The Steam Railroading Institute was contacted recently by the City of Pontiac, Michigan, which wanted to know if we were interested in purchasing a passenger car used as part of a failed restaurant venture in that city.

We are not interested in this car, but our friends tell us that it is 1950 Pullman-Standard AT&SF lunch-counter diner dormitory 1575, ex-Amtrak 8116 (and that it also bears a DL&W trust plate and traces of "Phoebe Snow" lettering?). These cars originally had a 6-bunk dormitory and 12-seat lunch counter and two tables, but this car presently has no interior seating.

The car is partially attached to a kitchen structure, and there is a chance that some of one wall has been cut away. This stainless-sheathed carbon-steel car does not fail the "thump-tinkle-tinkle" test too badly, and there is some indication it may have been resided with stainless in the 1960's. The roof is stainless. There are no diaphragms, and no word on the presence or absence of brake parts. Wheel thickness is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Controlled-slack couplers, steam-ejector A-C.

The car is not too far from CN tracks, but might have to be trucked around some obstacles.

This is all the information we have on this car, and we are not able to collect more. Interested persons should contact the City of Pontiac development agency directly.

Aarne H. Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48867-0665

froboma@mdot.state.mi.us

I'm guessing that this is the remains of the "Wide Track Diner" operation just off Woodward Avenue in Pontiac. I believe she may have Timken's, but I'm not sure. It was still sitting there this past weekend when we went through Pontiac.

TJ

> The Steam Railroading Institute was
> contacted recently by the City of Pontiac,
> Michigan, which wanted to know if we were
> interested in purchasing a passenger car
> used as part of a failed restaurant venture
> in that city.

> We are not interested in this car, but our
> friends tell us that it is 1950
> Pullman-Standard AT&SF lunch-counter
> diner dormitory 1575, ex-Amtrak 8116 (and
> that it also bears a DL&W trust plate
> and traces of "Phoebe Snow"
> lettering?). These cars originally had a
> 6-bunk dormitory and 12-seat lunch counter
> and two tables, but this car presently has
> no interior seating.

> The car is partially attached to a kitchen
> structure, and there is a chance that some
> of one wall has been cut away. This
> stainless-sheathed carbon-steel car does not
> fail the "thump-tinkle-tinkle"
> test too badly, and there is some indication
> it may have been resided with stainless in
> the 1960's. The roof is stainless. There are
> no diaphragms, and no word on the presence
> or absence of brake parts. Wheel thickness
> is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 inches.
> Controlled-slack couplers, steam-ejector
> A-C.

> The car is not too far from CN tracks, but
> might have to be trucked around some
> obstacles.

> This is all the information we have on this
> car, and we are not able to collect more.
> Interested persons should contact the City
> of Pontiac development agency directly.

> Aarne H. Frobom
> The Steam Railroading Institute
> P. O. Box 665
> Owosso, MI 48867-0665


tjgaffney@phmuseum.org