Budd Observation Cars

via6309 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 10, 2015 12:21 pm **Posts:** 44

Add VIA #15513 - "Sibley Park" to the list of preserved BUDD Observation cars.

It is a Dome-Sleeper-Observation car and was built in 1954 for the Canadian Pacific as their #15413. It is one of three unrebuilt to HEP and retains its steam-heating system. It is preserved at Exporail - The Canadian Railway Museum.

Len.

Jdelhaye · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2015 4:36 pm

Rainier Rails wrote:

Jeff Delhaye commented that the George Washington was at EMD in circa 1983. Could this actually have been the Benjamin Franklin, or was the Washington also owned by them at that time? Perhaps as a parts source for the Franklin? Or was it simply a case of the Washington, under private ownership, parked there for public display?

Sorry for the slow response, but, when I saw the car at EMD, it was inside the plant, at the opposite (north) end from all the outdoor "display equipment". Looked to have been sitting there for some time.

Jeff

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Sat Jan 30, 2016 11:29 pm

When this thread first started I posted about the NYC round-end observation at Los Angeles (actually within the industrial city of Vernon). Today, late in the day, I was by its location and made a quick stop to determine the number. The parking gate was closed; but, the number plate was visible through the fence. It displayed the number 66.

NYC 66 according to a post by Ted Brumberg on Feb 17, 2014, two different sources of post-NYC history of the car have different information.

It is located on the east side of the building located on the southeast corner of Alameda and Vernon.

With the light failing I did not take a photo. And I had left the camera in the automobile. Maybe I can get by the car some Saturday or Sunday morning to get a decent photo -- even if it has to be through the wrought-iron style fence.

Rainier Rails · **Posted:** Mon Feb 01, 2016 6:37 am

Thanks, Brian, for identifying the NYC #66! Prior to your post, I didn't have any disposition info on the #66 past the sale either to KCS or NdeM.

Now the question is, who exactly acquired the #66 from NYC, and when?

Topfuel · **Joined:** Sun Aug 29, 2004 4:49 pm **Posts:** 529

"Now the question is, who exactly acquired the #66 from NYC, and when?"

This car sat out front of a company called Sierra Pines Tannery on Sierra Pines Avenue in Vernon, CA for many years. I believe they bought the car from the NYC. How a company in CA ended up with a car from the NYC has always been a mystery.

That company was sold circa 1992, The car was sold and moved to the current location around that same year.

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2016 12:51 am

I seem to recall when the car first arrived in the Los Angeles area. I recall being able to see the car at that time on a side-track across the Los Angeles river in the industrial part of town near the railroad yards. This was probably during the early-mid 1970s.

I suppose that the then owner of the tannery was a railfan of some sort. But, I do not recall ever hearing a name other than -- now that you mention it -- Sierra Pines Tannery.

The building next to the #66 is interesting. The Art Deco style of the building fits with the 1939 date that is part of the on-line public record of the County Assessor's Office. Also notice that there is a fire truck up on the roof.

jmlaboda · Updated 8/9/17 with 8,402 new links

Quote:

CB&Q #231 Silver Streak transferred to C&S #641 in 1957 and reassigned to the Texas Zephyr sold in 1965 to Dick McKinley (Denver) to Black Hills Central Railroad sold 2013 to William Osborn (Austin, TX)

Quote:

Other two cars moved from Hill City South Dakota were Silver Beam and Silver Lining.

William's Texas Compound website has some really great photos of both the exterior and interior of these cars, just click on the thumbnails below the large image... links below...

C&S 323 Silver Lining

C&S 606 Silver Beam

C&S 641 Silver Streak

Son of a Coast Liner · **Joined:** Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:06 am **Posts:** 28

jmlaboda wrote:

Missed a couple of cars...

There were three coach - lounge observation cars built for Seaboard Air Line that lacked any sort of bar or buffet which Amtrak did not acquire since reportedly it would have taken too much effort to rebuild them with such. They were numbered SAL 6400 - 6402, with 6400 being rebuilt to a blunt-end observation car in 1943 (the other two remained round-end). All received SCL numbers 5820 - 5822 and all were rebuilt to Instruction cars, numbered 775002 - 775004, and were used as such by the SCL, Seaboard System and CSX prior to being sold off. Here are some links to the cars as SCL...

SCL 775002
SCL 775003
SCL 775003
SCL 775003 (image labeled wrong; in private ownership)
SCL 775003 in private ownership
SCL 775003
SCL 775003
SCL 775003
SCL 775004

I know all three are in private ownership but only the 775003 has been well documented in photos on the web. Does anyone have anything more that they can add?

Hi, long time lurker here but this post generated my decision to register. I was the photographer of the first 2 SCL instruction cars referenced, photos taken in Rocky Mount, NC during my college years. If the original poster is interested in a higher grade images shoot me a message.

I also have photos I took of another SCL instruction car while parked at the Seaboard Station in Raleigh, NC during the same time period if you are interested.

Thanks!

1702 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2016 3:17 pm

jmlaboda wrote:

Quote:

William's Texas Compound website has some really great photos of both the exterior and interior of these cars, just click on the thumbnails below the large image... links below...

C&S 323 Silver Lining

C&S 606 Silver Beam

C&S 641 Silver Streak

Jerry & Group,

Clicking on the header "Texas Compound" on that webpage will take you to present-day photos of the cars there.

Jim

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:33 am

Randolph R. Ruiz wrote:

MastickStation wrote:

NYC and SCL Budd observation cars. 16th St. at Rhode Island St. San Francisco. Landlocked on former WPRR.

Further info on the two cars in San Francisco:
New York Central 60 (later Amtrak 3870)
Seaboard Air Line 6602 (later Seaboard Coast Line 5842 and later Amtrak 3342)

They are coupled back to back and used as office space at 300 De Haro Street for a flooring contractor, an IT consultant, and a precious metals dealer. In 2009, the landlord was looking to "restore" their interiors, but I'm not sure what happened. They are located alongside the former ROW of the Western Pacific. The ROW has been slowly reabsorbed into the urban fabric, and line alongside these cars has been housing for some time.

WARNING that this thread hasn't been updated for nine years now:

I just saw a cryptic post in the "Ahead of the Torch" Facebook page that SAL 6602 "has been saved! Further updates coming soon!"

No word on where it is going, saved by whom, etc, nor any word on NYC 60 which doesn't appear in the photos.

More discussion on the move (without any info on their future unless it's on Page 2 and you have a subscription):
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/ ... ?1,6055767