what was the round end car in the movie Polar Express?

152696 · **Joined:** Tue Oct 27, 2020 7:26 pm **Posts:** 54

i have spent some time looking for round end cars with an observation deck like the polar express. i saw one article about what it was based off of. i searched and found no results. i later tried to find the article again a month or 2 later. but had no luck.

does anyone have any info on the origins of this beautiful passenger car?

thx

o anderson · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:34 am

It was based on a Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee (North Shore Line) parlor-observation car. Two of these survive, both motorized and converted to straight coach with conventional ends, during the need for serving additional passengers during WW2.

Tom F · **Joined:** Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:04 pm **Posts:** 305

The "Mardi Gras" is a similar car used on the former Iowa Pacific. No rear observation platform but it did have the red light on top of the car. This car is a wonderful ride if you ever get the chance. I believe it is currently for sale but can not confirm. More information below.

http://railfan44.blogspot.com/2012/09/a ... ide-i.html

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:31 am

Wasn't Mardi Gras bought by either RBMN or TVRM from the Iowa Pacific auction? Yeah, nice car, come take a ride on the original storied City of New Orleans.

wesp · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm **Posts:** 2217

Quote:

[The car] was based on a Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee (North Shore Line) parlor-observation car. Two of these survive, both motorized and converted to straight coach with conventional ends, during the need for serving additional passengers during WW2.

Link to photo of CNS&M 410 from the Don Ross site.

Wesley

Al Stangenberger · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:59 pm **Posts:** 627

If round-end interurban cars are of interest, Western Railway Museum has Sacramento Northern's Bidwell.

https://www.wrm.org/visit/car-roster/pa ... rn-bidwell

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Mon Jul 05, 2021 6:44 am

How about this car in the Beijing railway museum?

Aarne H. Frobom · **Posted:** Tue Jul 06, 2021 6:13 pm

If there was ever a steam-road observation car with a rounded platform I've never seen a picture of it. It would not have worked with normal draft gear and steps.

One remarkable car that came close was Pere Marquette parlor-cafe-observation No. 25, built by American Car and Foundry in 1901. This is featured in "Pere Marquette Passener Car Pictorial" by Art Million. The open platform was conventionally-shaped but longer than normal, and the end of the carbody was rounded, with curved-glass windows wrapping around the corners. A wooden round-end observation! The car appears to have been unique, and was out of service by 1924.

Aarne H. Frobom
Steam Railroading Institute
Owosso, Michigan

what was the round end car in the movie Polar Express?

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