10-6 sleeper cars

I said the train name was the Super Chief. I did not specify pre- or post Amtrak. Remember that ATSF did not withdraw the "Chief" trademark for some years. They withdrew it when they felt the Super and the Texas Chief had fallen below their standards of opeation.

Point of fact, this trip was around 1975-76. The dome was most likely ex-NP.

That WAS a single bedroom under the dome!

Colonel--

Only two roads ordered Sleeper Domes, C&O and NP.

If, in the unlikely event a C&O Dome was assigned to the Chief, you would have instantly noted the "low profile" dome; therefore it was a safe assumption your car was ex-NP (OK, SP&S, or CB&Q pool contributions).

I was fortunate enough to have travelled on one of the dome sleepers on the Empire Builder Chgo- Sea not long after A-Day.
The single sleeper (at roomette cost!!) was a pleasure to ride (and sleep) in. (MUCH better than a roomette) As it turned out, myself and the porter were the only ones on that car for the trip. So I had my own "private varnish" with a dome. Quite a trip!!

I just know this. I like Domes.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Slumbercoaches ... two others acquired by B&O but were sold to Amtrak by an intermediary.

I think he was Sam Freeman, owner of Florida East Coast steam engine 148. I inspected the cars for him at Lebanon, N.J. CNJ team track long ago.

We've wandered a long way from the original title of this post. But while we're on the subject of sleepercoaches, don't foget the "budget room coaches" operated by SCL in the late 1960s. These were 16 duplex roomette/4 bedroom cars originally built for B&O -- the only ones I know of in this configuration. SCL leased, then bought, the cars. They were named for birds ("Wren", "Bob-o-Link"). As "budget room coaches", they were quite a bargain, since the duplex roomettes were essentially the same as full roomettes.

I *swear* that all the "center bedroom" cars I saw (including one I rode on the Capitol Ltd. in 1970) were 8-6 cars. Is everyone *sure* there were 10-6 cars in this config?

But it's all ancient history now. Long live the Pullman Company!

Ms Bly,

I'm out of position in Northern Nevada, so I do not have access to my library. When I do, I will email you off list with car names, plan numbers, and diagram numbers.

John Perkowski

Ms Bly, the B&O large window, center of car Bedrooms "Opequon" 4167/6814 and nine others were 10-6. Cars of that design eventually were delivered not only to C&O and B&O, but also to the IC, and NKP. .

Mr. Norman:

Thanks. So much for trusting a 35-year-old memory. Perhaps I'm confusing the ex-C&O cars with CRIP cars that *were* 8-6.

BTW, the only NKP car I ever traveled in was a "straight" 10-6 that showed up on the East Coast Champion in the 1960s. I didn't even know where NKP ran, and the porter didn't either!

Oh, and in response to an earlier post about ACF and Pullman cars riding better than Budd cars, Amen to that. The smoothest ride I can ever recall was on a former NYC smooth-side car on the D&H "Montreal Limited" in 1970. At the moderate speeds the D&H ran, it sometimes felt as if the car was floating rather than rolling. Quietest sleeper I've ever been in.

Or Viewliner Economy Sleeper that would be like a Slumber Coach..

We've wandered a long way from the original title of this post. But while we're on the subject of sleepercoaches, don't foget the "budget room coaches" operated by SCL in the late 1960s. These were 16 duplex roomette/4 bedroom cars originally built for B&O -- the only ones I know of in this configuration. SCL leased, then bought, the cars. They were named for birds ("Wren", "Bob-o-Link"). As "budget room coaches", they were quite a bargain, since the duplex roomettes were essentially the same as full roomettes.

(Interpreting this as a comment on 16-4 sleepers ...)

16 Duplex Roomette-4 Double Bedroom Sleepers could also be found on the GREAT NORTHERN (and CB&Q) and the MILWAUKEE ROAD.

The GN cars came in 2 varieties ... a 1947 variety and a 1950 variety, both named in the GLACIER series. Both were P-S products, and had center-bedrooms; the 1947 variety was of the "hybrid" type, with open hoppers in the bedrooms, while the 1950 variety had enclosed annexes. Most of these were scrapped, although several made it into work train service. I don't think that any were ever assigned to the EMPIRE BUILDER; usually found on the WESTERN STAR and other GN sleeper services. I believe that, when these cars operated in the WESTERN STAR in the "just before AMTRAK" days, the fare was similar to that of the competing slumbercoach on the NP MAINSTEETER. None made it to AMTRAK.

The MILWAUKEE ROAD sleepers were unique in that the bedrooms were NOT located in the center of the car! The 16 duplex roomettes were all located together, followed by the bedrooms, similar to a 10-6 of the time. These were a P-S product of 1949. These usually operated on the PIONEER LIMITED, although other assignments were always possible. All (4) were scrapped in 1969. So, obviously, none made it to AMTRAK

C&NW operated a similar style car - 16 Duplex Roomettes, 3 Double Bedrooms, 1 Compartment. (Another "hybrid" style ... bedrooms with open hoppers, the compartment with an enclosed annex.) None of these survive, to my knowledge.

P.S. to Mr. Norman ... seems that we could use something like a passenger equipment forum. Thoughts???