If my observations are correct:

Here's what was/is being scrapped (not counting the approx. 20 boxcars that were cut up).

Here are the cars that make up the childcare center (which I think has been given an extension), as well as the F-unit and two streamlined cars that were removed from the complex a while back:

Thanks for posting the photos!

Of the two stainless steel cars, the "Fort Benning" observation car was moved last year to Oak Ridge, TN, and is in good hands.

Does anyone know who moved the ex-ACL baggage-coach and the ex-Alaska RR covered wagon shell?

I didn't know about the other two lightweight cars. Just from the windows alone, I'd say they were both ex-SP Daylight cars of some sort, but which ones exactly I don't know. From the last photo, its clear one has unfortunately been cut in half, and the other one looks to be at least in one piece, even if the interior has been completely modified! Does anyone know the identities of either of the ex-SP cars?? Also, how they ended up with the ex-Melco Labs stainless steel cars??

Regarding the three heavyweights, does anyone know the histories of the ex-NP car and the 2nd ex-UP car?? (The "Cascade Pass" in the first picture above I already have the info for.)

Rainier, I do not think that the car in the last photo has been cut in half. If I remember correctly, that building is built around the car. This is a common thing to be done with converted passenger equipment that has been converted to building status..

A photo I have of the other side of the NP car reveals the word "Pullman" painted on the the side of the car underneath the windows, and an air duct running along the outside of the clerestory, indicating the car was modernized with at some point.

When I enlarge the size of the second image, the one with both the UP and the NP car, I can make out "Douglas Fir" painted on the side of the car.

--Drew Black

OK, I'll see if I can get off the FEC thing. I assumed (yes always dangerous) when I first looked at it and saw the long letterboard that it was FEC. In reality the letterboard was SCL. Anyway, I apparently can't shake the notion of FEC even when I know better. Sorry for confusing the issue.

So, moving ahead, the Bag-Dorm was ACL 105, not 106, and later SCL 5018 and then AMTK 1518. Sadly, it will probably go to railroad car heaven along with the Alaska RR F unit. 1518 is missing couplers, yokes, draft gear, correct trucks, valves, safety appliances and so on. The F unit has no couplers, the yokes have been sliced off flush with the frame, no motors, prime mover, electricals, etc., and sadly it may be the best F unit carbody I've ever looked at.

As far as the comment on the equipment moving, the F unit, bag dorm and the Fort Benning were originally located where the heavyweights are/were. They got moved to there current location 10 plus years ago. I suspect this is where the "moving" comment comes from.

And now, for Tavor, you can get as annoyed as you want. How long did you know the TTI stuff was there and derelict? Did you talk to the owner? Did you talk to the property owner to find a contact to inquire about them? They were offered to a half dozen different groups and nobody would bite. I think the Kentucky Central folks made a good faith effort. I would guess that if you had the cash and resources, and were a 501c-3, they'd have been happy to give them to you. If you want to rely on RYPN for your info, they made you aware in 2010 that the equipment was in peril:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29373&hilit=nicholasville

I certainly don't, and wouldn't discount RYPN as a source of information. If I was disposing of something I'd most likely share it here (anyone want a Southern bay window caboose btw?) among other places. I would guess that RYPN accounts for less than 1% of the equipment transfers in this country in a year. If you're looking for something you may want a broader horizon than just this site.

...and if you'll read through this thread (and the links) you'll find all the info you need to take a run at any of the Yakima equipment. One of the articles that ADM linked to was the one that served as the start to our acquisition of the Fort Benning. I hope someone took a run at the former NP semaphore collection....

Finally, for David, no it didn't really happen....

ETA

Thanks, Drew, for the info!

"Douglas Fir" is a 10S-1DR-1C sleeper constructed in 1930 by P-S in Lot #6358 to Plan #3973A. It was one of thirteen such sleepers built in that Lot, seven of which were sold to UP at the 12/31/48 divestiture. At the same date, SP purchased one and the Big Four (CCC&StL) purchased four.

