Does anyone know if the ex-Oregon Electric,ex-Pacific Great Eastern interurban coaches still exist at the Black Hills Central. I recall seeing a picture several years ago of the ex-PGE open observation that was cut down from one of the interurbans coupled up to the rear of thier train. I have gone to thier website,but no joy. Any help would be appreciated.


grantf@apexmail.com

> Does anyone know if the ex-Oregon
> Electric,ex-Pacific Great Eastern interurban
> coaches still exist at the Black Hills
> Central.

I was there in 1999 and rode aboard two coaches alleged to be formerly from British Columbia Electric Railway. A third car from there was not restored. I do not remember seeing or hearing about Oregon Electric cars.

wyld@oc-net.com

Most of the Oregon Electric interurbans still exist at the Black Hills Central in storage. As you probably know, W. Heckman (owner/operator of the BHC) acquired them in the mid 1970s from the defunct Veronia, South Park & Sunset Steam Railroad. He used them for many years as coaches, but by the mid 1980s they were in rough shape and were stored in the Hill City yard until the mid 1990s. The new owners of the BHC have begun a program to overhaul and restore each and every one of them for use as day coaches, and so far one has been completely restored with more to follow. Incidentally, the two interurbans that were cut down to make open-air cars were modified by the VSP&SSSRR, not the BHC.

Jeff Terry

jterry618@msn.com

Does anyone have pics of these cars? I recall seeing some on one of the trolley lists, but would be interested to learn more.

msa_vianney@hotmail.com

> As you probably know, W. Heckman (owner/operator of the BHC) acquired them in
> the mid 1970s from the defunct Veronia, South Park & Sunset Steam Railroad.
> Incidentally, the two interurbans that were cut down to
> make open-air cars were modified by the VSP&SSSRR, not the BHC.

As I recall before the Veronia, South Park & Sunset had the cars they had been used by one of the logging companies in Oregon to haul its loggers to and from the work areas from the living camps.

Brian Norden

bnorden@gateway.net

There is an article in the May 2001 Railfan & Railroad on the Black Hills Central. Shots of the OE cars in action are on pages 3, 38 and 59.