All those with deep pockets, please feel free to jump in. The car is partially fire damaged, badly eviscerated, and still has asbestos running through it. She was once a gem (Weren't they all?), but needs a miracle right now. Trucks are excellent, btw. A dedicated museum team could do some serious renovation, but the expense would be huge. Owner doesn't seem to see what's at hand.

http://bangordailynews.com/2016/08/13/l ... residents/

I am amazed at the current owner's requirements for a sale. The car will be scrapped because of them.

C.

Another story of fool's gold. Think of all the money spent to move this car, the crane lift, etc., only to let it fall apart.

Yes, I had a deal in place to buy the car. Purchase and sale was generated by my attorney and was sent for her signature. She wanted to modify the purchase and sale so that I the purchaser was obligated to restore the car to it's 1926 condition. I was buying the car with plans to restore it to it's DL&W/EL post '53 appearance. She cancelled the deal.

SAA

How sad to see someone that out of touch with reality. NESCO or Downeast Scenic RR are the most logical groups to become her caretaker which is about all you can ask for at this point. Ms. Bell quite clearly does not understand just how costly it would be to simply even move the car right now, let alone restored to any condition.

Rob Gardner

Sounds like those murders that say: 'if I can't have her, no one can'

Very sad.

Regards,

Art S.

A Post-Gazette newspaper article from March 20, 2000, when the car was being moved out of Pittsburgh: Railroad car starts trip from rags back to riches

Repairs that were were quoted at $250,000 then, are now $500,000 in the other linked article. The dollar just doesn't go as far as it used to.

PC

I don't know, Rob. This car needs a situation where it can either be properly restored or cocooned and tucked away for a later day. There are very few groups with the funding or space to achieve either of those tasks. My bet is either an individual (or group) specifically interested in this car benefits from the owner rethinking her stipulations and making a palatable deal, or it gets parted out.

It's got no provenance that ties it to New England, and I doubt any of the New England preservation groups would want to take on a business car just because it's been located in VT and Maine with nowhere else to go.

It's just my opinion, but I see a very slim chance of anyone wanting this complete car because of its gilded age origins or its connection to politicians. There are people passionate about it because of its use by Perry Shoemaker during his time as president of the DL&W and CNJ. If she gets saved intact, that's the connection that will likely do it. The pre-1953 history is neat, but not wildly differentiating. The post-1953 "Shoemaker configuration" is what people have been passionate about. If the owner can align her vision with that reality, there may be hope. As you read above, had she previously accepted that reality, the car would already be in safe hands.

Had this been offered when it was a still a gem loaded with accoutrements from Shoemaker's day, then it may have had some wild value. Fate stripped that value long ago. It it is now in need of rescue. IMHO it belongs in Scranton, Hoboken or Jersey City fully restored to operation as Perry's car. But that is an expensive proposition which can only be undertaken by a select few dedicated individuals or groups.

Rob

As a 1926 car, at least it is steel, and seems to have updated trucks... It might be a good shell for a lounge car, for a tourist train, but restoration of the interior as a private car would both be expensive, and likely not offer the return on investment, and it likely doesn't have the historic integrity for a museum to take it on, especially considering the cost.

The article suggests the seller is trying charge $40,000, an unrealistic price for a shell.

Randy

On a few of the notes mentioned above. It's not so much that the dollar does not go as far as it used to. The car has significantly deteriorated over the last few years. There has been another fire inside the car, animals have ravished the interior, and the structure of the car is beginning to be an issue.

Rob hit the nail on the head with his discussion of the car. The real provenance is in the time on the DL&W/EL/CNJ. There are multiple private cars around which were owned by captains of industry or were used by former US presidents. Its anthracite roots are what make the car special.

SixAxleAlco

Hate to ask but since the Bangor Daily News link is not working I have little choice... which railcar is it that is being discussed?

Here is a seller's document that is suppose to tell the history of the car -- it is linked from the newspaper electronic article:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwX4t-nQWwo5eVFTd3A5RmU5QmE4eEQxTXF6emhjQlFJVDc0/view

The DL&W car Pocono 99(?) built for a private owner in 1923 and named Belford 99.

Thanks Brian... a real shame...

Reports, confirmed by private discussions, state that this car is currently registered as "NS 35" and is being prepped for shipment to Roanoke for conversion work to become part of the Norfolk Southern fleet--possibly a track geometry car.........