RailRoadFan.com

For the better part of a decade, Sam Staples of Mt. Pleasant has used his 85-foot, fully-functioning train car as a unique place for parties and trips that travelled as far north as Petosky.

Now, that same train car is on track to go to Lake State Railway in Saginaw where it will be used for similar purposes.

http://www.themorningsun.com/general-ne ... -new-owner

He tried to sell it to me last year in Petoskey and Cadillac. Nice car but not compatible with Amtraks. He's the one that told me Mr. FRY owned the others in Mt. Pleasant. Since LSRC put it in Saginaw the copper wiring to finish it was stolen out of a building next to it. Lets hope they can secure it so all his hard work restoring it isn't wasted.

Anyone have interior shots of this modernized car? How cool would that be to have the means to own and operate this party on steel wheels!

How is it not compatible with AMTRAK

He told me it wasn't. When listed with Ozark Mtn.railcar could only be used on shortlines, dinner trains etc. Voltage was not compatible with Amtrak and I think their was an issue with the wheels. Maybe that was what they were going to change when the wire got stolen in Saginaw. Anyway nice car inside plush lounge sofas, bar, LED lighting I think he had 4 bedrooms for sleeping.

Fast-track forward to today, after countless trips around the state, sometimes costing about $2,300 to pay for an engine and trained crew, the man who was referred to as a train aficionado in a 2012 Morning Sun article is set to say goodbye to his life-sized toy once and for all.

I'm not familiar with this old car. On what trains would it travel "around the state"?

It takes a lot of work to get a car to meet Amtrak standards.

SD80MAC wrote:It takes a lot of work to get a car to meet Amtrak standards.

Iirc Amtrak certification includes being able to travel 125mph (or might be 110..) for all cars, not just those operating on the northeast corridor. That way all cars are the same and there is no wondering if you can or can't do it. I'm thinking TRAINS had an issue about private car ownership about 2 years ago. Add on proper trucks, approved body, ect.. It's costly. I've heard some say it often cost as much as the rail car or more to get a non certified car up to snuff (that is of course depending on what needs to be done)

Quote from the Morning Sun article:

McGoff is said to have bought the train car in 1982 from Amtrak and remodeled it into a private business car to the tune of approximately $200,000.

Seems if it was bought from Amtrak it would already be Amtrak ready

If they bought it in 1982 from Amtrak do you think quite possibly that standards and practices may have changed? OR that they sold it cause it wasn't compatible back in the day and were getting rid of useless or non-standard equipment.....

When I rode the Broadway in '80, the dining car chief announced that it was the first ride for the third of three Broadway HEP trainsets. So it's quite likely that a car sold in 1982 would be highly incompatible, especially if it sat around for a while. Waht's now Eagle Canon sat around for quite a few years.

Plus, HEP cars had a different diaphrahm, communications system and step plate height, too.

It's interesting that LSRC is getting all these varnish cars. There's been recent videos of the ex-GLC dining car also on the property as well. Are they doing that well they can now support an "OCS" train?

GLC did not sell their dining car. It was loaned to LSRC for a run with the lettering sans reporting marks blanked out to avoid confusion on whose railroad was operating the trip. The car is back in Owosso with the rest of the GLC fleet.

If you want to know more about Amtrak requirements, it is all online. Plethora of requirements and standards, seemingly unlimited inspections, etc. I suppose all in the name of making sure stuff works and won't delay their trains!

Biggest things, like any other car, is running gear and frame.

BerkshireKid wrote:GLC did not sell their dining car. It was loaned to LSRC for a run with the lettering sans reporting marks blanked out to avoid confusion on whose railroad was operating the trip. The car is back in Owosso with the rest of the GLC fleet.

Thanks for the info, BK. But aside from us, does anybody really notice/care whose equipment LSRC is operating? I have a hard time believing a borrowed car would cause a problem for anyone other than a railfan forum, according to what I see posted by "those who know" in these forums on a regular basis.

Is the GLC car the Ferris or another one as we use that one on our color tours in the fall.

GreatLakesRailfan wrote:

BerkshireKid wrote:GLC did not sell their dining car. It was loaned to LSRC for a run with the lettering sans reporting marks blanked out to avoid confusion on whose railroad was operating the trip. The car is back in Owosso with the rest of the GLC fleet.

Thanks for the info, BK. But aside from us, does anybody really notice/care whose equipment LSRC is operating? I have a hard time believing a borrowed car would cause a problem for anyone other than a railfan forum, according to what I see posted by "those who know" in these forums on a regular basis.

Well since you mention it.... Yes, yes it does matter and apparently it mattered enough for the LSRC to cover the lettering. You'd be surprised how much corporate image matters. NS didn't repaint all their equipment just for the fun of it, they wanted their customers and the public to know who operates their lines. You'd be surprised how many businesses skip rail service based on say NS switching a customer with a BNSF engine. That customer sees a BNSF engine, calls the BNSF, BNSF says "We don't operate or switch that line" and hangs up the phone, the customer not knowing who operates the line calls a trucking company and BAMMM!!! Lost rail service to trucks just because of a paint job or lettering on an engine.

Super Chief,
The Ferris was used by LSRC to supplement their train last year not the power car/coach.

Hopefully some future shippers are given a ride in it. The car is first class and I'm surprised someone in Traverse City didn't pick it up. Sam entertained family and friends on the color tours with it and at least now it will visit Gaylord and Grayling and other beautiful Michigan cities on LSRC lines. The Ferris was our bar car on the SRI color tours on GLC last year and the views are great from its windows.

BerkshireKid wrote:

GreatLakesRailfan wrote:

BerkshireKid wrote:GLC did not sell their dining car. It was loaned to LSRC for a run with the lettering sans reporting marks blanked out to avoid confusion on whose railroad was operating the trip. The car is back in Owosso with the rest of the GLC fleet.

Thanks for the info, BK. But aside from us, does anybody really notice/care whose equipment LSRC is operating? I have a hard time believing a borrowed car would cause a problem for anyone other than a railfan forum, according to what I see posted by "those who know" in these forums on a regular basis.

Well since you mention it.... Yes, yes it does matter and apparently it mattered enough for the LSRC to cover the lettering. You'd be surprised how much corporate image matters. NS didn't repaint all their equipment just for the fun of it, they wanted their customers and the public to know who operates their lines. You'd be surprised how many businesses skip rail service based on say NS switching a customer with a BNSF engine. That customer sees a BNSF engine, calls the BNSF, BNSF says "We don't operate or switch that line" and hangs up the phone, the customer not knowing who operates the line calls a trucking company and BAMMM!!! Lost rail service to trucks just because of a paint job or lettering on an engine.

That is surprising. And an eye opener. Thanks Dane.