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Classic Train Questions Part Deux (50 Years or Older)

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:29 PM

daveklepper
I belive the PRR had two postwar twin-unit (three trucks, two car bodies or just a separate kitchen car, my memory falls short on telling me which) diners that saw sevice on the Broadway and other trains as well, both built by Budd and painted Tuscan red. 

Dave, do you (or anyone else) have a picture of one of these twin units? Robert Wayner does not indicate that they were articulated. They were numbered (6 pairs of dining room car and kitchen-dormitory car) 4610-4611, 4614-4615, 4616-4617, 4618-4619, 4620-4621, and 4622-4623. So far as I remember, the SP was the only road that had articulated dining room-kitchen cars, all of which were built by Pullman. The 1940 Daylight had a coffee shop-kitchen-dining room set; the 1941 Morning Daylight also had three-unit sets--and the 1941 Lark had a dormitory kitchen-dining room-tavern lounge set. I saw one of the sets in Houston in October of 1971.

Johnny

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, October 22, 2009 10:11 AM

Unpainted stainless steel Slumbercoaches also operated on B&O.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:05 AM

I belive the PRR had two postwar twin-unit (three trucks, two car bodies or just a separate kitchen car, my memory falls short on telling me which) diners that saw sevice on the Broadway and other trains as well, both built by Budd and painted Tuscan red.   When Penn Central took over, they had the cars sandblasted to remove the paint, the thought being they could then look better when running with ex-NYC equipment as well as PRR.

The reason the NP Budd Slumbercoarches were not painted but left stainless is they were in pool service with the identacle CB&Q cars.   One could find an NP car on the Denver Zephyr headed for Colorado Springs and a CB&Q car running to Seattle.   This pool was set up to minimize idle time in Chicago.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 3:41 PM

passengerfan
CB&Q owned dome sleepers and dome coaches painted for NCL also owned GN domes for Empire Builder service

Even though I knew this, I totally overlooked the Q just because my brain said Q=stainless.

Sort out who named the most and its there question next.

That was a wonderfully fun question.  I think I had most, but I like hunting up the answers more than asking.  Many of us have had gotten to ask a lot of questions, so I was wondering if  AWP290 would like to ask one?  

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 12:47 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH

The NP dome sleepers were painted in IC chocolate and orange when they were assigned to the "City of Miami" during the winter months.

Also when they were used on the Panama Limited in the winter months (at least during the winter of '63-'64 and during the winter of  '64-65', ahen I had the pleasure of riding in them.

Johnny

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 10:17 AM

I'm not sure if this would be an appropriate answer but the C&NW had an ex-PRR Budd sleeper in their business train fleet that was painted in the later C&NW paint scheme.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 9:57 AM

The NP dome sleepers were painted in IC chocolate and orange when they were assigned to the "City of Miami" during the winter months.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 7:56 AM

passengerfan

CoolHeres the list that I came up with.

PRR Southwind and various prewar Budd Dining Cars.

UP Pacific series sleepers Baggage 60'RPOs5903-5911 44-Seat Leg Rest Coaches 5508-5527

SP 44-Seat Leg Rest Coaches 2362,2363

KCS Tavern Lounge Observations ex NYC 48-51- KCS 44-47 later 40-43 after lunchg counter added

IC Ex MP Domes purchased by IC and also certain NP Dome sleepers repainted in wintermonths for IC City of Miami service.

NP Coach and Sleeper domes also Budd built dining cars for NCL

CB&Q owned dome sleepers and dome coaches painted for NCL also owned GN domes for Empire Builder service

SP&S owned NP dome coach and GN dome coach and also painted the NP dome coach into there awful color scheme.

MP Budd equipment assigned to Colorado Eagles and postwar dome coaches assigned to Clorado Eagles and Missouri River Eagle.

N&W sleepers 21 roomette

GN Dome Coaches and Full dome lounges for Empire Builder many of the cars also received Big Sky Blue scheme

BN At least one complete Empire Builder train set received the BN Green scheme.

Sort out who named the most and its there question next.

Al - in - Stockton 

After thinking on it overnight I came up with one more paint scheme the Executive Green was applied to at least one original GN full dome.

Al - in - Stockton

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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 11:04 PM

CoolHeres the list that I came up with.

PRR Southwind and various prewar Budd Dining Cars.

UP Pacific series sleepers Baggage 60'RPOs5903-5911 44-Seat Leg Rest Coaches 5508-5527

SP 44-Seat Leg Rest Coaches 2362,2363

KCS Tavern Lounge Observations ex NYC 48-51- KCS 44-47 later 40-43 after lunchg counter added

IC Ex MP Domes purchased by IC and also certain NP Dome sleepers repainted in wintermonths for IC City of Miami service.

NP Coach and Sleeper domes also Budd built dining cars for NCL

CB&Q owned dome sleepers and dome coaches painted for NCL also owned GN domes for Empire Builder service

SP&S owned NP dome coach and GN dome coach and also painted the NP dome coach into there awful color scheme.

MP Budd equipment assigned to Colorado Eagles and postwar dome coaches assigned to Clorado Eagles and Missouri River Eagle.

