Here's an article on it:

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 5154&rfi=6

Looks like any chance to get the wooden MEC car out is toast. Same for the other wooden passenger stock left. Is the Vulcan side rodder going too? And the Budd diner?

Good news is the ancient CNJ depot will be restored.

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Mike Rushton reports on the Anthracite History Yahoo List:

http://nepa.railfan.net/rail/sr060306.htm


The cars at Market Street Square are being removed. Local media says the
cars are going to Denaples Auto Shredders in Hanover Twp. The station
has been sold to the county - the are stripping it of the Night Club
equipment and restore for a use not yet determined. Maybe a visitor
center, maybe a train station if the ever get the Scranton/NYC train
service going.

The building was beautiful when it first opened in the 80s and had
stained glass skylights and featured an eatery that let you eat in a
dining car that was attached to the train station.

Hi,

As of Sunday, the observation car in Wilkes-Barre was still intact. A RI website shows that this was "Rockmarge" and was in the Rock's stable along with the car that became Lucious Beebe's "Virginia City."

According to the same site, "Rockmarge" became the FEC's "Randliegh" and then was purchased by Rod of Rod's steakhouse in Madison, NJ which still features rr cars today.

This makes sense as the Wilkes-Barre car carries stencils from the 1970's from the Morristown and Erie.

I hate to think the City of Wilkes-Barre would cut her up!

Rob Davis

Also still intact as of Sunday is the coach I believe is ex DandH nee Erie. It looks just like the Erie heavywieghts that were modenized with an angled balloon roof over the clerestory.

The Vulcan is still there, too, as is the Budd diner.

Did not see the car that had MEC markings.

I could not ID the three cars built into the building.

Rob

OK, I said the car I believe to be Erie was intact. Maybe, maybe not. Is the end in the building or cut off? I don't remember from the nightclub days. Too much Gibbons.

What are the other cars "inside?"





[/img]

So I gather Rockmarge once purchased to become one of the cars at Rod;s 1890's Restuarant in Madison, NJ. Does anyone know the story of the cars still there and any others purchased? Did they all come off the FEC? The car(s) there are lettered FEC.


http://rodssteak-seafoodgrill.com/photos.html

Did the purchase of these cars have anything to do with Daniel Cowan Jackling's (ex President of the Nevada Northern) "Cyprus I" ending up as a restaurant in nearby West Orange?

Rob Davis

Ya know Rob, that FEC car doesn't seem to be sagging too badly in your photos - for a composite framed car, a truly good sign despite its outer roughness. It will be a shame if it is scrapped if it is as structurally good as it appears.

dave

Why does every car that gets incorporated into a restaurant complex have to be attacked by a lunatic with a sawsall?

Don C.

I agree, Dave.

I also have found out there are sypathetic folks on the city board, but it just may be too late in the game for her and the others.

But, I am trying. The question is, if she's spared will anyone want her in WB or will a new home be found.

If nothing else, Rockmarge, the Erie car and the Budd diner all have trucks and parts common to preserved brethern.


Stay tuned.

Rob

Usually, it is as a result of an attempt of local code enforcement to apply structural building standards to railroad cars, which of course were never built to those specifications.

dave

Hey Robert
Any up dates on the equipment, Are they to be saved or are we in the 11th hour? Any ideas how much time they have left? What's the current out look for them that we know of right now?

As for preservation, if the cars can not be saved as whole items, your right there are many parts that could contribute to other preservation projects, is this an open possibility at this time if the events turn in that direction?

Look forward to your update! Looking to visit the area in the next couple of months.

The fact that these cars are now owned by the city is a double edged sword. On one hand you know who the owning party is. However, they may be more receptive to preservation or more focused on clearing all 'obstacles' that they see in their way.

11th hour? Probably more like 23:57. I think that Rob Davis first brought the plight of these cars to this midwesterner's attention (who has never visited the site or Jim Thorpe) about 10 years ago through his execellent site Ahead of the Torch. Certainly preservationists in the region have known about these cars much longer than that and of the various activities of their owners. Frankly I think that it makes us all look very bad when there is this flurry of activity only when there is serious talk of scrapping - when actually accomplishing something becomes much more diffcult.

That being said, I hope that one or more of these cars can be saved in some form. That observation would make a great starting point for another first class car for Strasburg (and they have the resources to do a first class restoration/renovation to it) or another well endowed operation. The 1000-series coach could certainly contribute parts that might allow other cars from its series to survive - if it couldn't be saved whole.

Also, here is the info on that Budd observation:

ex Amtrak 3332, ex SCL 5832, ex ACL 253, Budd blt 1940.

From the helpful folks the Amtrak Equipment Yahoogroup:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/amtrak_equipment/message/174


Tom Cornillie

As of 7/24/06 The forlorn Vulcan critter still sits at the complex. Wondering if it will be saved in as much as it came to life at the Vulcan locomotive works just south of this complex, who's buildings still stand. Yet another piece of Wilkes Barre history.

Ed K. cp Laurel Run

Any possibility of a current photo of the ACL 253 tavern lounge obs car? I'm not quite sure where this car is supposed to be located. Is it part of the group with the FEC car in WB? Any idea if any of the original (well, Amtrak-era, anyway) seating was retained?