Just figured folks would like to see something positive...

Steamtown restoration shop forces have just about wrapped up the restoration of 1913 Seaboard "Jim Crow" segregated combine #259. The car was rehabilitated as a contract job for the Gold Coast Railroad Museum of Miami. The restoration was accomplished using money the museum received from FEMA after Hurricane Andrew ravaged the museum several years ago.

The car is a beautiful restoration inside and out, with a wild blue and cream interior. The car has actually three sections, a baggage compartment and two separated passenger compartments in line with the "separate but equal" laws of long ago. Steamtown shop forces even re-produced flip-over "white" and "coloreds" signs.

Steamtown also completed the restoration of a former US Army hospital car, which was returned to Miami last year.

Check out www.geocities.com/scrantontrains and click news for more info, as I have a tough time getting geocities pictures to post here.

Dave Crosby


scrantontrains

bing@epix.net

We saw that car in early stages at the convention there a couple years ago. Steamtown had to replace about everything but a small section of center sill and a couple rivets. Beautiful job and shows what you can do with a real equipped shop and funds to take massive work on.

Hoping for a hurricane to come this way soon. Got a couple heavyweights that need that kind of effort.

Dave