The Minnesota Transportation Museum has begun to restore GN 1084, the Twin Ports. Twin Ports was built by Pullman and later modified by the GN to serve on the Badger and the Gopher. Restoration work includes patching side sheets, replacing windows, a complete interior restoration, and installation of new wiring and generator. The project is estimated to cost $100,000 total, of which 50% has been raised. The other 50% will come from donations.

Please visit http://www.trainride.org/twinports/ to donate. All donors will be thanked in the following manner:

All levels: Plaque with names and amounts given on Twin Ports

Above $100: Two free coach tickets for the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway

Above $1000: Four tickets for the Benefactor Dinner Train in the Twin Ports from Osceola to Marine plus the above

Above $10000: The above plus a free charter train for a group of up to 100.



-Ryan Heath
Minnesota Transportation Museum

Good news, Ryan!

Information from Tom Madden's Pullman Project, the MTM website, and the Friends of the Burlington Northern:

8 parlors constructed by Pullman in Lot #4801 to Plan #3416
Equipped with 28 parlor chairs and 1 drawing room

The Pullman Project (CCR database page): http://pullmanproject.com/Database.htm

GN #1084 "Twin Ports"

"Natalie" (completed 8/25/1924)
Sold to GN 4/27/1938 for Pullman lease service as GN parlor #1084. Withheld from Pullman lease 6/1/1942. Remodeled to GN coach #1084, 1942. Remodeled back to parlor configuration in 1945 as #1084. Remodeled to buffet-parlor in 4/1952 as #1084 and named "Twin Ports." To BN via merger, 1970. Declared surplus 4/1971 and stored. Used as a parts source for the BN business fleet until sold to MTM in 1979.

Minnesota Transportation Museum website:
History of the "Twin Ports" (GN #1084): http://www.mtmuseum.org/roster.php?page=gn1084
Picture 1: http://www.mtmuseum.org/jsr/roster/gn1084.jpg
Picture 2: http://www.mtmuseum.org/jsr/roster/gn1084d.jpg

GN #1083 "Twin Cities"

"Cordelia" (completed 8/12/1924)
Sold to GN 5/9/38 for Pullman lease service as GN parlor #1083. Withheld from Pullman lease 6/1/1942. Remodeled to GN coach #1083, 1942. Remodeled back to parlor configuration in 1945 as #1083. Remodeled to buffet-parlor in 4/1952 as #1083 and named "Twin Cities." To BN via merger, 1970. Renumbered to #968084. Declared surplus 4/1971 and stored at Como Shops. Selected for conversion to track measuring car, 1973. Conversion completed 3/1/1974 as BN #B9. Overhauled at Fort Worth and completed 5/1/1983 as BN track geometry car #B9. To BNSF via merger, 1995 as #80 (1st). Stored at Topeka.

Friends of the Burlington Northern website:
Information page on the #B9. Note that the page incorrectly says the #B9 was retired in 1993 and scrapped. Close inspection of recent photos (from 2007) confirms the BNSF #80 (1st) is indeed the "Twin Cities," in particular the vestibule, the riveting pattern, and the placement/number of windows (compare photos of the #80 to that of the "Twin Ports" above): http://fobnr.org/bncarlist/passenger/bnb9.htm
1974 diagram of the #B9 (click image once to magnify): http://fobnr.org/bncarlist/passenger/bnb9.jpg (note that the diagram has an incorrect Pullman construction date of 1920)
1983 diagram of the #B9 (click image once to magnify): http://fobnr.org/bncarlist/passenger/bnb9a.jpg (note the same incorrect Pullman date)
Photograph of the car in its 1974 configuration (click image once to magnify): http://fobnr.org/bncarlist/passenger/bnpb9.jpg

Pictures of the BN #B9/BNSF #80:
1. At Mobile, AL, 3/1/1998 (still in BN Cascade Green): http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=613968 (G. Gerard photo)
2. Closeup of the inspection end at Mobile: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=613967 (G. Gerard photo)
3. At Topeka, KS, 10/19/2007: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=922779 (Jeff Carlson photo)
4. Another view at Topeka, KS, 1 week later (note that the inspection window has been boarded up): http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=930423 (Jeff Carlson photo)

Here is the original post by "ChicagoGreatWestern" which I am reposting because I could not read the text easily due to the oversized photo originally included:

Because some money is already available, work on 1084 has already begun. Current work is focused on preparing window openings for new glazing and preparing the interior for new insulation.
Pictures will be coming next week.
Ryan