Seattle has been great!

A bit of the golden sunshine here and there with some rain, but generally very nice as weather goes. Plenty to see and do for all kinds of interests in and about the Emerald City. We even had a nice visit from the Seattle Center Monorail Bunny. Check out some views on their Facebook page.

Lots of work to get the train ready to go took place today. Kudos to everyone at Amtrak here in town for making everything happen.

A few views of some of the cars ahead of us so far as the train is assembled.

Seen above, is the business car Suits Me. Built By Pullman in 1928 as a office car for the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad. For 75 years, she was assigned to the president of this railroad.

The Berlin was built in 1956 was built in 1956 by Pullman for the Union Pacific as an 11 bedroom sleeping car called the Placid Lake. Recently it was part of the American European Express luxury train. In 2009 the current owners reconfigured the car and it is back in service.

The Dearing started life in 1925 as a 12 section 1 bedroom Pullman sleeping car named Thompson built for the Great Northern’s Oriental Limited train. In the early 1950’s she was sold to the Chicago Great Western Railway and was converted into a business car.

The Caritas was built in 1948 by Pullman for the St Louis San Francisco Railroad for service on trains such as the Texas Special as 4 bedroom 14 rooomette sleeping car.  In 1983, the car was converted with the addition of the open platform.

Plenty of cars still to come. Be sure to check back for more.

So, when I last left you, the Two Rivers and the Burrard were heading for Seattle on the rear of Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train. At Oakland, our cars along with the Federal were added to the train. Already on the rear of the train was the former Santa Fe sleeper lounge Vista Canyon. That made four cars on the rear leaving Oakland. Almost on time, we departed Oakland with minimal delay. The ride that night continued on along the shores of San Francisco and San Pablo bays, across the Sacramento River delta and up the valley north through the Sacramento Valley.

The view above shows dawn at we passed Mount Shasta at about 6:30 am. Most folks are still asleep, having been awake in the early hours, enjoying themselves the first night out on the Two Rivers.

After our stop at Klamath Falls, weather comes to pass in the form of rain. Heavy at times as we climb the Cascade Range. Breakfast is enjoyed on a quiet Sunday morning. After breakfast naps are common as we roll the miles by into Oregon. As we pull into Portland rain comes to spoil our arrival. And it’s plenty of passengers boarding the Starlight in the Superliners ahead.

A nice dinner is enjoyed as we pass along Puget Sound. Arrival into Seattle is on. Eventually, we are parked at King Street station, ready for the days ahead.

Check back as we start enjoying the Emerald City!!

So today as I take a few moments before heading out the door to be off for Seattle, it seems a good time to share the tale of how I got into all of this.

Genetically, actually.

One of my great grandfathers, after working for eight years as a vaquero on the back of a horse a various ranches in central Nevada’s Pine Valley, took a ride late one night in the cab of a steam locomotive. That was enough to convince him to take up railroading as a career. So it was that he began as a locomotive fireman over the original Central Pacific route on December 1, 1900. He was not the only one in his family to become a railroader. He even married into another family of railroaders. Eventually he became a locomotive engineer and rose to number one in seniority on the Salt Lake Division, running the famed City of San Francisco.

None of his sons followed him into the life of railroading. My father might have, as he rode with his grandfather aboard several of the Southern Pacific’s giant cab-forward steam locomotives between Sparks and Carlin. But he went elsewhere, even taking trips in the Merchant Marine to the Orient as an able bodied seaman.

No, it was up to me to take up railroading. And I started at the age of three years old. Took my first ride in the cab of a classic diesel locomotive around the Sparks yard, with both my dad and his grandfather. And yes, I was hooked.

I dabbled in model trains as a boy, with Lionel courtesy of my mother’s father. In 1970, I got my first railroad book. And the subject, Nevada’s famed Virginia & Truckee as authored by Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg. Beebe and Clegg owned two private railcars. The first was a wooden business car called the “Gold Coast”. It is part of the collection of the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. The second? The “Virginia City”, a classic Pullman steel heavyweight car. It still survives as a private railcar with owner Wade Pellizer. And tonight, it joins the Burrard and Two Rivers heading for Seattle on the rear of Amtrak’s Coat Starlight.

