AT&SF Vista Cavern - scrapped?

s3northern · **Joined:** Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:03 pm **Posts:** 2

Hello All,

Can anyone tell me the current status of the blunt-end ATSF observation car "Vista Cavern"? This car was listed on Ozark a few years ago, and OMR later listed it as "sold." I've seen reference to it being sold into Mexico. I also found a recent (2013) reference on railcarphotos.com that it was scrapped in Michigan.

If I recall correctly, the listed price on OMR was around $60k, so I was surprised to read that it later was scrapped. Anyone have any info? It's just personal curiosity, as I like to keep tabs on some of these old Super Chief cars. I searched old threads here, but I can't find anything more specific than what I've outlined above.

Thanks!

Mike Jacques

fmilhaupt · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2014 6:28 am

After its last owner, Coe Rail, shut down, Vista Cavern was moved to the west end of its line at Wixom, Michigan in March, 2012, where it sat on the interchange track, adjacent to CSX's Plymouth-Saginaw line.

Over the course of the following nine months, the car was severely vandalized. It was scrapped on the spot in January, 2013.

All of the tracks, remains of the former GTW Michigan Air Line, have since been removed. I'm curious as to what became of the former Pennsy "Tubular Train" cars they used as part of their dinner trains.

Emmo213 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:59 am

Wow, 9 months from being usable to being scrapped. That happened fast.

big-bad-2666 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:04 am

fmilhaupt wrote:

I'm curious as to what became of the former Pennsy "Tubular Train" cars they used as part of their dinner trains.

The Pennsy "Keystone" Cars were sold off over the course of the last few years of operation. The two coaches that were being used were sold to a mining outfit in Canada. The power car/ kitchen car was sold to Ferromex for use on their new "Health Train".

davew833 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:21 am

Here's the Ozark Mountain Railcar listing for "Vista Cavern" from a few years ago. It looked like a nice car inside and out. Tragic that it ended up scrapped.

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/det ... vern--SOLD

etalcos · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:58 am

I can't believe you guys missed it.... That car has those dangerous non rotating end roller bearings. No way CSX could safely move those. Think of it as CSX's special way of making the world safer for ALL of us. Your welcome.

We're up to a two month transit time now on CSX for a revenue freight car move covering roughly 750 miles. Its beginning to look like tomorrow ain't never gonna move.

Taking my soapbox and leaving now.

ETA

wesp · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:48 pm

Quote:

I'm curious as to what became of the former Pennsy "Tubular Train" cars they used as part of their dinner trains.

Three units used in Michigan were sold by Ozark Mountain Railcar.

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/detail.asp?id=318&n=Keystone-Table-Car-9604-SOLD

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/detail.asp?id=319&n=Keystone-Table-Car-9605-SOLD

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/detail.asp?id=325&n=Keystone-Power-Car-SOLD