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 Post subject: Centre Hall PA railroad restaurant cars - Stillwell & NYC
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:17 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:55 pm
Posts: 988
Location: Warren, PA
Over the many years driving across PA I often go through Centre Hall, where there's a railroad station turned restaurant, and 2-3 neglected cars parked on the property. Rail was long removed post-Conrail.

There's what appears to be an ex-Erie Stillwell coach sitting there, and an ex-NYC wood caboose. Both are in deteriorating condition and have been there....forever. I think there was a third car there that is now gone.

The restaurant has survived COVID and appears to be doing well, now called "The Express" and is inside the depot. I think previous owners actually used the cars as event space, but neither appear usable now. It's changed owners and names in the last decade.

The number of surviving Stillwell cars have to be a handfull, and the number of surviving wood NYC cabooses aren't much better, so if there's a museum out there they should be aware of this pair that are teetering on the verge of scrapping if the restaurant sees no value in them any longer. While live rail is gone they are feet from highway.

404 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in Centre Hall, PA, right by the road and visible in Google Earth.

Here's the last RYPN thread on Stillwells: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29462


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 Post subject: Re: Centre Hall PA railroad restaurant cars - Stillwell & NY
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 5:41 pm 

Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:36 pm
Posts: 10
I'd like to add that it is a very good restaurant should anyone find themselves in the area. They've done an excellent job with the station interior, sticking to a railroad theme without going over the top and putting out signs noting features of the building that remain intact such as the ticket window and freight scale. It's no museum, but it is well kept and worth the visit. I'd hoped the new owners would restore the cars as nicely as they did the station, but I've yet to see anything; perhaps I'll have to ask about them the next time I'm out that way.


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 Post subject: Re: Centre Hall PA railroad restaurant cars - Stillwell & NY
PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2022 6:22 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11496
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
In case anyone is still paying attention, the NYC caboose is to relocate to Philipsburg, Pa. soon:

https://www.theprogressnews.com/progres ... e7bda.html


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 Post subject: Re: Centre Hall PA railroad restaurant cars - Stillwell & NY
PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 8:41 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:55 pm
Posts: 988
Location: Warren, PA
Thanks for the update. I'd have feared the worst if I drove by and noticed it missing.

That's about a block away from what the normal travel route is through Phillipsburg though, but it is a nice open lot in the middle of downtown. A wood car like that in PA needs a protection roof over it though.

Now for the Stillwell.....


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 Post subject: Re: Centre Hall PA railroad restaurant cars - Stillwell & NY
PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 2:55 pm 

Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:26 pm
Posts: 612
Location: Pure Michigan
Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:
In case anyone is still paying attention, the NYC caboose is to relocate to Philipsburg, Pa. soon:

https://www.theprogressnews.com/progres ... e7bda.html


It is not there yet. Drove through Phillipsburg earlier this month and there was no caboose at the corner of Front and Presqueisle Streets...


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 Post subject: Re: Centre Hall PA railroad restaurant cars - Stillwell & NY
PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:42 pm 

Joined: Fri May 01, 2020 12:46 pm
Posts: 37
Just had a very nice meal there. There seems to be some confusion over the fate of the caboose.


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 Post subject: Re: Centre Hall PA railroad restaurant cars - Stillwell & NY
PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:40 am 

Joined: Fri May 01, 2020 12:46 pm
Posts: 37
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