James E Strates shows private car #2 is on a flat headed for Alamosa, CO. The car is owned by the Central New York Chapter N.R.H.S. and is leased to Iowa Pacific and is slated for a Amtrak rebuild. Iowa Pacific has placed former Rio Grande office car #102 at the New York Fair and has stated that it will donate the car as part of the deal. Strates #2 started life as Pullman's Palm Lane and was sold to Strates Shows in 1956. The car was the travling home for Mr E. James Strates until the car was in a flood in 1972, at the 1972 New York State Fair a short time later Mr Strates donated the car to the chapter where it was on display until the end of the 2012 New York State Fair. A short time later the car was removed from the site and loaded on two flat cars. One flat has the car body while the other has the trucks. The main reanson behind this move was to keep the car in the best shape possible and not let it rot to the rails. Car #102 will start a restoration program in March of 2013 and will be on dispaly for the 2013 New York State Fair.

Well, assuming we can trust info from "The Man" who's not even sure where he's located...

What's the condition of Rio Grande office car #102? Why not rebuild it instead? I'm not at all familiar with either car, but obviously Strates #2 is better for IP's needs, correct? Can you add any details on why that might be?

Wasn't Rio Grande #102 later the NYS&W business car?

Here is someone elses photo of it is leaving Syracuse, NY (Dewitt):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironmike9/ ... 2476269212

With a comment like "Well, assuming we can trust info from "The Man" who's not even sure where he's located..." I remember why I don't post anymore. But that a side, it is true and I would say the photo proves that.

As for the 102 being a former NYS&W car, that was 107. The 102 has been on the Carolina Southern for some time now and became a IPH car along with the rest of the Carolina Southern passenger cars last year.

IPH has two other office cars in the fleet and they are in far better shape than the 102. My understanding when I first talked to IPH was the 102 had no plans at the time and they wanted to see it go to a good home. CNY plans to make it a shortline car in the long term. They have the parts and it would be nice to run it on the Finger Lakes Railway if they ever want to run passenger trains again. As for why the #2 fits better than the 102, the 2 is a sleeper lounge obs car and the 102 is a office car that is half gutted. The 102 also has weak side sills and some rust spots in the side sheets, 2 has a good structure to work with and is almost all pullman inside. The side sheets are mint and need minor work. #2 is also a former ICRR car and IPH likes ex IC cars. Plus if they wanted to do a Rio Grande car it would be cheaper to buy the NYS&W 510 (Ex Rio Grande #107) and Amtrak it.

I think it was a tongue in cheek remark to your name, as in "Never trust The Man."

Hope you're doing well "Man". Another further information on the heritage and past use of #2?

Joshua

Yep, and the location is shown as "Not Sure". Guess the humor only works when he's the one doing it...

Sorry about that Bob, I guess I should have thought before I said that. Never ment to upset anyone and if I did not want to get poked I never should have put that on my profile. Back the the cars, the history of the Palm Lane is Pullman to Strates to CNY NRHS. The 102 started as a Western Pacific coach to Rio Grande and rebuilt to a office car and sold to someone in Winslow, Az and sold agian to be displayed in MN, then sold to the owners of the Wacama Coastline and left to the Carolina Southern, IPH to CNY NRHS.

Josh, things have been good. When you going to be in NY again?

Jeff-