Railroad Forums 

  • RDG 15 at Philadelphia enroute to RCT&HS

  • Discussion Related to the Reading Company 1833-1976 and it's predecessors Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway.
Discussion Related to the Reading Company 1833-1976 and it's predecessors Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway.

Moderator: Franklin Gowen

 #595328  by jhdeasy
 
Former Reading office car 15 is now sitting in Amtrak's Philadelphia coach yard, enroute to delivery to the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society. The widow of the car owner donated the car to RCT&HS, ensuring it would have a good home in its "old age."

Private Varnish (the magazine of the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners, Inc.) issue # 89 published in 2000 has an excellent illustrated article on the history of this car. If you are interested, you can purchase a copy of this back issue at:

http://www.aaprco.com/Private_Varnish/b ... issue.html
 #600910  by RDG Diesel
 
Recently Ex RDG Business car has been donated to the RCT&HS. The car was built in 1924 for the RDG by Bethlehem Steel. Weighing in at 181,840 pounds 15 was RDG PVd and first used by President Agnew T. Dice. In 1947 the RDG modernized the car into the configuration it is in today. The car served on the reading for 40 years until it was sold in 1964. It was used actively on the west coast for five years and then put into storage for approximately 20 years. In 1989 the car was dusted off and overhauled to meet Amtrak Specs and was regularly run since.

My journey on 15 began in New York City early on 10/26/08

Image

I first saw the car at Penn Station, NY

Image

We traveled on the head end of the Pennsylvanian until our arrival at 30th street station in Philadelphia

Image

Image

Some friends graciously allowed temporary storage until we make arrangements to move the car to other indoor storage.

Image

Inside the car is immaculate it has been kept extraordinarily original down to the all Mahogany interior.

Image

Image

Here is the Lounge

Image

Image

The Dining Room

Image

Image

Looking down the Hallway

Image

Image

Image

Image

The Galley

Image

Image

Image

Even the 32VDC fan/lights are still intact

Image

Image

Image

One of the bed rooms

Image

And looking out over the yard at 30th Street

Image
 #600979  by Franklin Gowen
 
RDG Diesel, thank you for that tremendously fun and informative posting! We're honored to have an insider share photos of the car's interior. Your insight is deeply appreciated.
 #600989  by RDG Diesel
 
No problem! I am only too happy to show the RCT&HS is still an active organization with much to offer Railway Preservation efforts today.
 #850298  by jhdeasy
 
On Sunday 9/12/2010, I noted this car parked in the Morristown & Erie Railway's "Hanover Park" private car facility adjacent to the Whippany Railroad Museum in Whippany, New Jersey. I'm under the impression that the car never made it up to its planned new home at the RCT&HS facility in Pennsylvania. However, the plus side of being stored on the M&E Railway is that the Society can operate the car on the M&E, as long as the car is in compliance with AAR/FRA standards.
 #850563  by RDG Diesel
 
The Car has been stored with our friends on the M&E over the last few months and will continue to be stored there for the time being. Currently the Museum in Hamburg is inaccessible by rail. So the car is not able to be stored there. The Car is in good mechanical condition and requires a few minor maintenance items addressed before being placed into service.

Tim W
 #851150  by Otto Vondrak
 
So the plan to move to Hamburg has been abandoned? Are the tracks merely out of service, or has your connection been severed?

-otto-
 #851234  by 56-57
 
There's 15 miles of storage cars between the RCT&HS property and the NS connection..

-Micah