Uniq. Eqpmt Sightings: Private Varnish (PV's), Charters, etc

Catalpa Falls traveled today on Train 233 and 244 between NYP and Albany, NY. I caught the return trip tonight at Croton-Harmon.

Private car MOUNT VERNON operating on train 304(15) from STL to CHI, then on train 50(16) from CHI to NYP.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:36 am Mr. Deasy, first I note you have turned over the marketing and operation of the "Mount Vernon" to the outfit that does same with Hickory Creek and NYC43.

Now from the interior photo at your still active Dominion Rail site, I note you have removed the Roomettes and replaced such with a Lounge and tables. However, it does not appear that the chairs at the tables are bolted down.

I thought that after Crescent City and the NTSB's recommendation, the FRA decreed that any chair in a railcar would be permanently fixed. I know that you, retired Navy, would not own a car unless fully compliant.

So what am I missing; enquiring mind wants to know.

We have not turned over the marketing and operation of MOUNT VERNON to anyone. However, we did pay the folks at Garbely Publishing Company to design a new website for us last year, to replace a simple one that I designed about 20 years ago. Yes, the website is one element of marketing, but has nothing to due with operations.

We converted 10&6 sleeper PACIFIC ISLAND to 6 bedroom lounge MOUNT VERNON back in 2001-2002. Lancaster & Chester Railway did that work for us. It appears you may have overlooked that detail of the interior configuration for almost 20 years.

Our inspectors tell us that there is no applicable federal requirement for our dining/lounge furniture to be fixed in place, given the use of MOUNT VERNON as a private car. We have found the flexible floor plan to be useful in satisfying the preferences of various charter clients over the past two decades.

Mr. Deasy, I was unaware that The Springmaid Line, with Gypsy Rose Lee as Vice President-Unveiling, did the work on your car. I trust you note that I hold you'd be the last owner in this world to operate a car outside of FRA compliance. I was of thought that after Crescent City and the resulting "bolt down" of any chair in Amtrak cars, any such mandate applied to the PV fleet as well.

So far as my thought that you transferred the car to another party, I'm sorry I mistakenly drew that conclusion.

jhdeasy wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 6:24 pm Private car MOUNT VERNON operating on train 304(15) from STL to CHI, then on train 50(16) from CHI to NYP.

Question for these owners that are posting here (glad to see you're providing input here). Do you ride in said private car that is attached to the various trains? I'm kinda curious about such logistics.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 3:36 pm
Question for these owners that are posting here (glad to see you're providing input here). Do you ride in said private car that is attached to the various trains? I'm kinda curious about such logistics.

Yes, I have ridden 90+ percent of all Mount Vernon trips during the past 21 years.

There have been a few private charter trips where all bedrooms were used, so I entrusted the operation of the car and railroad liaison to the senior member of my crew (Chef & Steward). There were also a trips where we leased the car to another experienced PV owner for supplemental passenger capacity, and I did not ride (for various reasons), but entrusted the safe operation of Mount Vernon to that car owner and his crew.

As an owner, do you ever allow a positioning move to be made in freight-train service without personally being present on the car during the move? I've heard some horror stories.

ExCon90 wrote:As an owner, do you ever allow a positioning move to be made in freight-train service without personally being present on the car during the move? I've heard some horror stories.

It’s highly unlikely that you would ever be allowed to accompany a car in freight service. At least on any of the class 1 and potentially any freight service for that matter, unless it’s a special train.


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jhdeasy wrote:

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 3:36 pm
Question for these owners that are posting here (glad to see you're providing input here). Do you ride in said private car that is attached to the various trains? I'm kinda curious about such logistics.

Yes, I have ridden 90+ percent of all Mount Vernon trips during the past 21 years.

There have been a few private charter trips where all bedrooms were used, so I entrusted the operation of the car and railroad liaison to the senior member of my crew (Chef & Steward). There were also a trips where we leased the car to another experienced PV owner for supplemental passenger capacity, and I did not ride (for various reasons), but entrusted the safe operation of Mount Vernon to that car owner and his crew.

I can recall one such trip where we used Mount Vernon with Hickory Creek for a CHI charter. It worked out well and we even had the Ocean View ahead of us on the return on #50.


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Alright I was wondering of anyone could provide information on this CSX business car.
From my research, not much is known but here is what I know: It is CSXT994306.
It was picked up by the CSX OCS in Manchester, GA or Fitzgerald, GA by P91308 on May 9, 2016.
There is a flicker post of the OCS with this car on the front.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/georgiara ... 50054@N08/

That car was then soon dropped in Jacksonville where the rest of the OCS cars sit, across from 117 McDuff Ave S
Jacksonville, Fl.

That car sat there in the same spot since may 2016 to November 2019 while the rest of the OCS cars continued to shuffle around the 994306 (Per Back in Time imagery on Google Earth Pro and Using back in time street view on Google Maps)

Then at end of 2019-early 2020 the car left that location in JAX and has not been seen since.

And a friend who is part of CSX car management in Selkirk looked up the car for me on the computer and nothing shows for it other than it being picked up in GA and dropped in JAX in may 2016. So I am thinking it has to still be in JAX unless it was renumbered.

My best guess was it was purchased as an addition to the CSX OCS in 2016 but had to be completely restored first and CSX just never got up to restoring it for a few years hence why it sat in JAX for so long.

Here are some pictures from google earth of the car sitting in JAX.

2 Bennett Levin's PRR private cars went on Train 42 today.

Train2009 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 4:30 pm 2 Bennett Levin's PRR private cars went on Train 42 today.

It came off in Philly, as for Private car Chapel Hill it arrived on Train 30 into Washington, DC today late.

Babbling Brook is on Trains 238 and 241 tomorrow between Albany, NY and NYP.

Not exactly unique, but if you’re wondering where the V-II baggage cars went, at least four are providing wheel count on the MoPac St Louis to KC local service

Argh. SO annoying. I'd love to see more Empire Service and NEC trains have checked baggage than this waste.

John_Perkowski wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:55 pm Not exactly unique, but if you’re wondering where the V-II baggage cars went, at least four are providing wheel count on the MoPac St Louis to KC local service

While MOUNT VERNON was parked at STL for 3 nights earlier this month, I also noticed two Amfleet II long distance coaches on each KCY-STL consist that I observed. I wonder - Is that the best use of A2 coaches?