Passenger Trains > Progress on the MRL/Washington Companies' Fleet

Work continues at the Seaspan drydock in North Vancouver, where the passenger cars sit on a railbarge during renovations. The first photo shows the articulated pair "Idaho" and "Montana." Photo two shows the logo on the "Montana," and some graffiti by local pigeons. Under wraps in photo 3 is observation car "Silver Cloud," with a dome visible behind. This will be quite a fine looking consist when it's all done. I imagine it will spend most of its time on the MRL, but maybe we'll get to see it locally on the SRY as well.

Loleta Fernbridge



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/13 21:13 by loleta.

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Artic car is old SP Daylight pair!! Lookin' good!

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Interesting that the articulated has a different name for each half of the car.

Buy one, get one free?

Nice catch - glad to see the car(s) still survive!

/Mitch

AND with their original-style triple bolster trucks. That's maybe the coolest thing of all... although the car's rebirth is quite stunning overall.

Roster info I have suggests the following pedigree:

Built by Pullman Standard in 1937 for the Texas & New Orleans Railroad (T&NO) and numbered TNO 502-503. Subsequently transferred to Southern Pacific as SP 2498-2499, thence to Algoma Central (452/453), and DLMX 2498A&B.

I believe the car has worn coats of many colors, starting life in "Daylight" red, orange, and black; repainted into Two-Tone Gray in the mid-1950s, slab-sided with stainless steel in 1962 and given the SP Scarlet stripe and Dark Gray underbody; service on Algoma Central saw dark red stripes and a dark roof; DLMX ownership saw a return to "Daylight" colors by accounts I've seen.

Hard to imagine this snappy, 'modern' car as a 76-year-old survivor!

~ Bob Z.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/13 23:52 by Notch16.

defect_detector Wrote:
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> Interesting that the articulated has a different
> name for each half of the car.

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As SP cars, each of the two articulated "halves" had a different number.

I'm not tuned into what the story is with these cars, is this an executive fleet for MRL? What's the whole plan for cars and locos?

It takes a good eye to spot that dome!

Amtrak562 Wrote:
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> I'm not tuned into what the story is with these
> cars, is this an executive fleet for MRL? What's
> the whole plan for cars and locos?


Yep, this is most of MRL's exec. passenger fleet, primarily used for company trips, and employee appreciation specials along the MRL route.

Mr. MRL

The Pullman Library has supplied drawings of these (and similar cars) to others restoring them. I think there are 99.9% of the drawings available (make a new car!!) and the original specifications. Amazing what survives.

So why on a barge, some sort of "offshore" accounting going on? ;)

sp5312 Wrote:
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> So why on a barge, some sort of "offshore"
> accounting going on? ;)


Seaspan and Montana Rail Link (and Southern Ry. of British Columbia, the "SRY"
referred to in the original post) are all part of The Washington Companies.

It's all in-house.

sp5312 Wrote:
<<So why on a barge, some sort of "offshore" accounting going on?<<

The Washingtons wanted the same folks who refurbished their yacht Attessa IV
http://www.charterworld.com/news/attessa-iv-yacht-launch-seattle-usa-largest
to do the work on their passenger fleet. There is no rail spur into that facility,
thus the barges.

Power will just be MRL power available.
Dave in Missoula



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/13 07:19 by monaddave.

MrMRL Wrote:
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> Amtrak562 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm not tuned into what the story is with these
> > cars, is this an executive fleet for MRL?
> What's
> > the whole plan for cars and locos?
>
>
> Yep, this is most of MRL's exec. passenger fleet,
> primarily used for company trips, and employee
> appreciation specials along the MRL route.
>
> Mr. MRL

Don't look for these on any future employee appreciation specials. They will be strictly executive and owner equipment. Seating is plush couches and there is a piano in one of the domes, I believe.

In Missoula a roof is being extended to cover the set of equipment while idle.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

monaddave Wrote:
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> sp5312 Wrote:
> <<So why on a barge, some sort of "offshore"
> accounting going on?<<
>
> The Washingtons wanted the same folks who
> refurbished their yacht Attessa IV
> http://www.charterworld.com/news/attessa-iv-yacht-
> launch-seattle-usa-largest
> to do the work on their passenger fleet. There is
> no rail spur into that facility,
> thus the barges.

=====================================================

Dennis Washington's Attessa IV was rebuilt by the Washington Yachting Group in North Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Yup. All in-house. The ultimate DIY!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/13 08:51 by GenePoon.

Silver Cloud, if I am not mistaken, is somewhat of a historic car. It was built for the More Power to America train in the early 50's.It was Rock Island coach 352 and later rebuilt to their business car Lake Michigan. During the last years on the Rock Island it was re named the "The Rock". Fortunately the MRL has seen fit to restore it.

Could MRL offer any passenger related trips/excursions over their route? They've got the scenery, if only they could get to some good endpoints (e.g. northwest Montana - Glacier National Park etc.)?

The Montana Rockies passengers were arranged access to Yellowstone and Glacier national parks via bus side trips.

Would a charter be possible? You would have to ask MRL about that one. Insurance requirements would be substantial and rates would be expensive and the train has limited seating.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/13 08:40 by fbe.

How long are these SP Artic cars?

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival