Nostalgia & History > Al Chione Dupe Slides: GN Passenger Cars, Part 2

The next 4 slides:

Photo #5: Empire Builder 48 seat leg rest chair #1224.  Built in 1950 by P-S in Lot #6886 to Plan #7629 as a 48 seat leg rest chair, 1 of 6 such cars (#1221-#1226) built in that Lot for the Mid-Century Empire Builder, which was ordered in August 1948; cars were delivered in November 1950.  These 6 cars were built with the vestibule located at the rear, while 48 seat chairs #1215-#1220, #1227-#1231, and SP&S #350 (2nd) were built with the vestibule located at the front (in Lot #W6880 to Plan #7628, also ordered in August 1948 for the Builder and delivered in October 1950).  #1226 and #1231 were protection cars, assigned to both the Empire Builder and the Western Star.  In 1953, #1219, #1220, and #1224 were transferred to CB&Q as part of mileage equalization; in 1955 #1224 was transferred back to GN with the delivery of the Great Domes, and SP&S #350 (2nd) was transferred to GN as #1232. These 18 chairs were intended to be renumbered as BN #4816-#4833, but only 4 cars were renumbered as such: #1216 to #4817, #1219 to #4820, #1225 to #4826, and #1229 to #4830. In 1973, 14 of these cars were sold to NJDOT, reconfigured to 108 seat commuter coaches, and assigned to the CNJ; the #1224 as #113, seen here before being renumbered and repainted. These cars were later renumbered to the NJT #53xx-series, the #113 as #5318 (1st). The #5318 was one of several ex-GN and ex-UP cars retired by NJT and sold to the United RR Historical Society; the URHS resold the #1215 and the #1224 to the Minnesota Transportation Museum in 2004.  The #1224, like the #1218 from part #1, is seen here at CNJ's shops in Elizabethport, NJ, after purchase.

Photo #6: Empire Builder 6RM-5DB-2C sleeper #1374 Park Creek Pass.  Built in 1950 by P-S in Lot #6877 to Plan #4180 as a 6 roomette-5 double bedroom-2 compartment (6RM-5DB-2C) sleeper, 1 of 16 such cars (#1370-#1384 and SP&S #701) built in that Lot for the Mid-Century Empire Builder, which was ordered in October 1949; cars were delivered between October and November 1950. In 1953, #1371, #1378, and #1382 were transferred to CB&Q as part of mileage equalization. BN later modified 11 of these cars to MofW bunk cars, the #1374 as #968170.  I don't have any further disposition info for this car.  Seen here in the Burlington Route's 14th Street coach yard in Chicago.

Posting from Estes Park, CO

Next 2:

Photo #7: Empire Builder 46 seat leg rest chair-24 seat dome #1323.  Built in 1955 by Budd in Lot #9646-155 as GN dome 46 seat chair #1323, 1 of 16 such cars built in that Lot for the 1955 Empire Builder; the Lot was ordered in February 1954 and cars were delivered between June and July 1955. GN owned 12 (#1320-#1331), SP&S owned 1 (#1332), and CB&Q owned 3 (#1333-#1335). These 12 cars were intended to be renumbered as BN #4600-#4615, but these numbers were not applied, sold in 1971 to Amtrak as #9460-#9475. The #9463 was sold in 1993 to Dirk Lenthe, and was resold in 1998 to Doug Ebert-Charles Barenfanger-Dick Johnson.  In 2000, this car was rebuilt to dome sleeper lounge Puget Sound (#800732).  Location of this photo is unknown.

Photo #8: 56 seat chair #1072.  Built in 1947 by P-S in Lot #6768 to Plan #7537 as SLSF 56 seat chair #1253 Clayton, 1 of 12 such cars (SLSF #1250-#1258 and MKT #1200-#1202 [1st]) built in that Lot, which was ordered in August 1945; cars were delivered between November and December 1947. MKT #1200-#1202 (1st) and SLSF #1250-#1252 were built as divided chairs for The Texas Special; SLSF #1253-#1258 were built as chairs for The Meteor. In 1966, GN acquired 3 of the SLSF chairs (#1253, #1256, and #1257) as #1072-#1074. In 1967, #1073 and #1074 were reconfigured to 16 seat buffet lounge-40 seat chairs; that same year, SP&S acquired MKT #1200-#1201 as #307-#308. BN later assigned the #1072 to the Bridal Veil Shops wreck train before selling the car to private ownership in 1979.  I don't have any further disposition info for this car.  Seen here near the GN station in Minneapolis.  As commented on RR Picture Archives by Rick Morgan, this could be the Winnipeg Limited.

Posting from Estes Park, CO

Many, many thanks!

It's amazing how many coaches were passed up by Amtrak that went out East to be converted to commuter service.