I got my practical exposure to railroading as a volunteer at the Western Railway Museum. Steam, diesel and electric locomotives. You name a job and I did it. Locomotive engineer and fireman. Conductor, too. But what got me closer to private railcars was working aboard the vintage Pullman cars carried on the museum’s Prairie trains. Providing first class service to passengers was work but also fun.

Heading north along the former Sacramento Northern with the Wildflower train. Pullman cars on the rear.

Things changed at Rio Vista and those opportunities went away. But there was a good group of people I worked with on those trains and it seemed a waste not to use their talents. Hence, Private Car Service was born. Our first trip, was aboard the Burrard, from Emeryville to Sparks, for a group from Pixar. They were the Story Crew for the Toy Story 2 film. A good time was had by all. And it was the first of many great adventures, for passengers and crew alike!

The Toy “Story” 2 Crew in the snow at Sparks.

Since that first trip, it’s been interesting. We’ve done trips with as many as four cars and 125 people aboard – or as few as five passengers on one car for a very memorable birthday. Even performed a wedding on the train between Los Angeles and San Diego.

Now, this trip to Seattle beckons… Be sure to follow along as we head off for the AAPRCO special. It promises to be a grand time.

If you are of a certain age, the image seen above is one that you may recall as the private railroad car of an age gone by. The Wanderer, as the railway home of US Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon, was the center piece of each episode of “The Wild Wild West” on CBS television between 1965 and 1969. That’s the fantasy, the romance of it all.

The reality is, well… interesting. Most people I know who own a private rail car started at some point by riding someone else’s car. Paying passenger or as part of a working crew. That leads to some point where there comes an opportunity to get more involved in the day to day life of a rail car. Maybe a chance to learn about the systems needed to keep a car roadworthy. Learn what it takes to make that excursion tick from first passenger aboard to the last minute when the car is safely parked away, awaiting the next outing. Perhaps the owner needs an extra hand for service during a charter and you’re just the right person? Either way, you’ve seen the elephant along the way.

If you’re not discouraged at this point, maybe you have caught the bug. A friend knows someone looking to sell off a rail car and you give it the once over. Just like buying any vintage automobile, it can be caveat emptor. Learning what the real condition of a car is can be an education. And just like taking that auto to a garage for a once over be good mechanic can tell tales, so it is with a the private rail car world. There are folks who will give you an honest assessment of what lies ahead. As I said in the first part of this tale, paint hides a multitude of sins. All that helps when negotiations on the price come into play. Just like that boat, plane or vintage automobile.

In the case of a railroad car, age is a factor. Most cars on the road today were built after World War II. It was a time when the railroads looked to re-equip aging trains to attract post-war travelers. Trains such as the Zephyr’s, the Chief’s, the Daylight’s all gleamed as they passed through towns to grab the eyes and the wallets of potential passengers. And in most cases, these were the cars that made the transition to Amtrak when the railroads exited the passenger business in 1971. Pullman built it’s last intercity passenger cars in 1965, an order of 10 coaches for the Kansas City Southern. So at this point, even those newest of cars are now approaching 50 years old. The post-war fleet is almost 70 years old.

But that does not mean older cars are not out there. Some of the Pullman pre-war fleet found life in ownership by the railroads and private individuals. One of the cars that will be making the 2013 convention trip dates to 1911. A classic private railroad business car, the Federal can call up a bit of Presidential history, having been used by US Presidents Taft and Wilson from 1911 to 1916. But even so, it has to meet the current Amtrak standards. With extensive restoration and upgrades, it returned to service in 2002.

The choice of what kind of rail car is much like the choice of a vintage automobile or aircraft. Personal. It reflects what the new owner will do with the car. Railroads used passenger cars as the mobile offices of their day. Often various officials used them to tour the railroad, keeping an eye on conditions along the way; meeting shippers or discussing business with local community leaders. Such cars tended to have sleeping space aboard for the official assigned the car, his secretary (male) and perhaps space for a guest or two. Add a dining room, space for a kitchen and it’s chef and waiter. And on the rear, a lounge with an open platform to view the railroad as it traveled. All very effective for the day. And now, very desirable by many who own them.

