Ok, let’s try this again...Some how page timed out while trying to post this the first time...
Here we go again. First off I'm looking for information on the PRR Pullman Lightweight Sleeper City of Wheeling and when it left service and how it ended up resting for the last 40+ years in a scrap yard in Greenville SC. (Yes I did have permission from the scrap yard to look at, explore and photograph this car)
Presently and for a little while longer according to its present owner, Dixie Iron & Metal Co of Greenville SC, who will be cleaning up the mostly closed scrap yard, and the Pullman car in question is to be scraped some hard to find parts here if you need them this is the time.
On a recent work related trip to Greenville I noticed what looked like a railroad car roof at the edge of the rail yard and sure enough it was. After further inspection in turned out to be the following:
Pennsylvania
Lightweight Pullman Sleeper, City of Wheeling
Built for General Service in December 1938
Here is the following was able to collect out of my Pullman books:
18 Roomettes
Plan 4068H, Lot 6563
Pullman-Standard
Built in 1938
Car Number: 8065
Car Name: City of Wheeling
This information from the Pullman Company list of cars as of 1961"
Car Code: 1240
Car owner: PRR
Car Name: City of Wheeling
Plan No: 4068H 18 RMT
Diagram No: 275
Trucks: 43-R
The car is reported by local co-workers to have been in the scrap yard since at least the mid 1970's. The Sleeper is presently lying on its side and has been since the 1970's from what I've been told. The car does not show any signs of having been wreck damaged or serious signs of fire from what I was able to tell. Though it has been subject to "metal collectors" and the elements for at least four decades! The Pullman-PRR paint on the side now top of the car is in remarkably good shape given its exposure to the direct sun and weather. The side of the car is still painted in PRR colors and lettered for Pennsylvania on the letter board with Pullman in each upper corner, and the car name is still there, City of Wheeling. The cars trucks are long gone as is the siding that once serviced the scrap yard but evidence shows it was there. The car is now sitting on its side making up a portion of the property line between the scrap yard and the Greenville Norfolk Southern Yard. Looks to be a very early example of a lightweight car with many heavyweight style appliances still mounted to the bottom of the car. The car looked to be very complete when it left service and appears to have arrived at the scrap yard shortly after leaving service, with no paint or lettering changes noticed.
Please note I have talked to the Scrap yard owner about saving the tight lock couplers and related draft gear and related hardware from the car but after further inspection they are of a style I do not have a use for and while in great shape they do have a very unique mounting style to the draft gear, not something I’m familiar with and hope that if someone out there who does have a need for this type of draft gear can make use of this opportunity. The owner of the scrap yard said that when clean up starts that he would set the ends of the car aside so that the couplers and draft gear could be harvested. As well if someone was interested from what I can tell one could get at least 2 to 3 five gallon buckets full of Lightweight lights, hooks, parts, room vents, signs, and other cast interior components for use on other restorations. I don’t have the time nor use for lightweight parts and hope that maybe someone else does. Keep in mind this ar has been here for 40+ years and many of the easily removable parts are gone but many smaller parts and pieces of hardware are still her, not a full cars worth of parts but if you needed some hard to find parts or hardware this could be it, while not worth driving a distance for smalls but if in the area maybe or if you were in the market for couplers and larger parts could be a bargain.
Please look over the attached images showing the car as viewed recently.
End view City Of Wheeling:
Side-Top view City of Wheeling:
Bottom view City of Wheeling:
Detail view of coupler on City of Wheeling:
Detail of Shank on coupler of City of Wheeling:
Detail of Connection between Coupler Shank and Draft gear:
