I recently heard that IRM scrapped two C&NW passenger cars, business car #404 and RPO #1131.
Can anyone confirm whether this is true or not? I really hope this information is incorrect and these cars are still around.

Allan

ddg14@attbi.com

> I recently heard that IRM scrapped two
> C&NW passenger cars, business car #404
> and RPO #1131.
> Can anyone confirm whether this is true or
> not?

It's true. Both cars' frames had practically collapsed, and both cars' sides were falling off. It was deemed impossible to restore either car, as such a restoration would entail replacement of essentially the entire body. Parts were salvaged to make it possible to restore other cars at IRM.

Frank Hicks

fullparallel@wideopenwest.com

If memory serves me right, which it can really be a disservice at times, calling these two cars hulks would be an overstatement. I seem to recall someone posting pictures of these cars. Perhaps those pictures could be made available again to illustrate my point. I'm a dyed-in-the-wool C&NW fan, but I can understand this action. That is, if my memory is working correctly... Can anyone confirm?

God Bless,
Gerald W. Kopiasz, President
Heartland Railroad Historical Society

> I recently heard that IRM scrapped two
> C&NW passenger cars, business car #404
> and RPO #1131.
> Can anyone confirm whether this is true or
> not? I really hope this information is
> incorrect and these cars are still around.

> Allan


hrrhs@aol.com

I'm sorry to hear they are gone. I knew the RPO was in real bad shape, but I didn't realize the business car was that bad.
I'm glad to hear that at least some parts were saved to help restore other cars.

Allan

ddg14@attbi.com

th biz car was real bad shape. look at the pic if i can make it work. and the po car was a lot worst

rob

heres the rpo car pic too

rob jamison

No Message

Hey Guys,

This doesn't make any sense to me. This car looks to be in retoreable shape. If it's wood, then it wouldn't be to hard to restore. Our group is planning to move and restore a wood caboose that is in much worse shape than this car.

If it wasn't wanted, then why wasn't it offered to another museum that would try to restore it and would benefit from it? There are many groups that would be happy with a chance to preserve a business car or other equipment. These cars aren't going to be produced again and we should try to save as many as we can.

just my 2 cents.

Stuart

gnufe@apex.net

> Hey Guys,

> This doesn't make any sense to me. This car
> looks to be in retoreable shape. If it's
> wood, then it wouldn't be to hard to
> restore. Our group is planning to move and
> restore a wood caboose that is in much worse
> shape than this car.

> If it wasn't wanted, then why wasn't it
> offered to another museum that would try to
> restore it and would benefit from it? There
> are many groups that would be happy with a
> chance to preserve a business car or other
> equipment. These cars aren't going to be
> produced again and we should try to save as
> many as we can.

> just my 2 cents.

> Stuart

They WERE offered--no takers, except for parts, some of which went to at least one other operator. And these were not even in good enough shape to call "junk". If your caboose is "worse," then I suggest that you might as well save the trucks and start from scratch--that's the only way these cars could have been "saved".

Kevinmccabe@avenew.com

> They WERE offered--no takers, except for
> parts, some of which went to at least one
> other operator. And these were not even in
> good enough shape to call "junk".
> If your caboose is "worse," then I
> suggest that you might as well save the
> trucks and start from scratch--that's the
> only way these cars could have been
> "saved".

Kevin,

I respect IRM's deciscion to make razor blades out of the cars, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

Our caboose may have a calopsed roof and sides that are falling off, but we have a great bunch of guys that are gung-ho about restoring it and very talented in what they do. The caboose fits our mission statement to a T and is worthy of the effort. The main thing we will have to work on is the funding as we aren't a big group and don't have an, as yet, established source of income.

Where there's a will there's a way. All it takes is one person and an idea.

Condition of equipment is very subjective. One person can see a pile of junk, while another can see the beauty behind the rust and deterioration. From the pictures posted in this thread, the car didn't look to bad to me. True, I haven't seen it in person and won't get the chance, but it could have been restored. Look at the FEBT. They raised the funds to purchase two cars and truck them from Co to Pa and from the pictures, the cars looked like they would fall apart if you looked at them the wrong way, but FEBT did it and I applaud there efforts.

Better communication and cooperation between groups will go along way towards getting the word out when a piece of equipment needs to be rescued and finding someone to rescue it.

I'm not trying to start a war of words, I just wanted to plant an idea that there is another way. Working together is not a bad thing and can benefit many groups. The smaller groups don't have the resources of the larger ones and need the help. They can also be a way to dispose of some of the less wanted pieces of equipment languishing in the back lot of the museum.

Stuart


gnufe@apex.net