Not much new here-

http://lists.elhts.org/listthumb.cgi?erielack-08-25-06

Joshua

It appears they are connected at the rear, Any particular reason (I'll guess that has something to do with them being on the boat in the first place.)

On one of the cars towards the rear, you can see the black-grey paint from their time on the CN. I know for awhile they were used on the train from Matapedia to Gaspe, Quebec in the 1970's and maybe until the early 1980's. Interestingly the train to Gaspe, now operated by VIA Rail, still uses stainless-steel cars and a dome. One of the last 'pocket-streamliners' in North America.

Edit: If the WNYRHS doesn't take these, I wonder if the museum in Delson, PQ would be interested?

-Justin Franz

The way these cars were modified, cutting away so much of each side to connect them to the structure, is there any hope of saving them? Maybe the two cars could be used to make one complete car?
If they end up getting scrapped, are there unique parts on them that would be useful to the 261 group in keeping their skytop operating?
Just pondering ways that these cars might be saved, or useful in some way...

Boyd,
The only usable parts that I can identify that remain with the cars are possibly the trucks. This, of course, does nothing to preserve the cars. I suspect that fans of Milwaukee Road Skytops will have to be happy with "Cedar Rapids" and the "Coffee Creek" when it is done. "Cedar Rapids" will be the only one operating in Milwaukee Road paint. The two remaining parlors do not appear that they will be operating soon, if ever again. I grew up a CB&Q fan but I have come to appreciate "Cedar Rapids" over the years that I have volunteered for FO 261. I don't know another lightweight car in operation that has the ride quality of those Nystrom trucks.

Don C.

Thanks for the info Don.
After you mentioned the Coffee Creek, I googled it, and came up with a very informative website, http://trainweb.org/web_lurker/MILW/.
I had no idea as many of these cars survived as did. So, the Landsdowne cars aren't as big of a loss as I had initially thought. Although any passenger car loss does kind of hurt.

Are these cars for sale, if so how much.

Brian Fleming

According to an e-mail I recieved in response to my post above, the shipyard rebuilding the Landsdowne is looking for an organization to donate them to.