Passenger Trains > A Dome and Observation Car + much much more

I decided that I just HAD to head out to Naperville to see the NP 313 and Babbling Brook observation car on Number 6. Nothing like a nice observation car on what would have been an ordinary train. The racetrack lived up to it's name as I saw 8 trains in 60 minutes. First, Number 4 arrived with the DOTX 221 behind the power. It met an outbound express Metra and one waiting around the corner. Then a Westbound BNSF mixed freight H-BRCGAL showed up with 3 former Amtrak cars on the rear. Then a Westbound stacks/piggyback/TOFC train showed up. Soon after the intermodal cleared 6 showed up with John Webb III's newly refurbished NP Dome Sleeper and his Babbling Brook observation Car with the markers. An outbound Metra came after 6 left. Not much later number 5 showed up with a decent amount of people boarding. Finally an inbound Metra came and left. The freight photos will be posted on the western board. Thanks for looking!

Seth- 

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NP always looked so sharp, very appealing.  Sounds so busy.

Bob

DOTX 221 

Amtrak 1105 

Amtrak cars on H-BRCGAL 

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When I rotated out of Vietnam in 1967 I landed at McCord AFB and treated myself to one of the Single Bedrooms under the dome on the NCL from Seattle to Billings.  Without doubt the most comfortable Pullman accommodation ever ('course, clean sheets, running water and a flush toilet didn't hurt).

Gordon

NP 313 back on "home" rails, for 38 miles at least.  Looks fabulous!  BSB 

Great coverage Seth! We were on the "other side of the tracks" in Hinsdale. Thank you for posting these.

Gary 

BigSkyBlue Wrote:
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> NP 313 back on "home" rails, for 38 miles at
> least.  Looks fabulous!  BSB 

Thank you very much!
 

Contax645 Wrote:
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> Great coverage Seth! We were on the "other side of
> the tracks" in Hinsdale. Thank you for posting
> these.
>
> Gary 

Thank you very much! I think they crossed over to the wrong main near there. 

BigSkyBlue Wrote:
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> NP 313 back on "home" rails, for 38 miles at
> least.  Looks fabulous!  BSB 

As always, John Webb's equipment is first rate.  He's also fighting the good fight with AAPRCO/Amtrak.  One of our partners is on the AAPRCO board doing the same but is finished in September; it's not easy being a PV owner these days, esp. if you're not wealthy.

The 3 ex Amtrak cars are headed to California for the ATSF 3751 group

Spoony81 Wrote:
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> The 3 ex Amtrak cars are headed to California for
> the ATSF 3751 group

Inherited by Amtrak in 1971 from one of the private passenger railroads. Not sure if the lineage...... Then they became Amtrak 10-6 sleepers that were then converted to crew cars (Dorm/Lounge) for the single level LD eastern trains in the late 1990s. The bedrooms were ripped out, roomettes left for crew. Bedroom space was to become a "sleeper lounge" but Warrington ran out of money to finish the job and outfit them........ 

My reference books are in storage, but I was able to trace them from the SBRHS website.  The baggage car is ex-Amtrak 1161, exx ATSF 3656, Budd 1953.  The Sleepers are ex-Amtrak 2523, exx Amtrak 2725, exx ATSF 1639 Pine Lodge.  The other is ex-Amtrak 2506, exx-Amtrak 2728, exx ATSF 1636 Pine Peak.  Both were built by Budd in 1950 as part of the Pine series 10 & 6 sleepers.  They will be used as support cars and crew dorms. 

only one have the roomettes removed?