Greetings,

If curiousity killed the cat, then I am the cat that will be killed. This is because I am curious of the existing business cars out there. I would like to compile a business car inventory.

The problem lies in the distinction of a business car. What I have in mind is the "historic" business car (i.e., not the sleeper or coach some Joe converted into a rolling RV).

I'd like to know original railroad, status (restored, for sale, derelict, etc.), location, date built, builder, etc.

This is for the purposes of curiousity, but if it turns out to be a good list, perhaps Mr. Rob Davis would be interested in having this addition to the great AOTT.

God Bless,
Gerald Kopiasz

hrrhs@aol.com

Nevada Northern No. 101 "Ely" (2nd) is currently in the good hands of the Illinois Railway Museum. This was the General Manager's car.

Nevada Northern No. 100 (2nd), private car of Solomon Guggenheim, is privately owned and stored at the Ohi-Rail Minerva yards.

Use the link below to my "NN Passenger Service" web pages for more infomation on these two examples of private varnish than you may either need or want to know.

Cheers,
Keith Albrandt

"Prize collector of varnish equipment in the Far West, however, was the Nevada Northern, a rich copper-haul railroad once dominated by the Guggenheim interests." --Lucius Beebe


Nevada Northern & Railroads of White Pine County
kalbran1@NOSPAMsan.rr.com

B&O Office Car #908, built as a coach by the Chicago and Alton in their Bloomington,IL shops in 1917. Sold to B&O in 1925, and converted to Office Car 908.

Acquired by B&O Railroad Museum and named "John T. Collison." Currently displayed at B&O Museum in good condition.


B&O Railroad Museum
kevingillespie@usa.net

"Back in the good old days" right after the NW takeover of the NKP, they were cleaning house. Among the cars disposed of was car purportedly of the civil war era. This car was a private car that Abraham Lincoln had ridden in (it was on the writeup). We were outbid by the Smithsonian ...does anyone know what happened to this car?


lamontdc@adelphia.net

Greetings,

Someone sent me an email regarding this post. Unfortunately, it was accidentally deleted. Can you please resend if you sent me something?

God Bless,
Gerald Kopiasz

> Greetings,

> If curiousity killed the cat, then I am the
> cat that will be killed. This is because I
> am curious of the existing business cars out
> there. I would like to compile a business
> car inventory.

> The problem lies in the distinction of a
> business car. What I have in mind is the
> "historic" business car (i.e., not
> the sleeper or coach some Joe converted into
> a rolling RV).

> I'd like to know original railroad, status
> (restored, for sale, derelict, etc.),
> location, date built, builder, etc.

> This is for the purposes of curiousity, but
> if it turns out to be a good list, perhaps
> Mr. Rob Davis would be interested in having
> this addition to the great AOTT.

> God Bless,
> Gerald Kopiasz


Heartland Railroad Historical Society
hrrhs@aol.com

In Savannah, we have the Central of Georgia "Columbus" heavyweight and Inspection Car #2, a wooden car ca. 1880. #2 is in fair condition, missing alot of the interior appointments, the exterior has just been restored. Columbus sat next to the ocean too long, and has severe exterior rust, and was a "crack house" at some point from what we found cleaning it out, but a surprising amount of the interior remains in good condition.
So, on to my question, C of G had 4 heavyweight Business cars, Savannah, Macon, Atlanta, and Columbus. Atlanta survives in pristine condition at a private business. We have Columbus. Macon was converted into the Presidential car Marco Polo, and is welded to the rail in Union Station. Does anyone know the fate or whereabouts of Savannah?

http://chsgeorgia.org
Rudd@cogdellmendrala.com

I wanted to thank Keith so much for the info he provided on Nevada Northern 100 and for the link to his website.My husband and I saw the car last year in Minerva and photographed it and it has been a mystery we have been trying to unravel since, due to it's lack of markings.(only the number 100) The car is in pretty nice shape, a little bit of hanging fabric and insulation, if I remember right. (Give me a break, it been a year and I'm lucky if I remember last month if I didn't write things down.)It would be a lovely specimen if restored correctly. What I would like to have now is some background on Solomon Guggenheim. Is he related to Benjamin Guggenheim? And could anyone provide information on the current plans for Nevada Northern 100?

Just Train Crazy,

-Angie

Ladypardus@cs.com

> I would like to have now is some background
> on Solomon Guggenheim. Is he related to
> Benjamin Guggenheim? And could anyone
> provide information on the current plans for
> Nevada Northern 100?

