Thank heaven it's been preserved even a little longer.

I well remember seeing this car, when it must have been just delivered or very recently 'there' -- in fact, I remember passing it on what had to be the old Rt. 46, parallel to the road on the 'river' or west side. It was immaculate, with linens or flowers in the windows -- I vividly remember the painted name "Azalea" and wondering what so perfect a car was doing there. For some reason I remember it having the old-style three-axle trucks with oversize wheels that had decorative painting on them... not on rubber tires for transport.

This was before Rt. 80 was built through the Delaware Water Gap and we had to get off at Hackettstown and take 46 through the Delaware Water Gap and then 611. Might even have been in the interminable time they were building across Garrett Mountain (and wiping out the high-speed Lackawanna branch) and we had to get off by the Marcal plant, turn left, and go interminably via Netcong...) At that time you could still see the narrowing and abutments where the Bel-Del bridge came down after Diane, where the road turned to follow the river, not long after passing under the Lackawanna Old Road in what I remember was an intersection for Buttzville... Rt. 518? The actual intersection and traffic light there (turning southbound only) were actually up under the bridge, a rather low plate-girder, and there were interminable delays at that light.

Thanks for reminding me!

The restaurant went through a number of owners. The last ones to operate the place catered to the "early bird special" crowd with really cheap meals.

The car held up reasonably well until about 3 years ago when the vandalism to both the car and the building really accelerated.

I doubt they are still there, but at one time they had a nice set of framed photos showing the car being delivered by the Lehigh & Hudson River to a nearby crossing and it being moved the rest of the way to this location.

Bringing up the topic in the Surviving Pullman Sleeping Car tab as well, seen here.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30187&start=690

Azalea is not a GM&O car at construction. She started life as "Cuba", a Pullman Buffet-Lounge assigned to the Havana Special. Constructed to Plan 3967, later 3967A, and part of Lot 4879 with 4 sibling cars named Havana, Matanzas, Santiago and Camaguey.

A friend has told me it is mentioned in the book "The Trains We Rode" (I do not have this book so I cannot confirm this) and a photo of the car and a floor plan is included in the Kratville Pass. Car Catalog 1912 - 1942 on Page 106.

The video linked below shows (starting at 12:00) the current state of the car's interior and the dire shape of the adjoining building. The building was built around the car's B end - without cutting a new entryway into the car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMBB0iF9hR0

The car retains last in-service paint, appliances, and thermopane windows. While the interior has been largely painted flat black, it shows fluorescent lights and a non-clerestory ceiling that might date from its last renovation by the GM&O. This car was in service to the commencement of Amtrak operations, making it among the last heavyweight dining cars to operate in the US.

It it also a unique survivor in being connected to the Havana Special?

Its an interesting question you pose, Tom, if this car might be preserved. As a GM&O car it would appear to be welcome at any railroad museum in Alabama or Missisippi, where no cars from this line were preserved. Some of the bigger museums already have dining cars. It could also find a home anywhere in the triangle between Chicago, Memphis, and Kansas City - if a leader felt the value. Locally, it might be useful for a group in NJ or PA.

A way to use the car short of a complete restoration of the car would be to display and interpret it as it was undergoing its last rebuilding by the GM&O. Many of those fixtures installed in the last rebuild are still with the car. The interpretive focus of the display could change as the restoration progresses with available fundraising. The incremental modernization of passenger cars was one of a number of strategies that railroads used to stretch their budgets in the face of declining ridership. The 45-year service life of Azela follows the steady decline of passenger ridership from the end of WWI to the eve of Amtrak. The role of railroad shops (and their workers and communities) has been almost lost to time as that generation has passed and the facilities have been demolished. Operating a restored dining car is increasingly difficult, but an incremental approach can be better aligned with the limited availability of funds and volunteer hours available at most museums. 


On the other hand, might US Sugar be interested in restoring the car as it appeared when it operated behind FEC 148 on the Havana Special? They have the capabilities to complete the car and the facilities to put it to good use. 

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Kelly,

I have seen it spelled both Butzville and Buttzville. There was a prominent family named Buttz that gave the town its name.

Both the Lehigh & Hudson River and the Lackawanna served this town. The L&HR did spell it Buttzville. The Lackawanna spelled it Butzville.

The car was delivered to the nearest road crossing via the L&HR. If it were to leave by rail the nearest location is about 7 miles away in Belvidere.

Here is a 1918 image of the L&HR's station.

Passed by there on Feb. 2, the car was gone.

I am trying to get confirmation, and an explanation, on two related facebbok pages.

From the Administrator for the facebook group for said car: "The car is still there. Lights have been installed to keep the property illuminated at night. Hopefully that will keep the vandalism damage away." No mention of any plan to move it, restore it, etc.

I can confirm the car is still in place as of yesterday afternoon - 2/15/23. The only changes in the last 6 months are that the heavy layer of brush has been cut and that most of the broken windows are now boarded up.

SEVENTEEN YEARS LATER after this thread was started:

A Facebook post on this car to the "Abandoned Rails" Facebook page, which of course brought out a fair number of under-educated "abandon-p*rn" and "Somebody gotta save that!" responses, and even completely wrong location by the original poster:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1208354 ... 7723613348