Old Passenger Car in Fort Wayne, IN?

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Sun Sep 22, 2019 4:53 pm

I stumbled on what I first thought was a flatcar while visiting Fort Wayne last month. Upon closer inspection it appears to be the frame of a wooden passenger car. It is currently being used for storage at Fort Wayne Outfitters & Bike Depot (which is located in the old NYC depot). Any information on this car?

Lima Superpower · **Joined:** Fri Mar 17, 2017 3:46 pm **Posts:** 73

I can't seem to find the details of the car, but it was rather dilapidated as I recall, and I believe someone set it on fire one night (either arson or homeless person trying to stay warm, can't remember) and the fire pretty well gutted it. I'm not really sure why the decision was made to leave the undercarriage in place, but as you can see that it has been repurposed. It has been suggested that if Headwaters Junction gets built, (the connecting line of which would go right past the depot) the FWRHS might be able to upgrade the outfitters to a vintage boxcar or something more appealing than shipping containers on a burnt out passenger car hulk. The family that owns the depot is said to be enthusiastic supporters of the Headwaters Junction project. There was also another railroad car parked with this one, and I can't remember if it burnt too, or was simply scrapped. It's been gone for at least ten years I would say. I'm not sure either car was much of a loss.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

NS 3322 wrote:

It is currently being used for storage at Fort Wayne Outfitters & Bike Depot (which is located in the old NYC depot). Any information on this car?

NS 3322 -

Did you happen to get any photos of the depot? I think this was a Lake Shore & Michigan Southern station, originally built in 1889.

Les

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 25, 2019 8:07 am

Les Beckman wrote:

NS 3322 wrote:

It is currently being used for storage at Fort Wayne Outfitters & Bike Depot (which is located in the old NYC depot). Any information on this car?

NS 3322 -

Did you happen to get any photos of the depot? I think this was a Lake Shore & Michigan Southern station, originally built in 1889.

Les

I only managed to get one photo. The area around the depot was really busy when I visited.

Trolleyguy · **Posted:** Wed Sep 25, 2019 10:51 am

Yes, that is a former LS&MS station built in 1889. Per the Railroad Station Historical Society. http://rrshs.org/INCo.RR/allenco.htm

nathansixchime · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:03 pm **Posts:** 948

It's a former Nickel Plate Road diner that mysteriously burned in the 1970s and was owned by Dick Yager.

The right-of-way it is on is part of our current purchase agreement to buy the ROW from Norfolk Southern for the Headwaters Junction project.

Lima Superpower wrote:

It has been suggested that if Headwaters Junction gets built, (the connecting line of which would go right past the depot) the FWRHS might be able to upgrade the outfitters to a vintage boxcar or something more appealing than shipping containers on a burnt out passenger car hulk. The family that owns the depot is said to be enthusiastic supporters of the Headwaters Junction project

They're big supporters and we've discussed a few restored boxcars or reefers would help improve the looks and utility of what they've got now, so more-to-come!