Gents:

I have been approached recently by the owners of the remaining carbody of the Brill Railbus #650 owned by the Gilmore and Pittsburg (Montana/Idaho) railroad company, a subsidiary of the NP operating from 1910 to 1940.

Surprisingly, the carbody (based on photos) is in amazingly good condition (used as a chicken coop and lambing barn). Aside from basic stabilization (getting it off of the ground and putting a good roof on/over it) how far can one restore this and how could this be set up and interpreted?

Any and all ideas are gratefully appreciated. I hope to arrange some sort of work party in mid October to work on it.

Michael Seitz

Missoula MT


mikefrommontana@juno.com

Though it doesn't show a photo, Keilty's "Short Line Doodlebug" book says it was a 1921 Mack AB 30 HP gas-mechanical, weighing six tons and being 28'8" long, builder No. 70011, with both a baggage and passenger section, with 17 seats. The same author's "Interurbans Without Wires" book says it was scrapped in 1940. This must have been basically a Bulldog Mack truck adapted to the rails. The former Buffalo Creek & Gauley car at Strasburg should be quite similar, though the latter was a larger AC model.

Didn't one of the Colorado RR Museum Annuals have an article on the Gilmore & Pittsburg? There might be a photo or two there.

If someone wanted to spend the time and money needed to restore the car, much of what was needed could probably be found with antique truck people, and/or copying what was on the BC&G car

> Gents:

> I have been approached recently by the
> owners of the remaining carbody of the Brill
> Railbus #650 owned by the Gilmore and
> Pittsburg (Montana/Idaho) railroad company,
> a subsidiary of the NP operating from 1910
> to 1940.

> Surprisingly, the carbody (based on photos)
> is in amazingly good condition (used as a
> chicken coop and lambing barn). Aside from
> basic stabilization (getting it off of the
> ground and putting a good roof on/over it)
> how far can one restore this and how could
> this be set up and interpreted?

> Any and all ideas are gratefully
> appreciated. I hope to arrange some sort of
> work party in mid October to work on it.

> Michael Seitz

> Missoula MT


ryarger@rypn.org

Any necessary structural and body work can be done by anybody familiar with similar work on streetcars. Edwards Car Co is making seats and interior fittings that should be a good fit. they can probably come up with a power plant and drive train to restore it to operation of you want to go that far.

I am in the middle of specing out a similar project now if you want to contact me off list.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

CRM's Colorado Rail Annual #15 has the best documentation of this line to date in an article by Rex C. Myers. The Railbus appears on page 191 in a Warren McGee photo.

The goal is to not create a new car, but to be able to define the purpose of the existing carbody in some form in a display next to the right of way. It may well wind up that the frame and wheels may be part of a restoration (in order to define the proportions of the vehicle, but that is far out in the future. The original frame and running gear were scrapped with the rail from the line when the railroad was taken up in 1940.

Michael Seitz

Missoula MT

> Though it doesn't show a photo, Keilty's
> "Short Line Doodlebug" book says
> it was a 1921 Mack AB 30 HP gas-mechanical,
> weighing six tons and being 28'8" long,
> builder No. 70011, with both a baggage and
> passenger section, with 17 seats. The same
> author's "Interurbans Without
> Wires" book says it was scrapped in
> 1940. This must have been basically a
> Bulldog Mack truck adapted to the rails. The
> former Buffalo Creek & Gauley car at
> Strasburg should be quite similar, though
> the latter was a larger AC model.

> Didn't one of the Colorado RR Museum Annuals
> have an article on the Gilmore &
> Pittsburg? There might be a photo or two
> there.

> If someone wanted to spend the time and
> money needed to restore the car, much of
> what was needed could probably be found with
> antique truck people, and/or copying what
> was on the BC&G car


mikefrommontana@juno.com