Passenger cars prior to 1880 typically had decorative painted canvas head-linings or ceilings. Virginia Truckee 16 at the California State Museum is one example. Does anyone have knowledge or experience concerning reproduction and installation of head-lining, for instance type and weight of canvass, source of materials, and installation procedure?

Kyle Wyatt, at CSRM, I believe was involved with installing the painted canvas ceilings in the cars at CSRM that have them. You should give him a call.

Interesting thread this one......we eventually hope to inherit C&S 521 in Cheyenne this car is a Wagner sleeping car 'Omaha' from 1866 and still has its canvas ceilings...problem is they have been painted over and over probably with enamels.....would X rays show up a pattern underneath the paint ? Im sure there is no way to successfully remove it, unlike car 57s wooden ceilings that had been overpainted.
The owners have said i could remove a ceiling to try restoration

Mike Pannell

I believe CSRM found no way to restore the original canvas, so they removed it and preserved them. They were able to determine what the original patterns were. I do not know if they had ever been painted over. Again, you should contact Kyle at CSRM. He will be able to answer all these questions. Please let us know what you find out.

Yes, Kyle Wyatt is your best source. He is very much in the wooden car era; almost to the exclusion of cars built using steel.

You will have to contact him. He will respond. But, he does not spend time reading on-line discussion forums.

Call up the business office or send an inquiry:
California State Railroad Museum contact page