N&W sleepers 21 roomette

GN Dome Coaches and Full dome lounges for Empire Builder many of the cars also received Big Sky Blue scheme

BN At least one complete Empire Builder train set received the BN Green scheme.

Sort out who named the most and its there question next.

Al - in - Stockton 

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 9:26 PM

passengerfan
The UP sleepers were the fifty PACIFIC series 10-6s built by Budd.

There were also 20 coaches--5508-5527, delivered in 1961, and 9 RPO's, 5903-5911, delivered in 1963.

Pacific Castle figures in the life of my wife and me. I spent the night in a roomette from Washington to St. Louis in July of 1971; my wife (before we married) spent a night in a roomette from Chicago to Birmingham, in May of 1972 (I rode the northbound up to Decatur and then sat in the roomette with her between there and Birmingham)--and we spent a night in a bedroom from Washington to Birmingham in the spring of 1989. A redcap took us down to the train on his cart in Washington, and we were pleased as we passed Pacific Sands and saw that we would be in Pacific Castle.

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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 8:22 PM

Texas Zepher

passengerfan
ZephyrOverland
How about sleepers in Union Pacific yellow and Norfolk and Western Red?
Thats two more

Al, Can you please tell us which UP cars these were?  UP were such big ACF customers I didn't find any Budd in their fleet.  Of course their fleet was so large, I'm certain they are in my list just so few they were not obvious.

Then continuing I'm going to guess the NYC.  The Budd built 22 roomettes Harbor series delivered for the 20th Century in April-June of 1949, the 10-6 Valley's, and the 6 bedroom buffett lounges (stream series), and the 5 double bedroom buffet/lounge Observations (brook series).   I say guess because I don't have any pictures of them, but I would assume that the "new" 20th Century is not going to break its look by having a stainless car cut in among all the two-tone grey.  Even if not these the NYC had such a huge fleet surely at least one among them got painted.

 

The UP sleepers were the fifty PACIFIC series 10-6s built by Budd. The NYC never painted any of there Budd built cars that I have been able to find.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 7:57 PM

 Then I'm going to have to go with the Canadian National - former GN domes, and the SP&S with their pool cars such as dome 559 for the North Coast limited.  Painted in Lowey two-town green, then SP&S own truly ugly Pullman Green & Yellow .  

http://trainweb.org/DOMEmain/picSPS559g.jpg 

http://trainweb.org/DOMEmain/picSPS306z.jpg

How many were we still needing?  New York Susqhanna & Western had a full dome painted in a nasty red & yellow scheme.   Do more "modern" railroads count like Conrail, Norfolk Southern, BN executive fleet.  They also have painted full domes in various colors. 

Then the SP&S car above moved to Alaska.

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Posted by AWP290 on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 7:18 PM

Thought that might be the case.

 This is an interesting question.

 Bob

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 7:13 PM

passengerfan
ZephyrOverland
How about sleepers in Union Pacific yellow and Norfolk and Western Red?
Thats two more

Al, Can you please tell us which UP cars these were?  UP were such big ACF customers I didn't find any Budd in their fleet.  Of course their fleet was so large, I'm certain they are in my list just so few they were not obvious.

Then continuing I'm going to guess the NYC.  The Budd built 22 roomettes Harbor series delivered for the 20th Century in April-June of 1949, the 10-6 Valley's, and the 6 bedroom buffett lounges (stream series), and the 5 double bedroom buffet/lounge Observations (brook series).   I say guess because I don't have any pictures of them, but I would assume that the "new" 20th Century is not going to break its look by having a stainless car cut in among all the two-tone grey.  Even if not these the NYC had such a huge fleet surely at least one among them got painted.

 

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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 5:44 PM

AWP290

The L&N had some lightweight, stainless steel sheathed coaches that were painted in their shade of blue, but these were repaints, and not Budd cars. 

 Don't know if they'd count or not.

 Bob Hanson, Loganville, GA

Bob

Nice try but the L&N cars do not count as they were not Budd built cars.

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Posted by AWP290 on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 4:31 PM

The L&N had some lightweight, stainless steel sheathed coaches that were painted in their shade of blue, but these were repaints, and not Budd cars. 

 Don't know if they'd count or not.

 Bob Hanson, Loganville, GA

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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 4:20 PM

ZephyrOverland
How about sleepers in Union Pacific yellow and Norfolk and Western Red?

Thats two more brings us to nine but I can't count either because my list says twelve so we have three more to go that I know of.

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Posted by ZephyrOverland on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 2:40 PM
How about sleepers in Union Pacific yellow and Norfolk and Western Red?
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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 10:32 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH

The first "South Wind" was Budd-built (owned by PRR) and was painted Tuscan Red. 

KCS had some second-hand Budd-built observation cars that were painted black with red and yellow trim.

I missed  his earlier mention of the ICso that is five plus the two from you but PRR actually had some earlier Budd built dining cars that wee painted in the Tuscan before the Southwnd there first Budd built train set to be painted in PRR colors, So that means with your KCS as well we ae up to seven that leaves four more.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 10:01 AM

The first "South Wind" was Budd-built (owned by PRR) and was painted Tuscan Red. 