Of the seven cars purchased by UP, three were modified as bunk cars for MofW use in 1963-64, including the "Douglas Fir", which became MofW #906021.

A fourth car from this Lot purchased by UP, the "Balsam Fir", was reconfigured to UP Dynamometer #210 in 1964. The #210 still serves as a Mobile Laboratory, and is Amtrak registered (I couldn't find the #800xxx-number). It was recently refurbished (2011-2013) at the shops in Cheyenne, after having been in storage in Omaha for at least six years. I had the pleasure of seeing the #210 on the rear of the westbound #5 California Zephyr at Denver back in August, as I was waiting to board.

Sources:

1. UP information from Don Strack's Utah Rails website at: http://utahrails.net/pass/pass-index.php

2. Pullman information from Tom Madden's Pullman Project CCR database at: http://pullmanproject.com/Database.htm

I'm still trying to identify the ex-NP heavyweight sleeper that was part of the Track 29 development in Yakima.

Along with the two ex-UP sleepers, Douglas Fir and Pelham (disguised as Cascade Pass), I had listed the ex-NP car in the "Surviving Pullman Heavyweight Sleeping Cars" thread (http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30187), noting that the future of these three cars was very uncertain.

I have not heard anything in a while about whether or not these cars were scrapped. Can anyone provide an update??

I did some searching around, and could not find any photos of the ex-NP sleeper that I could use to identify it. Has anyone taken photos of this car, or written down any car names apparent on the side?

There is one photo on RR Picture Archives of the Pelham (disguised as Cascade Pass), which was the car closest to the BNSF (ex-NP) Stampede Pass line, the ex-NP car was the one farthest away from the mainline.

Pelham: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=437928 (Al Ahlgrim photo)

On a side note, has anyone been able to identify the two lightweight cars that made up the childcare center on the northern edge of the development?

One of the cars looks very Monon!

Did I miss your pictures of the two stainless cars left?

The two stainless cars are right behind the F-Unit. I didn't get individual photos of them.

Might be a good time for you fellows to read back through this thread. There is at most only one Stainless car left.

The two day care cars should look very much like your friendly neighborhood Monon cars -- as we say, there is a reason for that. They aren't Monon, but they are circa 1944/1945 US Army Hospital cars similar to what Monon built their streamliners from. They were still "E" couplers, had not been converted to truck mounted brake cylinders, and had Timken Quad bearings all of which was contrary to the Monon cars I've seen. I'd rather much suspect that they'd been GN or NP or SP&S (based on the bearings), but Pacific Northwest roads are not my strong suit.

ETA

I posted the links to these photos over in the "Surviving SOU Lightweight Cars" thread (http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35551), as they feature CofG observation #692 Ft. Benning, one of the two lightweight cars.

1. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8517245527_b0a0f08c2f_o.jpg (Peter Lewis photo) (click once to enlarge)

2. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8519/8517247831_26d78366c3_o.jpg (Peter Lewis photo) (click once to enlarge)

3. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8518357296_e8ed10bd2d_o.jpg (Peter Lewis photo) (click once to enlarge)

4. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8095/8518358370_b5b03503ea_o.jpg (Peter Lewis photo) (click once to enlarge)

The other car is ex-ACL baggage dormitory #106, which was later SCL #5018/AMTK #1518. Both cars were owned by Melco Labs, which named the ACL #106 Ft. Monmouth. The CofG #692 Ft. Benning was purchased by ETA and Hayneshopcat in 2012 and moved from Yakima to Oak Ridge, TN.

YAY! Way to go ETA and Hayneshopcat!

If you want to see some of the photos of the Fort Benning move, check out the Facebook page of the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. I've been watching that car since I worked for UP out of LaGrande back in the 1980s, and made sure the word got out when it became available. Fort Benning joins Fort Oglethorpe and Fort McPherson at Oak Ridge. That is three of the 4 cars of the CofG Man O'War. We'd have the fourth but my wife put her foot down in 1994 when I was trying to buy it. She still apologizes about it now and then.