It is with great pleasure, that I announce the donation of Kansas City Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad business car 200, later Kansas City Southern Railway business car 200, later Kansas City Southern business car 100 ( car named Geraldyne ) to Union Station Kansas City Inc.

On May 22, 2007, after several months of discussion, a meeting was held in Kansas City, with members of the Union Station executive staff, Mike Haverty ( CEO of the Kansas City Southern Railway and board member of Kansas City Union Station ) , along with John Suscheck of Ozark Mountain Railcar, along with myself, to formally discuss the future of KCS business car 100, along with sign the deed of gift to formally transfer ownership of this fine car from Dean A Levin, to Union Station Kansas City Inc.

On May 22nd, this car became the property of Union Station Kansas City Inc.

This specific car will find a fine home in Kansas City, as its connection to local railroad history is significant. The Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad was taken over by the Kansas City Southern Railway in April 1900. Kansas City Southern president Job Adolphus Edson became President of the KCS in 1905 and adopted car 100 as his private business car, naming it Geraldyne, after his daughter. This business car was outshopped in August 1899 by Barney and Smith of Dayton Ohio Its original owner was the Kansas City Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad Company ( a major KCS predecessor) where it became car 200 on the roster. Upon Job Edson departure from the KCS in December 1918 for the United States Railway Administration, Edson took the Geraldyne with him, and the car became USRA # 102, until Edson returned to the KCS in February 1921. This car remained his private car until his retirement on December 31, 1927.

The Geraldyne was renumbered in July 1930 becoming KCS car 99 and remained in KCS ownership un November 21,1963 until it was sold into private ownership.

In the next few months the car will be transported from its current location, to a location deemed appropriate for its restoration. I believe the car will return at some point to Kansas City Union Station where it will be put on permanent display.

I would like to thank those members of Union Station Kansas City Inc., Mr. Mike Haverty and the employees of the Kansas City Southern Railway, and Mr. John Suscheck of Ozark Mountain Railcar, for having the forethought and vision to see this wonderful piece of Kansas City Southern Railway history return to Kansas City.


Dean A Levin

What a great addition to Kansas City Union Station.

Dean:

Thanks for finding a good home for a piece of history. It's nice to keep local history locally.

Jim

It is fantastic that such a fine piece of equipment is gong to such a good home and will be spared the indignity of neglect and decline that happens to so many like it. At least a passing note of praise should be given to Kevin Johnson of Kansas City for passing on the information originally concerning the car's availability and to its former owners for offering it at a reasonable price. So often the asking price for such equipment makes a deal such as this impossible to put together. I believe it was Kevin who was the resource for the car's history. He is an unbelievable repository for information about just about every private car ever built - Patrick McLaughlin's (Vanishing Varnish - Vol. 1) mantle has certainly passed on to Kevin in that respect. Unfortunately I don't believe the donation of the car to the Museum included the original furnishings which would have made the car complete in every respect.

Jonathan Gerland, director of the History Center in Diboll, TX, advised me that this morning two big cranes arrived to begin the process of lifting TSE100/KCS GERALDYNE on to a flatcar for her trip north to Kansas City, for refurbishment and eventual display at KCUS.

As an interesting side note to the donation of the KCS 99, it is safe to say Mr. Mike Haverty, when this car was offered to Kansas City Union Station, took it upon himself, to assist in tackling any obstacles in the procurement and transportation of this car. From the transportation obstacles and rigging of a heavyweight passenger car, those at the KCS and their subcontractors could not have proven more helpful. Often the stories of privately owned and museum owned equipment, and class one railroad companies, is not one that is overly favorable. However, in this case, Mike Haverty along with all the parties involved, understood, that obstacles could be overcome, and it is for this reason, among a few others, that this historic car, is on its way to a place where its history and that of the Kansas City Southern Railroad will be portrayed to thousands of yearly visitors.

The Kansas City Southern foundation, along with the Kansas City Southern Railway, for this effort, and many past accomplishments, should be looked at as a true friend to the railway preservation community.

Should anyone be interested in seeing any photographs of this car, please feel free to send me a message with your email address, and I will be more than pleased to send you some current photographs.


Dean A Levin

From spotter on KCS Yahoo group:
At 12:29 PM at Cave Springs (Oklahoma), a Texas Southeastern passenger car
#100 was on a northbound train about 2 cars behind the locomotives.
It was on a flat car with its trucks on another flat car just ahead
of it.

http://oddballsdecals.rrpicturearchives ... id=1121714

She has arrived in Kansas City.