KCS had some second-hand Budd-built observation cars that were painted black with red and yellow trim.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by passengerfan on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 12:18 AM

Texas Zepher

passengerfan
how many RRs had fully painted Budd Stainless Steel cars.

Well I'll start with the Northern Pacific.  The dome coaches and dome sleepers added to the NCL in 1954 were all painted appropriately (which also means these cars were painted IC, and carried BN green).  This is interesting since the NP did not paint the slumbercoaches (24-8 duplex sleepers) but left them stainless..?

The SP had 44 seat coaches #2362 & 2363, but they were painted in armor yellow "city of".

The MP had several (most) cars in the Colorado Eagle set (including the 10-6 Eagle series) that were painted Eagle colors.   

The GN added Budd built cars were added to the mid century builder in 1955. These were the domes.  They were painted in Empire Builder, Big Sky, and later BN green.  The full domes got several experimental BN paint jobs.  Later the GN purchased some Frisco diners that got painted big sky.

 Ummmmm,  .... can't think of any others.  Most were stainless with some sort of sash.
 

Texas Zephyr has listed 4 my count is eleven so will let it stand for a few others to join in.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 12:06 AM

passengerfan
how many RRs had fully painted Budd Stainless Steel cars.

Well I'll start with the Northern Pacific.  The dome coaches and dome sleepers added to the NCL in 1954 were all painted appropriately (which also means these cars were painted IC, and carried BN green).  This is interesting since the NP did not paint the slumbercoaches (24-8 duplex sleepers) but left them stainless..?

The SP had 44 seat coaches #2362 & 2363, but they were painted in armor yellow "city of".

The MP had several (most) cars in the Colorado Eagle set (including the 10-6 Eagle series) that were painted Eagle colors.   

The GN added Budd built cars to the mid century builder in 1955. These were the domes.  They were painted in Empire Builder, Big Sky, and later BN green.  The full domes got several experimental BN paint jobs.  Later the GN purchased some Frisco diners that got painted big sky.

 Ummmmm,  .... can't think of any others.  Most were stainless with some sort of sash.
 

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Posted by passengerfan on Monday, October 19, 2009 11:37 AM
wanswheel

Al, yes your turn. William Hood also designed the Tehachapi Loop.

Mike I did not know that he also designed the Tehachapi Loop. Thanks.

My question is during the streamlined car building frenzy of the thirties to late fifties how many RRs had fully painted Budd Stainless Steel cars. I dont mean just the letterboards or the window panels but the entire car was painted to match there non-Budd stainless steel cars. Name the RRs will be enough but if you know the car types thats even better?

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Posted by Deggesty on Monday, October 19, 2009 11:20 AM

passengerfan
The Lucin cutoff was designed and built SP Chief Engineer William Hood. Construction began on the shortcut across the Great Salt Lake in February 1902 and opened for service on March 8, 1904 becoming one of the Railroad Wonders of the World.

And, at last, Promontory Point (on the lake) had a railroad running through it! It is truly sad to see someone write that the CP and UP met at Promontory Point; even some around here have written this nonsense, not knowing their local geography.

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Posted by wanswheel on Monday, October 19, 2009 8:52 AM

Al, yes your turn. William Hood also designed the Tehachapi Loop.

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Posted by passengerfan on Monday, October 19, 2009 6:41 AM
wanswheel
Mike

The Lucin cutoff was designed and built SP Chief Engineer William Hood. Construction began on the shortcut across the Great Salt Lake in February 1902 and opened for service on March 8, 1904 becoming one of the Railroad Wonders of the World.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Sunday, October 18, 2009 1:02 PM

wanswheel
Feb. 1, 1960, except in the summer 1960-66.

Hmmm, I had February 14, 1960.   That is very close, so it could just be an slight error in one of our sources - mine was an article in a 1960 (June issue?) Trains magazine article.   Definitely not enough to pick nits about, at least not for our purposes here.  February 1960 it is.

 We've already gotten the history of the beautiful observations cars - converted to coaches.  Ouch!

Wanswheel  take the next question.


 

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, October 17, 2009 9:16 PM

al-in-chgo

Nice photos!  I had no idea that an obs. car dating back to the 1920s could have no rear deck(if that's the right word), only a diaphragm.  

 

Oh, ys, Al; cars were being built or rebuilt with "sunrooms" in the place of open platforms in the twenties. Some cars were built with an extremely shallow balcony that had no room for a chair of any sort. I think that it would have taken a very dedicated "cinder-snapper" to make use of such. I'm in my living room, watching Auburn take care of Kentucky right now (I hope), so I do not have my reference books handy, or I would get data from Pullman Panorama and send it on tonight.

Johnny

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Posted by al-in-chgo on Saturday, October 17, 2009 8:18 PM

Nice photos!  I had no idea that an obs. car dating back to the 1920s could have no rear deck(if that's the right word), only a diaphragm.  

 

al-in-chgo

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