Apart from the WOW! factor, it is wonderful to see how it can be done excellently when the resources and will are provided. Another class act from Strasburg. Sometimes we lose track of what is possible when working with much less under conditions of duress. Thanks.

dave

Hello,

How much does Strasburg budget/estimate for a freight car repainting project such as this? How many labor hours are estimated for the lettering?

How much did the reproduction parlor chairs cost? Were these made in-house? What car did the original come from? Was this a widely used model?

I am particularly excited about the availability of reproduction parlor chairs. There are a fair number of heavyweight parlor and parlor/observation cars surviving that are relatively complete, except for the lack of chairs.

Tom Cornillie

.

Hi,

I believe the Strasburg Railroad has 2 wood, cupola cabooses:

DT&I 95, standard gauge, as Strasburg 12; &

PRR 476087, 4 wheel, narrow gauge, Class ND, once as Strasburg 10.

I think there was a 3rd caboose on site at one time, but that it went elsewhere. It might have been another bobber, or not!

How does the above compare with reality?

Thanks, Roger

Both cabeese cited are still on the roster. The bobber was never narrow gauge. It is lettered PRR 476087 again.

The third bobber I believe was owned by a late director. It was moved to New Oxford in the late 60's/early 70's. I ate supper one summer evening with the gent in the cabin. Lovely ambiance and hospitality, though I forget Chet's last name ...

Rodger, there was a bobber at New Oxford PA in the late Seventies numbered 11. I have no information on where it came from or where it went though. Nick

The bobber in question was ex-Ma &Pa, and was purchased by Lynford "Bud" Swearer, an early Strasburg engineer and volunteer, in 1959. He sold it to "Check" Caldwell, an SRC veep, in 1972 and the caboose was trucked to New Oxford shortly thereafter.

K.R. Bell

K.R. -

Well, you made me dig out my Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad book by George W. Hilton. As I thought, there were some photographs of the Ma & Pa's bobber cabooses. And a roster in the back of the book. According to the roster (compiled be Charles T. Mahan, Jr.), the railroad owned four bobbers; numbers 2003 through 2006. All were acquired second hand. Numbers 2003 and 2004 were ex-Kanawa & Michigan numbers 65 and 71 respectivelly. The 2005 was former Pittsburgh & Lake Erie # 114 and 2006 was ex-PRR #476582. Number 2004 was retired by the Ma & Pa in 1937 but the 2003 and 2005 were still in service as of the date of Mr. Hilton's book published in the 1960's. The 2006 on the other hand was sold to the Strasburg Rail Road as their #C2 in 1959. Thus the caboose now in New Oxford is not only ex-Strasburg, but ex-Ma & Pa and ex-Pennsylvania Railroad as well.

BTW, did either of the other two Ma & Pa 4-wheel cabooses survive? Or for that matter, the one eight wheel car that was on ther roster at the time of the book publication; #2002?

Les

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2238101690053695820BuSigY is a photo taken by my father, Richard Zmijewski, in 1977.

S. Weaver wrote, "Both cabeese cited are still on the roster. The bobber was never narrow gauge."


Hi,

Indeed, it was never narrow gauge! I don't know why I said it was. Oh, well, ...?

Thanks, Roger

Metman499 wrote, "Here's a photo taken by my father, Richard Zmijewski, in 1977."


Hi,

Nice shot!

I think the coach in the background was moved from this US 30 location several years ago, wasn't it?

Thanks, Roger

Les Beckman wrote,"... the railroad owned 4 bobbers, #2003 - 2006. Numbers 2003 & 2004 were ex-Kanawa & Michigan, #65 and 71. The 2005 was Pittsburgh & Lake Erie #114 and 2006 was ex-PRR #476582. The 2006 was sold to the Strasburg RR as their #C2 in 1959. Thus the caboose in New Oxford is not only ex-Strasburg, but ex-Ma & Pa and ex-Pennsylvania RR as well."


Hi Les,

I list:

2003 - MA&PA RR Preservation Society, Muddy Creek Forks, PA;

2005 - Lincoln Train, Gettysburg, PA; &

2007 - wood, cupola, 8 wheel, MA&PA RR Pres. Soc., as above.

I wonder if I made a typo and the #2007 is really the #2002 or ...?

Thanks, Roger