Hiltons MP54 Preservation

Rainier Rails · **Posted:** Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:07 am

Alan Maples wrote:

Rainier Rails wrote:

Alan Maples wrote:

I believe the car at Hiltons, VA, was employed as a ticket office and gift shop for the Southwest Virginia Scenic Railroad, which operated circa 1975.

I checked the Private Passenger Car Annual (David L. Briggs, RPC Publications, 1980), and for the SW Virginia Scenic, it lists:

Ex-RDG baggage, number/name unknown, RDG heritage unknown.

Ex-CNJ coach, number/name unknown, CNJ heritage unknown.

5 ex-RDG coaches, numbers/names unknown, RDG heritages unknown.

There is no mention under SW Virginia Scenic of the #542. However, just above the SW Virginia Scenic listing is the listing for the Southern Appalachian Railway in Micaville, NC. The only car for the Southern Appalachian which is listed is the #542, listed as a Class MP54E5 72 seat MU coach, ex-PC, nee-PRR.

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Additions and corrections are welcome. Thanks in advance.

Ted, you have provided an interesting and helpful note here. I've wondered what happened to the coaches from the Southern Appalachian Railway, which only operated 1968 - 1969 over the tracks of the Yancy Railroad. They had two cars - the MP54 and an unidentified "CNJ coach", which I now believe was car 1007 that also ended up at Hiltons as part of the Southwest Virginia Scenic, and which I now own.

My folks took me by Hiltons in August 1976 and the train had already ceased operating. I made a note of the car numbers:

1715 - Reading baggage, named "Moccasin Gap"
1295 - Reading coach
1299 - Reading coach
1527 - Reading coach, rear vestibule converted to open platform
1007 - CNJ coach
1291 - Reading coach, converted to open air car (windows removed)
1528 - Reading coach, converted to open air car (windows removed)
542 - PRR MP54, no trucks, on ground, ticket office & gift shop

There is a nice story by Ron Flanary in the November 1976 "Rail Classics" magazine covering the Southwest Virginia Scenic. The Reading coaches and the steam engine (Buffalo Creek & Gauley #4, aka "Slobberface") came from the short lived Quakertown & Eastern excursion operation (1968-1970), and all subsequently went to the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

Below is a photo of the Southern Appalachian Railway from the old Steam Directory.

Alan Maples

Thanks, Alan, for the info!

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Additions and corrections are welcome. Thanks in advance.

Happy Easter!

Tim Moriarty · **Joined:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:25 pm **Posts:** 350

"...and two that were sold to the Walkersville Southern but never moved off the property ( maybe they finally have been?)."

They may have moved off the property but they didn't come to the WS. Two of those at the WS came from Gettysburg and two others came from the West Virginia Northern after it had shut down and the rails had been lifted. Three are coaches and one has been converted into a dining car.

K.R. Bell · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:37 pm **Posts:** 284

The Q&E owned at least one CNJ coach, which might possibly be 1007. Not sure if it ever made it to Spencer Shops or if it was sold before then.

K.R. Bell

trainspot · **Posted:** Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:11 pm

EDM- One did actually survive! And is alive & well in Solvay, NY. 2015 photo:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4230000

Cameron Wolk · **Joined:** Wed Sep 02, 2015 11:34 pm **Posts:** 270

trainspot wrote:

EDM- One did actually survive! And is alive & well in Solvay, NY. 2015 photo:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4230000

Here at RMLI we scrapped our pair around 2007 due to serious issues of stabilization and rust. The LIRR as good as they were at the time ran these cars into the ground without the proper maintenance and care. On Long Island the salt virtually ate away at the steel frame and dangerously enough the car body had sagged to the point where the only thing holding it together was the trucks. The last MP54 RPO and one of the only two combines were lost that fateful year with no chance of return. Possibly with a salvage of trucks and a pantograph for looks I can see #542 set up for static display that is any local museum is willing to take in the piece: RMLI, RMPA, URHS any takers folks?

Cameron

junior · **Posted:** Wed Mar 30, 2016 8:33 pm

Tim Moriarty wrote:

"...and two that were sold to the Walkersville Southern but never moved off the property ( maybe they finally have been?)."

They may have moved off the property but they didn't come to the WS. Two of those at the WS came from Gettysburg and two others came from the West Virginia Northern after it had shut down and the rails had been lifted. Three are coaches and one has been converted into a dining car.

I believe the cars you speak of that are in use at the WS are former Long Island P 54 "Ping Pong" cars...

..the MP54s from the W&W that I had been told were sold to the WS were a former Pennsy MPs - one that had been partially converted in the 1980s to an open car (very similar to the current open car W&W uses) but was to include a handicapped lift and was never finished, and a standard MP 54 coach that had served the Washington Terminal Railroad. They were moved from the shop to the siding at the Hercules prior to the first Flooding in 1999.

Cameron Wolk · **Joined:** Wed Sep 02, 2015 11:34 pm **Posts:** 270

By a token of curiosity are any RYPN members familiar with a man named Harvey Bellemy? In a call with Mr. Bellemy today he came out as the owner of the #542 and has supposedly already sold the car to a man in North Carolina. However it has been 3 years since that transaction and no one has come to pick up the coach. According to Bellemy the car is largely intact and is open for visitation upon request. If the time prolongers anymore he has expressed selling the car around 5k for parties all interested.

Otto Vondrak · **Posted:** Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:06 pm

trainspot wrote:

EDM- One did actually survive! And is alive & well in Solvay, NY. 2015 photo:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4230000

That's the display maintained at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y., by the Central New York Chapter NRHS.

http://www.cnynrhs.org/passngr.html

-otto-

superheater · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:54 pm **Posts:** 2394

Is NCTM planning to sell or already has sold some ex-Reading coaches?

True?

Is buyer known?

John D · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:28 pm **Posts:** 462

superheater wrote:

Is NCTM planning to sell or already has sold some ex-Reading coaches?

True?

Is buyer known?

Yes, three coaches sold, as depicted on 'Ahead of the Torch' on Facebook. Not going to try to post pictures, but here's a quote:
"SOLD-SOLD
North Carolina Transportation Museum
Foundation has deaccessioned the 3 former Reading Railroad coaches that was purchased in 1978 for the on site passenger train rides. Two of the cars were built in 1922 by the Standard Steel Car company (1298 and 1299) and one built by the Bethlehem Car Company built in 1927 car number 1297 which has an observation platform. Cars offered for sale AS-IS and WHERE-IS.".

superheater · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:54 pm **Posts:** 2394

John, thanks.

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Mon Sep 09, 2024 9:07 pm

All of the RDG 1290-1299 cars are class PBm, all built in 1922 with double deck roofs. Most of RDG's 1300's are also PBm's built in 1922. The 1290's were modernized after WWII for the Bethlehem Branch with single deck roofs, new upholstery, new paint (two-tone green) and roller bearings. They were not air-conditioned account Bethlehem Branch stations were too close to keep batteries charged in A/C cars. Inexplicably, half the cars got flush toilets while the other half retained dry hoppers.

The Bethlehem Branch got A/C in 1963 with the RDC's.

Phil Mulligan

Hiltons MP54 Preservation

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