Doing a bit of personal research, and wondering if anyone knows the disposition of the following Southern Pacific business cars. SP 104 San Jose, SP 106 Oregon, SP 117 Tuscon and SP 127 Alamo. I am curious if any of these cars ever made it to merger day with the Union Pacific. ( I tend to doubt it )

It is my understanding that the only heavyweights on the Union Pacific roster today are the Shoshone, the Stanford ( ex SP ) and the Selma ( ex WP Feather River )

Does anyone recall the events on the swop of the Shoshone and the UP 103 ( ex MP ) business car at the California State RR Museum. The Shoshone was donated I believe then taken back with car 103 offered. ( which is on the property today )

Does anyone recall why the Union Pacific quickly sold off most if not all of the large Missouri Pacific business car fleet ?

thank you


Dean Levin

Check out this website. I found the link through the SP Technical & Historical Society's website and its "links" page:
http://espee.railfan.net/sp-business-cars.html


This is what I remember hearing at the time: The wife of UP's chairman or president was taken by the ambiance of the older Shoshone and the railroad made the trade to obtain it. The UP then sent the car out to a private shop to upgrade the car structurally and mechanically.

This is what the CSRM website says about the car:

And this is what the UP's website says about the Shoshone:


By the way the Selma was not only an ex-WP car, before that it was UP business car #101 (built in 1912).

Found this in the Placer Sierra Railroad Heritage Society Newsletter from the middle of last year. (Colfax, CA):

There will be a presentation of a collection of photos of an 83 foot Southern Pacific lounge car belonging to Gunnar Henrioulle of Colfax that he has stored on his property in South Lake Tahoe. Also displayed will be the original builder’s photos and floor plans of that same car from the Pullman Standard Car Company archives collection.

This car reportedly served on the Golden State Limited route from Chicago to LA. Others of the same type served on the Overland Limited, City of San Francisco, and the Cascade. Mr. Henrioulle has expressed interest in bringing this passenger car into the Colfax Railroad Museum
collection once that organization is created.

Doing a bit of personal research, and wondering if anyone knows the disposition of the following Southern Pacific business cars. SP 104 San Jose....

This car became the Pine Bluff, and is privately owned in Arcadia, CA in the Los Angeles area. It was Amtrak certified in the late '90's but has been neglected in the last few years and has had some vandalizim inside and out. It is for sale.

Does anyone know if the Western Pacific Railroad had any other business cars other than the Feather River ( later the UP Selma ).. near or at the end of the WP... I don't recall the UP getting any other WP passenger equipment ... Were there any other cars, or just the Feather River ?

thank you

Dean Levin

WP #1, ex-UP 109, was the last business car on the Western Pacific. It was acquired in August, 1971.

In 1970 the Western Pacific had two business cars: #100 and #101. #100 was sold in 1971 to a private owner in Wisconsin. #101 was sold in 1975 and was moved to near the McDonald's restaurant in Barstow, California.

#100 was originally EP&SW #1914 (built in 1914) and used by Arthur Curtiss James also on both the CB&Q and the WP. #101 was built in 1917 and originally owned by James B. Duke [Duke Power, Piedmont and Northern, etc. fame] and named "Doris;" this car is now at North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC.

For all of the WP business cars the best source is Western Pacific Steam Locomotives, Passenger Trains and Cars by Guy L. Dunscomb and Fred A. Stindt, privately published in 1980.

At least a couple other ex-WP business cars still exist.

I am in the process of taking possession of former SP business/office car #127 Alamo. In August I have to move it either 500' (owner of land building on that spot); or taking it off the property. If I move it 500 feet, then I have about one year to get it off his property. Have had a couple of false starts for places to move it, but I'm in talks with others; and one way or another, the Alamo will be saved. You can see information on that on Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HART-SYSTEM-12 ... =bookmarks. I have a GoFundMe page to help raise money faster, so in August, I can take it off the property it now sits on; and put it back on live rail (even if that's at a museum with a live rail junction.

The interior and furnishings is all believed to be original; and the wood is Mahogany. If you live in the Houston area, we need volunteers to help move it (about Aug 15th.); as that will save $$$$$; and we need as much as possible, to completely restore it and bring it up to Amtrak HEP and other requirements).