Hello all.

Im looking into the status of the Ex LIRR, MCSA combine coach No. 512 which <supposedly> was last seen at the Dardanelle & Russellville Railroad in 2009.

I havent seen much info on it, as im looking to model it, but more importantly id be interested in its condition if it still exists. Word tells its the oldest existing stock from the LIRR, and it is their only piece of equipment that came out of the 19th century.

Secondarily, im curious if someone might have drawings, as I plan to make a model of this car that would be available on Shapeways for 3d printing.

A summary of the car is as follows:
>The car is an 1898 Pullman built, 66' - 6" length for the LIRR.
>Sold to the Moscow, Camden & St Augustine railway in 1926-27 where it retained its number.
>It remained on the MCSA till 1973 when it was deemed unusable per its age
>Was seen at the Reader Railroad ~2004 (Supposedly owned by one of the lead board members there)
>Photographed at the D&R in 2009 (http://thundertrain.org/DRrailroad-092409.html)

Best
Javier

Thank you, Javier for asking about this car, which is of almost mythic significance among us fans of the 19th-century pre-PRR Long Island. I've often wondered about it and hope that someone here will be able to confirm it is still extant.

However, while combine 512 is certainly the last surviving regular all-wood LIRR passenger car of the pre-Penn Station era, I disagree that it is the sole remaining piece of 19th-century LIRR rolling stock. Rotary snowplow 193 at Steamtown also dates from 1898 and so would certainly qualify, despite being much rebuilt by the PRR. In addition, I would argue that the L&N private car Oriental at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY should count as ex-LIRR since it was originally built in 1890 for LIRR president Austin Corbin.

-Philip Marshall

Regarding plans, a possible source is Illinois Railway Museum's "Pullman Library." The Library is custodian for a large collection of Pullman drawings. Should they have plans there is a reproduction cost.

More information can be found here: Pullman Library Overview

Javier - you can PM me, I took a series of roughly 100 photos of the car, interior and exterior, back in 2005. The car still exists.

Fred.

Fred, id absolutely love to hear more about the car!

As for the snowplow, im happy it at least survives in someones collection. Perhaps its a matter of finding the right price to haul it back over here!!

Illinois archives will be helpful, Im sure ill be getting modelling it soon if I can find it in there.

Javier

The LIRR rotary plow is at Steamtown in Scranton, in need of some TLC.

It's an 1898 Leslie/Cooke but received a new steel carbody sometime before the 1939 NY World's Fair where it was displayed. The steel carbody resembles a DD1 motor but has round porthole windows (similar to an MP54) at the top front for the pilot. After the 1939-40 NYWF, it also got a replacement tender; it looks as if the tender came from an E5s or E6s 4-4-2 with 2D-T4 "Dolphin" trucks.

The rotary looked to be in good condition in the 1960's.

C&TS plowed from Chama to Cumbres 2-29-2020 and 3-1-2020 using 1923 Leslie/Alco rotary OY.

Phil Mulligan