Nostalgia & History > Rear of the Sunset Limited at Houston -- March 79

The westbound Sunset at the stop in Houston.
The first car was the NY-LA transcontinental sleeper - ex-Southern Pacolet River (10-6 P-S 1949).
This was a month or two after Amtrak took over the Southern Crescent route. The transcon sleepers ran for a while - not sure when they stopped.
A couple private cars were just added to the train. The last car was the Big John (ex-PRR blunt end car).
Gary 

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gcm Wrote:
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> A couple private cars were just added to the
> train. The last car was the Big John (ex-PRR blunt
> end car).

Just in front of the "Big John" is the former SAL Tallahassee, an 11 bedroom car built by PS in 1956.  These 2 cars were owned by the notorious "Big John" Brigham of "Big John's Stage Coach Lines" out of Plano, TX. 

Always appreciate your posts of 1970's Amtrak railroading. 

?superliners put an end to that?

Topfuel Wrote:
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>
> Just in front of the "Big John" is the former SAL
> Tallahassee, an 11 bedroom car built by PS in
> 1956.  

Thanks for the info on that car.
I looked as close as I could to read the name but could not.
The late "Big John" Brigham was quite a character.
Gary 

dan Wrote:
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> ?superliners put an end to that?

It seems like the transcom sleeper ended before the Sunset was converted to Superliners (Jan-Feb 1981).

"Big John" was indeed a character.  But he was an early PV operator.

where are those cars?

dan Wrote:
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> where are those cars?

The PRR obs car is safe and sound, though rarely operated, in Dallas, TX.  The SAL car went thru several private owners, was used by AOE as a crew car, and is currently owned by Iowa Pacific.  While the car is actually fairly original inside, the exterior was smooth-sided by AOE.  The car was named Baton Rouge by IP and is painted IC colors. 

I rode the transcon sleeper in September, 1985 from Houston to Washington.  Sunset was equipped with Superliner. Transcon sleeper was the last car on train behind a former Santa Fe Transition Car.  If memory serves correctly, the transition car was a chair/dormitory car. 

When we we arrived at New Orleans, through passengers were advised that we could leave car or stay on it.  They advised the car would be pulled to coach yard and switched onto the Crescent. Switch/Servicing was to take a couple of hours. We were also told the car would be locked after 10 and knock on door to get back in. As we arrived around 8, I elected to go down town.  I arrived back around 11 and found the Crescent parked at station. I found the trap open and knocked on door and the  attendant let me in.  

 

I rode the Sunset EB around 1984. The Heritage (10/6)  transcontinental sleeper was first behind the baggage car followed by the transition/dorm and then Superliners. The sleeper sat overnight in New Orleans for the morning departure of the Crescent. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/17 17:06 by carsoncity.

I remeber Big John using an original radio telephone back then on his car. 
This was before cell phones.  I got to ride in that car to Ft. Worth on the back of #21.
That was the same year we had the NARP regional meeting in Marshall, TX!

I forgot to mention that the former Tallahassee was named the "Bluebonnet" by Big John.

carsoncity Wrote:
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> I rode the Sunset EB around 1984. The Heritage
> (10/6)  transcontinental sleeper was first behind
> the baggage car followed by the transition/dorm
> and then Superliners. The sleeper sat overnight in
> New Orleans for the morning departure of the
> Crescent. 

Ditto here, I rode it Los Angeles to Washington, DC in October, 1984.

why did they terminate the sleeper, to hard to do, with all that nasty switching?  sunset tardiness? low volume?

Is the Pacolet River still at the Tennessee Central museum?

dan Wrote:
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> why did they terminate the sleeper, to hard to do,
> with all that nasty switching?  sunset tardiness?
> low volume?

If nothing else, they would need a surplus of low-level sleepers as the Transcon sleeper would have to be low-level to run on the Crescent.  They could probably run the transition/crew Superliner on the back of the Sunset to accomodate the low-level Transcon sleeper if it were to return.

too bad all the santa fe transition cars are off the roster, be cool to still maintain access to the bagg, with one  and another on the rear unless they put it up front