Was hoping that some knowledgeable person on this forum might know the disposition and current location of ex Seaboard business car Southland / Auto train # 1. Perhaps someone can assist with this information along with where this car has been since the bankruptcy auction of Auto Train. ( and if you know the history of this car before being a business car on the Seaboard, would sure appreciate it )

thanks in advance

Dean Levin

I can't offer any information as to this car's present whereabouts, but additional history can be found here:

http://www.themetrains.com/html/auto-train-consist-0001-business-car.htm

Alan Maples

Alan

thanks for that link... that answers what the car was originally built as... Unfortunately I have been unable to ever find out what happened to this car, and through this source, I thought perhaps someone out there knows what happened since 1981..

thanks

Dean Levin

Car was sold to a private party and became DIANNE MARIE. There was a number associated with car, 12881, but I would bet that that is the date of acquisition or somebody's birthday. A number might have been needed for shipping or billing purposes. Car has Amtrak number 800070, and that is the last entry for that number.

This is the only picture I could find, on the back of the Broadway Ltd in 1985:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=360658

I'm going to guess that the car is sidelined somewhere. The owners probably ran the wheels off it while they could in the 80's and enjoyed their new toy until a new Amtrak requirement put a stop to their fun, or maybe the price of oil/grain/pork bellies/widgets tanked and put a crimp in their train budget.

Ring any bells with anyone?

Here's a more "recent" photo of her(from about 10 years ago) at Jefferson, WI, parked with CB&Q caboose 13858, alongside the Jefferson Cold Storage Co., Collins Rd and S Ryan Ave.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregcochenet/4396468072

Photographer does not think they are there anymore. The caboose hunters(of which I am one) show the cab is gone(?) as well, but maybe just to a different location in the same area?

Thanks to Google, here are a couple of newspaper articles stating that the car was purchased in 1981 by Dick Sharratt, owner of the Jefferson Cold Storage Co., Jefferson, WI. Mr. Sharratt named the car for his wife.

First, the Milwaukee Journal 7/26/83 http://tinyurl.com/ylshvuj

The Milwaukee Sentinel 5/16/86 http://tinyurl.com/yarfgug

The Sharratts are currently partners in High Track LLC, McFarland, WI, a food distribution facility served by the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad. If they still own the car, it may be stored at High Track or on the WSOR.
http://www.hightrackllc.com/

Jim Tatum.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't the Diane Marie now at the Illinois RR Museum?

Topfuel asked: If I'm not mistaken, isn't the Diane Marie now at the Illinois RR Museum?

You may be thinking of the SUSAN MARIE, which is at the IRM. This car was formerly Southern business car #10.

Greg ( and the group )

thanks you very much for the information.. Did not realize this car returned to mainline private car ownership... I suspect it fell out of view, after either the Amtrak 1980's truck teardown requirement or the HEP requirement... also odd how the car has no common look alike features of a Sante Fe cafe lounge observation car...

Given the disappearance of it, I would suspect it is warehoused indoors somewhere ( perhaps Wisconsin )... Interesting the various life cycles of many cars that left railroad ownership, sat, returned to service, only to fall out of service... I suspect the leading contributing factors range from difficulties within the operating environment ( amtrak / freight railroads ) to age of owners and cost of retaining a certified car.

Nonetheless, I learned something .... and appreciate the forum and the knowledge within the group.


Dean Levin

Car is currently for sale with D.F. Barnhart, listed as being located at McFarland, WI:

http://www.trains-trams-trolleys.com/home/8001.htm

Sand and Paint?
T7

Sand, paint and some chimney flashing. All it takes and good as new! Just don't let the car get cut in half