In looking at the shot again and comparing the painted out car name with a shot of the car ARE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS I believe that this is the second car that N.C. has acquired. My bad but thankfully a shot of just the car name and the windows above it is available for comparison and the painted out parts of the car name matches the approximate placement. Here is a link to the car name shot...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trafficdan/5414584246

The #9410 has been renamed from Emerson (1st) to Jackson Square, and today, May 30th, was the 13th of 17 passenger cars for N&W #611's return run from NCTM, Spencer, NC, to Roanoke.

#611 consist information thread over on Trainorders: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3756383

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Additions and corrections are welcome. Thanks in advance.

"Sunset Limited baggage-16 bunk dormitory #3103 (Budd, Lot #9614-040, 1950) transferred in 1951 to T&NO #301 transferred in 1961 back to SP #3103 to Amtrak #1531 converted in 1980 to HEP #1622. Stored in 1994 and sold (when??) to ITAX, later (when??) to AOE, reconfigured to laundry-storage car, and named Los Angeles (#800715). Sold (when??) to Bill Wherry. Mr. Wherry passed away, car is stored at Burnham Shops in Denver awaiting sale by his estate."

Sold January 2015 to Jon Clark. Purchased from daughter of Bill Wherry. To be moved to Los Angeles summer 2015.

Thanks, Topfuel, for the info on the Los Angeles! What's the condition of this car like? I know that as part of the preparation for the failed American Railway Explorer, a number of the former AOE cars had the interiors partially/entirely removed for asbestos removal. Does the Los Angeles just need a current COT&S, or are there other issues (parts removed, esp. HEP, etc.) that need to be addressed?

"Thanks, Topfuel, for the info on the Los Angeles! What's the condition of this car like? I know that as part of the preparation for the failed American Railway Explorer, a number of the former AOE cars had the interiors partially/entirely removed for asbestos removal. Does the Los Angeles just need a current COT&S, or are there other issues (parts removed, esp. HEP, etc.) that need to be addressed?"

As I understand it, the Los Angeles is still mostly intact inside from the AOE days. It had not been stripped for the ridicules asbestos abatement - perhaps because ARE was not going to use the car or they just hadn't gotten to it yet. When ARE went under, this car was on shop trucks and had the brake valves removed, among other misc undercar items. Under Wherry ownership at the former D&RGW Burnham shops, the car was re-trucked with OSH disk brake trucks from a former UP car, the 26C brake system was restored, a new coupler installed, and a COT&S performed. So the car was ready to move when purchased by Jon Clark. All of the HEP was intact.

A correction on the C&O Cars:

5DB sleeper 26 seat buffet lounge observation (blunt end) #2507 Wolverine Club (P-S, Lot #6863, Plan #4165, 1950) sold in 1951 to B&O #7501 and renamed Wawasee to Amtrak #3250 retired and sold in 1977 to Gordon Ingram #3250 and renamed San Diego Club (LaJolla, CA). Sold (when??) to Genesee & Wyoming (GNWR) #3250 and renamed Pride of the Genesee (#800246). Sold (when??) to John Kirkwood-Rail Ventures (RVIX) #800246. Sold (when??) to AOE #800246, reconfigured to 3DB crew dormitory-diner lounge, and renamed Monterey. Sold (when??) to Ross Rowland-Greenbrier Express. Sold 2014 to Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, for sale as of May, 2016. Stored at Ridgeley, WV

It has been nearly 2½ years since any of use last discussed AOE cars so I hope I don't ruffle any feathers by reviving this thread. I am in need of the disposition of two of the AOE cars and aside from the few that went to the Grand Canyon and car BERLIN which has been used for a while now as a private car I don't know if we ever finished assembling where other cars went too so maybe, finally, this can be determined.

I am looking for the disposition of ISTANBUL and PARIS and the reason is quite simple... one of these two cars is now Norfolk Southern 960400 and is getting ready to be placed into Maintenance of Way service so determining which of these cars is involved is needed for any listings for this car.

Can anyone help???

According to this roster NS bought two cars from AOE and put them into MOW service at the same time, 960400 (which you listed) and 960401. Could BOTH be on the NS roster:

http://www.altoonaworks.info/ocs.html

NS 960401 is known to have been AOE 800768 SANTA FE, exx-AMTK 2231 STAR CREST, exx-2251, exxx-UP 1702, nee-CHEYENNE (links to some photos on the Passenger Car Photo Index's NS page). Hopefully someone yet will have the history of this other AOE car...

As of 4/4/2015, the Paris was stored on the Morristown & Erie Railroad before being sold.