Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX Office Car Special

On February 22, 2026 CSX ran an office car special from Jacksonville to Waycross and return.

Photo #1 - Lead Engine - CSX #1 - EMD F40PH (Built in 1978 as Amtrak #280) 2nd Engine - CSX #3 - EMD F40PH (Built in 1980 as Amtrak #390) 3rd Engine - CSX #2 - EMD F40PH (Built in 1985 as Amtrak #395)

Photo #2 - "Champion M. Davis"  - Stateroom/Power Car - Built in 1946 as Great Northen #1152

Photo #3 - "John W. Barriger III" - Bedroom Car - Built in 1917 by Pullman for service on the Southern Pacific



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/26 10:19 by RFandPFan.

---

---

---

Photo #4 - "James M. Foote" - Dome Car - Built in 1946 as Baltimore & Ohio "Moonlight Dome"

Photo #5 - "President's Car" -  Dome Car - Built in 1949 by the Budd Company for the Wabash Railroad's "Blue Bird" service 

Photo #6 - "E. Hunter Harrison" - Cafe/Lounge Car - Built in 1948 as Southern Railway #842



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/26 10:18 by RFandPFan.

---

---

---

Photo #7 - "John W. Smith" Lounge Car - Built in 1948 as Chesapeake & Ohio #1972

Photo #8 - "John T. Collinson" Sleeper/Observation Car - Built by Pullman in 1925 as the "Queen Elizabeth" Bought in 1935 by the New York Central and named "Hudson River".  Observation deck was elongated to accomodate President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's wheelchair.

Photo #9 -  "W. Thomas Rice"  Theater Observation Car - Built by Pullman in 1954 as Canadian National Dinette #428

---

---

---

Full video of train enroute to Waycross and returning to Jacksonville.

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Anyone know the reason for such a short-distance OCS?

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone know the reason for such a short-distance
> OCS?

I was told they served lunch on the train for a group of short line executives. The train didn't stop in Waycross, it turned by backing on the Jesup Sub and returned south. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/26 10:32 by RFandPFan.

There's something not right about a Southern 840-series coach winding up as a CSX office car, especially with Hunter Harrison's name on it.

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There's something not right about a Southern
> 840-series coach winding up as a CSX office car,
> especially with Hunter Harrison's name on it.

Even worse, the "President's Car" was originally named for Hinrichs and the new management was so petty, they removed his name!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/26 13:41 by RFandPFan.

The "James M Foote" dome car, previously "Moonlight Dome" belonged to Cincinnati Railway Company for a stint - from around 2012 or so up to 2020, it was part of their PV Lease Fleet, usually operating with a former SP 10/6 sleeper, the "Birch Grove".   Cincinnati Railway really had no intention on selling Moonlight Dome, but CSXT wanted it bad for their business train and made them an offer that could not be refused.  Since therer wasn't much of a market for an original unmodified 10/6 sleeper running solo in PV service, Cincinnati made CSXT buy that as well.  CSXT used it to replace the aging dorm car on geometry train W001 - they didn't waste any time or money painting it - just stuck it into geometry train service as is.  That's why W001 ran the CSXT system from 2020 to June of 2025 with a Southern Pacific painted and lettered sleeper.  Today, W001 has a CSXT painted sleeper named "Detroit"   "Birch Grove"  (CSXT 994527) still shows registered in UMLER as an active car, but no tracing on it since June - last trace shows Baltimore but that could be wrong.  No idea where it is today. 

Why do they need three engines?

FatSquirrel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why do they need three engines?

Because they were once owned by amtrak. (sarcasm ? ).
More likely because even tho the train could be handled by two units the railroad
does not want a trainload of customers to be affected by a unit going belly up.

As the saying goes "two become one and one becomes none".
 

RFandPFan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ts1457 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Anyone know the reason for such a
> short-distance
> > OCS?
>
> I was told they served lunch on the train for a
> group of short line executives. The train didn't
> stop in Waycross, it turned by backing on the
> Jesup Sub and returned south. 
CSX hosted a Shortline Conference in Jacksonville Feb 22-24. Attendees were offered participation on the train ride from Jax to Waycross and return

30in2029 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CSX hosted a Shortline Conference in Jacksonville
> Feb 22-24. Attendees were offered participation on
> the train ride from Jax to Waycross and return

Appreciate that info. 

I wonder if CSX gave of any "make us a proposal" vibes.

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 30in2029 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > CSX hosted a Shortline Conference in
> Jacksonville
> > Feb 22-24. Attendees were offered participation
> on
> > the train ride from Jax to Waycross and return
>
> Appreciate that info. 
>
> I wonder if CSX gave of any "make us a proposal"
> vibes.

No - not to my knowledge

CSXT 994525  was the Tennesee now the Hunter Harrison