But the railroads used all kinds of cars. Baggage cars that carried more than just the luggage of train passengers. Coaches for the short and long distances. Dining and lounge cars to keep the passengers full of food and drink. And finally, sleeping cars for passengers traveling overnight. These were often operated by the Pullman Company, with the crew of conductors, porters and maids to attend to all the needs of travelers aboard.

Some cars offered a combination of these types. For example, a popular choice for conversion to the private car is a sleeper-lounge. With both space to relax and sleep aboard, they were the favorite of many travelers then and continue to be now. The Two Rivers is a good example of a conversion by an owner. Originally, as built for the New York Central, it was a Pullman Sleeping Car. With 10 single private bedrooms (known as roomettes) and 6 private double bedrooms, this was a very common accommodation. When converted to a private rail car, 9 of the 10 roomettes were removed and an open lounge and galley replace them. Now it sleeps 13 passengers and crew (down from the original 22 passengers).

Another type of car that was popular on many railroads was the Dome car. The first of these cars was developed by the Burlington Route. It offered passengers a 360-degree view of passing scenery. Pullman, Budd and Amercian Car & Foundry all built versions of it. With the dome glass, it has become a specialized part of the private car world. The curved glass can be pricey to replace, just ask any one who has one! But you can’t beat the view along the way.

Now you have a bit more of an understanding of the kinds of cars out there. Saturday, the Two Rivers and Burrard head off to Seattle. And if time allows, I will share some tales of how I got involved in traveling this delightful way.

A fair question. Why does one own a private railroad car?

And to answer, for much the same reason one has a sports car, SUV, trailer, recreational vehicle, plane or boat. Because you want to.

When it comes to a private railroad car, much of the choice has to do with what you plan to do with it. For example, the first question that comes (much like the other vehicles) is where will you keep it? Let’s face it. This isn’t one of those things you will be adding to the garage at home. So, choices? You could have a section of track put in place somewhere and use your rail car as a hobby space, workshop or just a get away. Not a cheap choice, especially if you use a crane (or two) to have the car lifted into that spot chosen. And once you get there, the question of utilities raises it’s point in the discussion. Water, electricity and sewer may all play their roles here, as they will elsewhere.

Maybe you’ve found a spot to have the car parked some place where it can be moved by rail from time to time. Many owners do. But such a space tends to be charged for by the month. And those charges do add up quickly. Don’t forget utilities again…

If you plan to travel using your rail car, you can plan on seeing that it meets the current Amtrak standards. That means all the mechanical systems including air brakes, water and waste systems (because toilets must go to holding tanks), electrical and HVAC. Plan on having a generator to provide back-up  power on the car, because you never know when the Amtrak train supplied power may be unavailable. Or if traveling on a short line railroad, that head-end power option may not exist.

The basic integrity of the car body and windows must be up to date, too. Paint may hide a multitude of sins, but rust never sleeps and is eventually discovered. Cars need to look good as well. No one I know moves a car looking shoddy all the time. Even primer grey as an overall color looks much better than patch work. And I know of several cars that have made moves (even in passenger charter service) while in primer. Just like with a plane or boat, a quality paint job pays off.

Then you get into what you need aboard your rail car. Based on your choice of car, there are all kinds of things that come next. Basic needs are a good starting point here. Toilets. Decent toilets. With running water for sinks. Few women I know ever give this as an option. Planning to stay overnight aboard your car? Sleeping space of some kind becomes essential. Sleeping bags on a floor may be good enough for the bachelor railroad fans, but not the wife or girl friend. And a good working shower becomes one of those essentials, too. With hot water, no less

After all of that, planning on entertaining are you? Maybe having some friends over for drinks and snacks. Add in a galley with prep space and something to warm food. Even a small bar needs some kind of refrigeration, and that curse of running water is here again. Not to mention potable.

All in all, it is much like what you need aboard that trailer or motor home. Because at some point, it becomes a home away from home. Family, friends, business associates all may come to call aboard. Did I mention insurance? Just like a home of any kind, it’s not only a good idea, but can be required, especially when your car is moved by Amtrak. Check out Amtrak’s web page for Privately Owned Rail Cars. You get an idea of what they expect.

So… you’re still thinking that this appeals to you? Well, check in tomorrow and hear more of what lies ahead!