Yes, Benjamin and Solomon Guggenheim were brothers. The Guggenheim siblings were Isaac, Daniel, Murry, Solomon, Jeannette (Nettie), Benjamin, Robert, Simon, William, Rose, and Cora. Five of the brothers (Daniel, Isaac, Solomon, Murry, and Simon) controlled the American Smelting & Refining Co., among other endeavors.

There's more information about the Guggenheims and their role in Nevada copper and ASARCO at the Nevada Consolidated Copper history page at the link below.

Nevada Northern 100 is privately owned. I don't have any firsthand information on what plans the current owner has for the car.

Cheers,
Keith Albrandt


Nevada Consolidated Copper Co. History Page
kalbran1@NOSPAMsan.rr.com

The Ohio Ry. Museum has/had PRR 7504(?) Williamsport. PRR fans and a certain business car owner should be able to tell you the whereabouts of all the other PRR cars.

lner4472@bcpl.net

B&O 907 lives at the Railroad Museum of New England's Naugatuck Railroad in Connecticut. 907 was built in Mt. Clare in 1897, and was a business car its entire life. At one point, Dan Willard himself (B&O's legendary president) had the car assigned to him. Steel-sheathed in 1916, 907 was last used by the Chief Engineer at Pittsburgh, and was sold in 1961 to Richard Snyder of Connecticut. After spending some time in Vermont during the 1970s, 907 was sold by Snyder to the current owners, Louis and Sherry Edmonds, in 1981. The interior is original and gorgeous, and the exterior was restored in 1988 to the 1940s B&O olive green. 907 frequently operates on the Naugatuck, and has also had some "spins" on the Northeast Corridor (Metro-North) in the last ten years. She's hosted weddings (including two Museum members who got "coupled"), VIP trips, and an on-board dinner for O. Winston Link, about six months before his death.

hpincus@mindspring.com

> Macon was converted into the
> Presidential car Marco Polo, and is welded
> to the rail in Union Station. Does anyone
> know the fate or whereabouts of Savannah?

The Savannah was originally Marco Polo and origianally carried that name when it was FDR's private car. It was renamed Savannah when sold to the C of G circa 1944. It had carried that name into its Southern Railway career. It was parked near the turntable at Washington Union Station when it was rehabbed at the Roanoke Shops of Norfolk Southern circa 1989, and had its original name restored.

My wife and I had dinner on the car while still painted in Central of Georgia colors and named "Savannah" with then NS Sr. Vice President and former Kentucky Governor Edward T. "Ned" Breathitt, who was the source of my information. Now, what became of the Macon?


kevingillespie@usa.net

> B&O 907 lives at the Railroad Museum of
> New England's Naugatuck Railroad in
> Connecticut. 907 was built in Mt. Clare in
> 1897, and was a business car its entire
> life.

B&O 912 likewise was a Mt. Clare product and is presently owned by the Hollidaysburg & Roaring Spring Railroad and stored adjacent to the H&RS/Everett Railroad office at Duncansville, PA.

AMaples@aol.com

The body of ex-Colorado & California, ex-Nevada & California, ex-Central Pacific, Virginia & Truckee #10 "Esmerelda" NG business car is at Orange Empire Railway Museum. It had been modified into a section foreman's home.
Other business cars at OERM are:

SP 122 "Sacramento" built by Barney & Smith in 1900 as diner and rebuilt in 1907 stored inside but needs help.

Soo 54 built by Barney & Smith in 1914 as buffet/baggage and rebuilt in 1927. Went to PV and acquired the name "Mt. Rubidoux"

PE 1000 "Officer's Car" wood interurban built in 1913 rebuilt 1938

PE 1299 "Officer's Car" steel interurban built in 1912 rebuilt 1929


wyld@oc-net.com

> B&O 912 likewise was a Mt. Clare product
> and is presently owned by the Hollidaysburg
> & Roaring Spring Railroad and stored
> adjacent to the H&RS/Everett Railroad
> office at Duncansville, PA.

Is that the car that's sheathed in unpainted aluminum?

hpincus@mindspring.com

> B&O 912 likewise was a Mt. Clare product
> and is presently owned by the Hollidaysburg
> & Roaring Spring Railroad and stored
> adjacent to the H&RS/Everett Railroad
> office at Duncansville, PA.

Is that the truss-rodded car that's sheathed in unpainted aluminum?

hpincus@mindspring.com