Great Northern dining Car

Pat Fahey · **Posted:** Sat May 23, 2020 10:50 am

Attachment:

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Hi All
I was going through some slides the other night, and I ran across this one, it is Ex Great Northern dining car in Biddeford, Maine.
I am wondering if the dining is still at this location? I heard years ago that the car was sold, and was going to be moved to a new location.
So my question is this, has the car been moved, if so where?
I took the slide on May 25th 1997, as always thank you Pat.

RDGRAILFAN · **Posted:** Sat May 23, 2020 1:03 pm

RYPN link to information regarding this car
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9975
car is now in Ohio?
The Trek From Maine to Ohio Almost Complete

The former Great Northern "Empire Builder" Ranch (Dining) Car arrived this week at a siding along the CSX Columbus-Sandusky Line. Car will be moved to the site of the Depot Conference Center sometime this week.

Photographed by Stu Nicholson, November 25, 2006
Present location
http://the-depot.org/wordpress/?page_id=51

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Sat May 23, 2020 3:14 pm

This is the Ranch Car that Minnesota Transportation Museum was raising money last year to move it from Ohio to Minneapolis and acquired the funding.

RYPN: Great Northern Ranch car 1244 headed to Minnesota!

Paul D · **Posted:** Sat May 23, 2020 3:29 pm

Next question, just proud of a year later, has it arrived in Minnesota?

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2876

According to this it is still in Ohio: http://www.the-depot.org/greatnorthern-dining-car.php

I see no mention of it on either the MTM website or facebook page. The gofundme is still active, having raised about $8k of the $45k they were hoping for.

brandon.gatz · **Joined:** Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:01 pm **Posts:** 21

No the car is not at MTM yet. The family hit a snag with the estate planning and we are patiently awaiting the time we can move it to Minnesota. The car is still in the possession of the Barry Fromm estate, but has been committed in writing to the MTM. Once the car is ready to roll, an update will be posted on all avenues.

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Sat May 23, 2020 9:16 pm

PMC wrote:

The gofundme is still active, having raised about $8k of the $45k they were hoping for.

GoFundMe can work for certain needs and the like. But GoFundMe takes a percentage. So if it is a 501c3, etc. that is soliciting funds, it is best just to send a check direct to the organization.

That being the case, the GoFundMe page will not indicate the total amount contributed.

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Sun May 24, 2020 5:50 pm

That is one neat car.

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2020 12:31 am

Wayner shows GN 1244 is White Pines Lake (ACF, 1951). The Ranch Car was a feature car of the 1951 Empire Builder, serving less formal (and cheaper) meals than the dining car and has a kitchen, 14-seat lunch counter, dinette with two 4-seat tables and two 2-seat tables and an 18-seat lounge area.

Phil Mulligan

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2020 5:23 pm

Here's a diagram of the car, post 1961, with tables instead of lounge seats at the far end.

http://www.gngoat.org/ranch16.jpg

Phil Mulligan