Hi all,
I posted this over on the Steam and Preservation board but I wanted to post it here as well as this board has more traffic. I'm trying to compile a list of all the preserved "Jim Crow" segregated passenger cars left in museums. I now that the following have Jim Crow cars preserved but I'm sure there are more out there. Many places have cars that would likely have been Jim Crow cars due to age and location but they aren't specifically noted as such. When I get a reasonably complete list I'll post it for everyone.
The Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia
Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, Kentucky
Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois
Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo, California
Any more?
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Paul_D_North_JrWasn't there one that toured with The General, and was preserved with it ? I'm not too sure about that, and it may be the one in Georgia, but I just thought I'd mention it to make sure that you check that out. Good luck with it. - Paul North.
You are Corrrect! The 'Jim Crow' combine with the L&N 'General' was used to house the Tours exhibits in its center baggage section and when the Tour was carring passengers either end passenger compartment was utilized for guests of the RR.
The touring general was somewhat different,in that the General pulled only the Jim Crow combine car and it moved under its own power from city to city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisville_and_Nashville_Combine_Car_Number_665
From the Link:"...The Louisville and Nashville Combine Car Number 665, also known as the "Jim Crow Car", is a historic railcar on the National Register of Historic Places, currently at the Kentucky Railway Museum at New Haven, Kentucky, in southernmost Nelson County, Kentucky..."
Google> Jim Crow RR Cars< It is a facinating bit of American history and probably not something a lot of folks understand or know the why's and how's of in todays society as it not really touched on by teachers in politically correct schools today.
Jim Crow cars and the political arrangement that caused their existence are not being covered in schools because teaching about it would ruffle too many feathers, especially south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Another is at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, FL. They have the Seaboard Airline Combine #259. The passenger compartment is divided into two sections that had slots for reversible placards that said "White" on one side and "Coloreds" on the other. This was truly "separate but equal" because the car was not turned at each end of the run, the placards were reversed. Read more here:
http://gcrm.org/jimcrow.aspx#pagetop
I have personal experience with the car, it was sent to Steamtown NHS in Scranton for repairs after hurricaine damage. I was working with Interpretation Section one time while I was injured and was running a Shop Tour. When we came to that part of the tour, I casually mentioned the "Jim Crow" arrangements of the car. I thought the lady Ranger accompanying the tour was going to have a heart attack when I said that. After the tour, I pointed out that not every part of our history is something to be proud of, but it is part of our history. The purpose of a National Historic Site is to display and interpret the history of the United States. To deny any part of it, regardless of the "embarassment" factor, is to shortchange the visitor.
CSSHEGEWISCHJim Crow cars and the political arrangement that caused their existence are not being covered in schools because teaching about it would ruffle too many feathers, especially south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
PC or not; history should be taught as it happened, not as we wish to see it in the rear view mirror for our current purposes.
Norm
Norm48327 CSSHEGEWISCH Jim Crow cars and the political arrangement that caused their existence are not being covered in schools because teaching about it would ruffle too many feathers, especially south of the Mason-Dixon Line. PC or not; history should be taught as it happened, not as we wish to see it in the rear view mirror for our current purposes.
CSSHEGEWISCH Jim Crow cars and the political arrangement that caused their existence are not being covered in schools because teaching about it would ruffle too many feathers, especially south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Also, you need to consider there's a movement in the South to bring back segregation. And it's not just some fringe element, Rand Paul, running for the Senate, has this as one of his points. It might be better for him and the like if this ISN'T taught in schools.
Jock Ellis Cumming, GA US of A Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers
One I haven't seen mentioned yet in this thread is St. Louis - San Francisco Railway "Frisco" Divided Chair Car #759 which is at the Museum of the American Railroad in Dallas. Built by AC&F in 1912, according to the plaque inside, which does talk about the car as being a "Jim Crow" car.
Regards
Ed
I responded to your thread over in the steam section.
John
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