your bonus cash, and all bonus cash earned during this promotion must be picked up by June 1. So far, other than this promotion, there are no changes under the new management to the existing player's club. The same cannot be said for the layout of the property or the video poker. According to one employee with whom I spoke, on the very week of the final purchase they came through and did some significant adjustments, locational changes and remodeling. The Sportsbook is now in the northeast corner behind the bar. The small dance floor is no more. Video Poker - First, the bank of eight (four on each side) slant-top double bonus machines at the quarter level, on the Keno/Restaurant side of the casino, formerly full-pay are now all shorted to 9/7 (note that I don't know if new management did this or it was done earlier, just that it's changed since my last visit). However, in that same area is a bank of GameMaker slant-top multi-games at the quarter level with full-pay Pick'em. This is the bank of machines directly in front of the Keno Lounge. Over by the Side Trax Lounge bar at the front corner where the TV's begin is a bank of six Bally's e-ticket slant-top multi-game, multi- denom machines with 10/7 Double Bonus at $1 and $.50. They are shorted at the quarter level. Scattered around this same area at selected multi-game, multi- denomination machines are 9/6 Jacks or Better at fifty cents through dollars (the quarter JoB games all seem to be shorted). HOWEVER, check very closely to ensure that the Royal Flush pays the full 4,000 coins. I don't think I've ever been in a casino with more Jacks or Better machines that short the royal to 2,500 coins. They are everywhere. However, if you look you'll be able to find the full-pay Jacks buried among all the short pay. Other Games - Rail City has one of the better single deck blackjack games around for low limits. They are also fairly generous with discretionary comps at the table games that don't go against your points. (Of course, all they can comp you to is there buffet/coffee shop, so that may be a double-edged sword.) They also have $1 craps and a table of 3-5-7 poker. Conclusion - With no hotel, one mediocre restaurant and an out of the way location in a not particularly attractive neighborhood, Rail City has little (if anything) to offer to visitors. For locals, however . . . especially for those locals (like me) not particularly picky about their food choices . . . Rail City can be worth visiting during particularly attractive promotions.
Jun, 2003 Inexpensive food in the combined coffee shop and buffet. Clientele can get rowdy at times.
$1,000 in casino coupons!