In a previous posting I asked for leads on reproduction lounge seats typical of the streamline LW observation tavern lounge cars of 1939- late 1940's vintage. The seats in question were likely manufactured by the Heywood-Wakefield Co. and appear to have been specified for both Pullman and Budd cars. This request is related to the interior renovation/ restoration of the FEC obs tavern lounge "Bay Biscayne". We are hoping to find seating like the original, or similar to the original if possible. Worst case, we may have to resort to custom manufacturing these chairs, if we can find plans or acquire one example to use as a pattern for fabricating the number needed.Any help would be appreciated. I figured if anyone knows anything about these chairs they probably frequented this discussion board.Thanks again.

Dear Stephen,Will this car operate on a regular-semi regular basis, or will it primarily be a static interpretive piece? Is the remainder of the car in its in service mechanical configuration or has it been updated? The reason I ask is that if you are going to carry out a museum quality restoration - the cost of reproducing the original seats may be worthwhile, especially if you can find some other groups/individuals to produce a large run. Given that I generally seen about 5 requests for such furniture per year (without really looking) I think there is a market for such pieces.However, if you are looking for something that is "close enough" for a car that will not retain its historic mechanical configuration -- I have seen PV owners use pieces from Baker furniture. They were more contemporary in styling, but had enough Art-Deco touches to make them fit in.Tom Cornillie

Tom,The "Bay Biscayne" is currently in service on the S.A.M. Shortline excursion train, and will continue in service. New windows (FRA glazing) are being installed. We are attempting to rebuild the tavern section and wanted to find seats for the observation lounge at least similar to the ones I have seen many examples of in photos on the period.Any way we look at it, the interior restoration is a compromise. The interior was so substantially changed in its last renovation (by parties unknown at this time) that the rather "plain Jane" interior of the 1939 version no longer exists. Wood panels and trim, and grass texture wallpaper replace the painted surfaces of the car interior. Thankfully, the bar remains intact, although it has a new top. Since we cannot tear out the interior and do a complete historic restoration, we are attempting to provide the "feel" of the tavern observation lounge car, complete with custom-built settees and booths in the tavern section, and individual lounge seats in the observation lounge section.Historic photos and the floorplan diagram are the basis for the interior renovation, not truely a restoration. The seating in the lounge will consist of single seat chairs and a few 2-cushion seats (loveseats). This will allow the flexibility needed in arranging the car for charter groups, but which is different from the original configuration. Again, a compromise.I suspect we will ultimately settle for the "close enough" commercially available seating in the observation lounge. I'm just not ready to give up yet, and what I have been able to find on-line is not close enough to be "close enough" to me. I will check out Baker Furniture to see what they have available.Thanks.

Not that this helps you that much, but:There's a retiree of my acquaintance that has a pair of single lounge seats that were surplus from an aborted Amtrak refitting of a parlor car in the 1970s. He just offered them for sale to me at $200 each; I know that these at least have the chance of being used as a pattern for reproduction. They're both in suburban Baltimore; if it's worth the trouble to get them, let me know and I'll tell him I have a worthy restoration project interested in them.Same goes for anyone else, by the way.............

Sandy,Please contact me by e-mail. I want to send a photo scan to you to see if the seats are the type I'm looking for. Thanks.Stephen

Which is interesting, given that Baker's owner, Hollis, once owned our combine!!!!!TJ

In that no photos were posted as to the styling desired, I am unsure if this will help. There are currently four Pullman Lounge Chairs available on eBay at http://cgi.ebay.com/Set-of-4-Pullman-Loung-Chairs_W0QQitemZ6565521562QQcategoryZ4130QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemsc 'doc' lewis

I am considering having a few square tube streamline era lounge chairs fabricated here in Los Angeles.

I don't yet have pricing, but please let me know if you might be interested in joining me on the order.

Thanks,

Kevin

I am certainly interested in reproduction lounge car seats, depending on price.
- Doug Debs

Can you post a picture of the seats you are looking for?

Most of the classic "square aluminum tubing" lounge and dining car chairs from the '40's and '50's lightweight cars were made by the General Fireproofing Company. General Fireproofing was primarily a manufacturer of office furniture during this time period. There does appear to be a corporate successor, but it doesn't look like they make anything remotely resembling these old style chairs.

I believe Specialty Restaurants is a manufacturer (or at least a distributor) of a currently available square aluminum tubing dining car style chair that are now very commonly seen in McDonalds, as well as many other restaurants. If someone could find out who is actually producing these chairs for them, then in theory that same outfit could make the RR car lounge and dining chairs since they would already have a vendor for the material and the tooling to make the bends as well. A company called Emeco (http://www.emeco.net/article/homepage.html) also produces a similer aluminum dining car style chair. However, there doesn't seem to be an upholstered version.

There were other, very similar lounge chairs that used square steel tubing (instead of aluminum) that I believe were primarily sold/manufactured by S. Karpen & Brothers. Karpen is best known as a producer of the coach seats used in such trains as the CZ. The corporate successor to Karpen appears to be the Schnadig Corp, but they do not seem to be producing any industrial or office use furnture from what I can see on their website.

At any rate, I think there is somewhat of a pent-up demand for these lounge chairs and I imagine a well-produced reproduction, at a reasonable price, would sell fairly well to people restoring lounge cars.

Thanks for the info, Topfuel. I've always wondered about the use of outside suppliers during the streamline era, figuring it was probably more common than the heavyweight days with Pullman's "soup to nuts" approach to building cars.

The chair I would first be looking to replicate would be like those in SP's French Quarter Lounges. A pretty standard chair, without (I believe) the fluted back of some lounge chairs and with a pretty thick "wedge" at the front of the seat. I don't have a photo at this time.

I do have some pricing info, though. The brushed aluminum frames looks to be about $400, the upholstery (material only) is probably about $250 for a high-grade mohair. Don't have a price yet on the upholstery labor.

It's more than I would like, but is this in the realm of what people are willing to pay for these?

Would there be interest in orders for frames only, with upholstery coordinated by the end buyer?

These are FREE
http://railswap.org/cb/cl/classifieds.c ... =retrieval
Don't know if this helps
http://railswap.org/cb/cl/classifieds.c ... =retrieval

No joy here. . . .these are the cheap Coach and Car walkovers put into the New Jersey DOT cars they inherited from the CNJ when they tubed out the ex Santa Fe and Great Northern main line coaches and made them 92-104 seat cubic butt-haulers back about 1973 or so.

Steve

Does anyone have any progress to report on these?

I should have some pricing information on repros in the next week or two.

Kevin