what was the round end car in the movie Polar Express?

152696 · **Joined:** Tue Oct 27, 2020 7:26 pm **Posts:** 62

i have spent some time looking for round end cars with an observation deck like the polar express. i saw one article about what it was based off of. i searched and found no results. i later tried to find the article again a month or 2 later. but had no luck.

does anyone have any info on the origins of this beautiful passenger car?

thx

o anderson · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:34 am

It was based on a Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee (North Shore Line) parlor-observation car. Two of these survive, both motorized and converted to straight coach with conventional ends, during the need for serving additional passengers during WW2.

Tom F · **Joined:** Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:04 pm **Posts:** 314

The "Mardi Gras" is a similar car used on the former Iowa Pacific. No rear observation platform but it did have the red light on top of the car. This car is a wonderful ride if you ever get the chance. I believe it is currently for sale but can not confirm. More information below.

http://railfan44.blogspot.com/2012/09/a ... ide-i.html

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:31 am

Wasn't Mardi Gras bought by either RBMN or TVRM from the Iowa Pacific auction? Yeah, nice car, come take a ride on the original storied City of New Orleans.

wesp · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:17 am

Quote:

[The car] was based on a Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee (North Shore Line) parlor-observation car. Two of these survive, both motorized and converted to straight coach with conventional ends, during the need for serving additional passengers during WW2.

Link to photo of CNS&M 410 from the Don Ross site.

Wesley

Al Stangenberger · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:59 pm **Posts:** 650

If round-end interurban cars are of interest, Western Railway Museum has Sacramento Northern's Bidwell.

https://www.wrm.org/visit/car-roster/pa ... rn-bidwell

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Mon Jul 05, 2021 6:44 am

How about this car in the Beijing railway museum?

Aarne H. Frobom · **Posted:** Tue Jul 06, 2021 6:13 pm

If there was ever a steam-road observation car with a rounded platform I've never seen a picture of it. It would not have worked with normal draft gear and steps.

One remarkable car that came close was Pere Marquette parlor-cafe-observation No. 25, built by American Car and Foundry in 1901. This is featured in "Pere Marquette Passener Car Pictorial" by Art Million. The open platform was conventionally-shaped but longer than normal, and the end of the carbody was rounded, with curved-glass windows wrapping around the corners. A wooden round-end observation! The car appears to have been unique, and was out of service by 1924.

Aarne H. Frobom
Steam Railroading Institute
Owosso, Michigan