The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is commencing restoration of former Pennsylvania Railroad Air-Brake Instruction Car No. 492445. Built in 1910 by Altoona Car Shops as class M70 Railway Post Office car No. 6517, it was rebuilt to air-brake instruction car No. 492445 in 1928. The car was acquired by the Wilmington and Western RR in the mid-1960s and donated by Red Clay Valley Equipment and Leasing Corp., to the Railroad Museum of PA in 1977. The car will undergo a three-year, museum-quality restoration to its 1940s/1950s appearance using a $300,000 “Save America’s Treasures” grant. All of the air brake machinery inside the car will be made operable and it will be featured as part of a planned interpretive exhibition on mid-20th century railroad technology on the PRR.

In order to restore the car accurately, the Curatorial and Restoration Departments are conducting research on the heritage of this historic car and are seeking any photographs, both interior and exterior, as well as any maintenance records and drawings that might aid in the restoration. Remembrances, stories or contacts of persons who worked on this car or received classroom instruction in air brake operation in this or similar cars are invited to share their stories with the staff. The staff will gladly pay for any fees regarding duplication, scanning or copying of printed or graphic materials.

For more information, please contact Kurt Bell, Museum Archivist, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, at c-kbell@state.pa.us or call (717) 687-8628 x3010.


http://rrmuseumpa.org
c-kbell@state.pa.us

> was acquired by the Wilmington and Western
> RR in the mid-1960s and donated by Red Clay
> Valley Equipment and Leasing Corp., to the
> Railroad Museum of PA in 1977.

Kurt,

I wondered what had happened this car after leaving the W&W. Never realized it was in the RMofP collection all these years! Good luck with the project--it'll be a fantastic exhibit!

Question. IIRC around the same time that the PRR air brake instruction car was at the W&W, wasn't there a former PRR heavyweight parlor car (me thinks it was the "Defender") at the W&W as well? If so, do you know what happened to this car?

Regards,
Jim Robinson

Jim,

I recall seeing a short article with photographs on the "Defender" that appeared in a back issue of the PRRT&HS Keystone in the early 90's. I believe the car is presently stored in derelict condition on the eastern shore in the Delaware/Maryland area.

K.R. Bell

> Kurt,

> I wondered what had happened this car after
> leaving the W&W. Never realized it was
> in the RMofP collection all these years!
> Good luck with the project--it'll be a
> fantastic exhibit!

> Question. IIRC around the same time that the
> PRR air brake instruction car was at the
> W&W, wasn't there a former PRR
> heavyweight parlor car (me thinks it was the
> "Defender") at the W&W as
> well? If so, do you know what happened to
> this car?

> Regards,
> Jim Robinson


Kurtrbell@hotmail.com

> Jim,

> I recall seeing a short article with
> photographs on the "Defender" that
> appeared in a back issue of the PRRT&HS
> Keystone in the early 90's. I believe the
> car is presently stored in derelict
> condition on the eastern shore in the
> Delaware/Maryland area.

> K.R. Bell

"Defender" and "Catoctin" (an ex-TP&W office car) are both in Aberdeen, NC on the Aberdeen Carolina & Western. They are owned by Bill Bartosh, GM of the AC&W.

K4s1361@hotmail.com

> "Defender" and
> "Catoctin" (an ex-TP&W office
> car) are both in Aberdeen, NC on the
> Aberdeen Carolina & Western. They are
> owned by Bill Bartosh, GM of the AC&W.

I believe the Catoctin is an ex-PRR superintendent's car. It was on the West Virginia Northern for years before going to private owners at the Maryland Midland Railway. It picked up the name "Catoctin" while used by the EnterTrainment Line at MMID. Bartosh later bought the car.

Alan Maples


AMaples@aol.com

Kurt: that car should have a whole lot of obsolete brake hardware, much of which is in service on museum lines. Is thare any thought of restoring it as a working air brake instruction car?

Electric City Trolley Museum Association