Varnish

Passenger Cars

This page hosts some of the miscellaneous non-Amtrak passenger equipment that I've bumped into in various places. I have moved all the Amtrak information to my Amtrak section.

See also my Rio Grande Zephyr and Ski Train pages, as well as the San Luis & Rio Grande pages. For narrow gauge, start at my D&S page.

Open-end Pullman observation car FRIENDSHIP, sitting on a spur in South Fork, CO on 12/26/2000. It's destined to be the offices of the Wagon Wheel Gap railroad, a startup tourist line between South Fork and Creede.

On 12/26/1998, Amtrak #5 (the California Zephyr was sporting two private cars in the consist at Rocky Flats, including this car-- lettered "Trans Alpine and Sierra". It also appears in the shot below. (If you have any information about this car, please drop me a line.)

Wisconsin Central's private car "Sierra Hotel" is on Amtrak #5 ) at Plainview, 12/26/1998. This car was originally CB&Q #251, the dorm-buffet-lounge "Silver Lounge" from the original California Zephyr. It was modified in 1987/88 with an open-end observation platform.

G R A N D   C A N Y O N   R A I L W A Y   C A R S

GCRX has a large stable of vintage passenger cars, far more than they will ever operate. A real treat is their collection of dome cars. As of this writing, two are in regular service and others may eventually be used. Many of their cars, sadly, serve mainly as a source of parts.

Grand Canyon Railway dome car "Coconino", parked at the South rim on 4/12/1999. This car was originally Northern Pacific #554, and has been on the GCRY since 1996.

Opposite side of the "Coconino". Visit the WebLurker's DOME.main for more information on this and other dome cars.

Twelve years later, the Coconino has a new paint job.  Seen at roughly the same location as photos above on 8/27/2011.  The Grand Canyon Railway has made improvements to the depot area.
GCRX #7021 is the former D&RGW #1106 "SILVER COLT", dome coach from California Zephyr and Rio Grande Zephyr service.  It's spotted near the Grand Canyon Railway shops in Williams on 8/28/2011.
Grand Canyon Railway dome "Grand View", waiting at the South Rim on 8/27/2011.  This car is the former CB&Q dome #4722 "SILVER STIRRUP" from California Zephyr service.

(more GCRX cars to come soon!)

The 1915-vintage heavyweight Ski Train cars. Here they're rounding the curve at Crescent in January 1982 (I think...). It was the annual Mayor of Denver's ski trip. These eight cars served on the Ski Train up until 1987, when they were sold to the Napa Valley Wine Train.

A round-end observation car destined for the startup tourist line between South Fork and Creede, resting in Monte Vista, CO on 10/20/2001. The reporting marks read "PPCX 6401".

The car is formerly SCL 776003, exx-5821, nee-SAL 6401. It was built by Budd as a coach - lounge observation car but rejected by Amtrak since the lounge had no provision for a bar or buffet, so SCL rebuilt the car into an Instruction car (hence the plated-over windows). There were three cars in this series and all three became Instruction cars.  (Thanks, Jerry, for the detailed information!)

It doesn't look like much now, but this car has a long and glorious history. Originally built with wood sheathing by Barney & Smith in 1910 as Western Pacific's OAKLAND, it was returned to the D&RGW in November 1923. In 1936 it was rebuilt with steel sheathing and large picture windows as diner-lounge MOUNT YALE. It saw service on the premier trains of the day, including the Exposition Flyer and others. It was retired and put into maintenance-of-way service as AX-3275 in February 1953. Here it's seen at Grand Junction, December 1, 2002.

San Luis & Rio Grande car 5907.  An RPO / Baggage, It wore UP colors when it first arrived here. Now it has the "Denver & Rio Grande" lettering, but evidently is destined for service on the SLRG instead (or in the interim).  Not certain what they would use it for, unless they plan to convert it to a snack car or something.  Parked at Monte Vista, 12/28/2009.  (If you have more information, please send me a note.)