Passenger Trains > Judge Hofheinz collection

Just what did happen to the collection of cars collected by Judge Hofheinz in Houston. I know that the cars were aquired from almost everywhere. Is there any kind of listing of what all was owned etc.

Thanks

J.

excellent question !! I\'d like to know the answer to this myself.I\'ve heard that he acquired just over 100 cars in all.
SP 3201

j.ferris wrote:

> Just what did happen to the collection of cars collected by
> Judge Hofheinz in Houston. I know that the cars were aquired
> from almost everywhere. Is there any kind of listing of what
> all was owned etc.



Date: 04-17-03 00:23
Re: More on SP\'s blunt-end 10&6s
Author: Topper

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coachyard wrote:

> Am most
> interested in whatever you hear about the Hofheinz collection.


I don\'t recall ever seeing an actual list, although he was said to have purchased 102 passenger cars and 32 cabooses for his stillborn hotel complex at Astroworld in Houston. Many of the passenger cars were no-longer-needed SP equipment, such as the two triple-units.

Around \'72 or \'73, most of the equipment was disposed of. A few cars went to Amtrak and Ringling Brothers, and a few (such as the two triple-units) went to private individuals, but the vast majority was scrapped by Hoover Aircraft in Eagle Lake, Texas, and Omega Manufactura, S.A., in Mexico.

The two triple-units (10262 - 10263 - 10264 and 10277 - 10278 -10279) were reported to be at a place called Whistle Stop Ranch in Flint, Texas, around 1980. Other ex-SP cars there were chairs 2352 and 2375, diner-lounge 10408, and 10&6 sleeper 9008. These four cars had apparently been acquired from Amtrak, and I don\'t believe they were ever part of the Hofheinz group.

The person who was a wealth of information about stuff like this was the late Dick Stephenson.

I\'ll ask around and see what I can scrounge up.

When I worked for the SP around Houston about 1970, I remember a lot of his equipment stored near the SP station. The piece of equipment that sticks in my mind is a beautiful old Central of Georgia business car with large windows in the observation room. And I seem to remember some SOU business cars as well. At least one of the triple units was there. I also would be interested in what was eventually saved...I seem to remember that weather and vandals were taking their toll.

Agree about the collection looking ratty, saw some pictures posted on a web site some place and it did look bad. The Daylight colors were pretty faded, many broken windows, looked more like a scrap yard.

I have seen references in the past to various passenger cars going to this "collection". But as a Californian I haven\'t the faintest idea of whether this person was a genuine court official or whether he was some guy nicknamed "Judge". Who was he?

<< ...as a Californian I haven\'t the faintest idea of whether this person was a genuine court official or whether he was some guy nicknamed "Judge". Who was he? >>

In Texas, county government is headed by a "commissioners\' court," its members elected by the county\'s citizens. The head of this "court" is called a judge. At one time, Roy Hofheinz was a judge for Harris County\'s commissioners\' court, of which Houston is the county seat. He was a key figure in getting big things done like the Astrodome being built.

That CofG office car sat for some years in a petrochemical firm\'s yard. Then it was bought by an individual and parked near the NRHS Gulf Coast Chapter\'s museum location. I understand that the buyer, a retired conductor I recall, stripped the galley and what all from it, pretty much ruining it as an intact historical piece.

Bill in Texas

Westbound wrote:

> Who was he?


http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/HH/fho87.html

and

http://www.coe.uh.edu/untold_stories/biographies/hofheinz_bio.html

TexasBill wrote:

> He was a key figure in getting big
> things done like the Astrodome being built.
>
>

I think Hofheinz intially had exclusive rights for the use of the Astrodome when it was built. (Obviously with public funds, or bonds guaranteed by the public).

One of the many examples of welfare for the rich, conservative Texas-style.