Curious at to disposition/location of CG combine car #726. This car was used in Norfolk Southern excursion service in the 1980s. I never saw the car, but was told that it was lettered for CG. History, other number sequences, or any other info about 726 appreciated. Thanks

-- Greg Hodges (ghodges@smpsfa.com), October 03, 2001

Answers

i have a video called majestic mikado and one of the trips has the 726 trailing the 4501 and the narrator refers to the 726 as the recording car why is this

-- kirby Grubb (ert10us@yahoo.com), October 26, 2002.

For some reason I recall seeing the 726 carrying the name "W. Graham Claytor" at some point, I believe that this was the name that it carried in the later part of 70s... anyone else remember this?

-- Jerry M. LaBoda (jmlaboda@yahoo.com), October 05, 2001.

The "Man 'O War" was renamed "William J. Purdie, Jr." after Bill retired in 1982. Jensen took the name off for some strange reason in the early '90s and the car simply said "Norfolk Southern Steam Special," and was later renamed "Man 'O War" during the mass fleet rebuild just before the program ended.

-- Andrew Durden (sa750@boone.net), October 04, 2001.

I remembered that there was a car lettered "Man O War" that was used in steam excursion service, but I didn't know its heritage. I'm glad to hear about another original CofGa car that still exists. I wonder why it was lettered "Man O War" as it probably never operated on that train.

-- Allen Tuten (allen@cofg.org), October 04, 2001.

Guys, I found this car in July by accident. Car #726 is now on the Western Maryland Scenic RR, lettered for WMSR in the NS tuscan paint, and still carrying "Man O' War" on her sides. I made sure that was the car I rode in on our trip!

Russell Underwood

-- Russell Underwood (Jay611@home.com), October 03, 2001.

Thanks guys, for the info. Surely 726/390 still survives....maybe someone who knows for sure will see this posting. Allen is correct in that the Ft Mitchell/727 rests at the Cuyhahoga Valley Senic and is pictured on their website in the equiptment roster.(But no 726/390.) A fellow NRHSer, who was active in running NS excursions locally, recalls a muggy 'midnight work session' spent crouching under the 726 (390) in Richmond's Southern yard trying to get a balky A/C system to operate, just hours before a NS Steam excursion was to get underway. It was an experience that he does't care to relive.

-- Greg Hodges (ghodges@smpsfa.com), October 03, 2001.

Fort Mitchell IIRC was owned by the Roanoke Chapter back during the NS excursion era. I was thinking that the 726 was the one at Cuyhahoga Valley. Anyone know for sure?

Jack

-- Jack Wyatt (cjwyatt@bellsouth.net), October 03, 2001.

Larry,

Your "creaky memory" is still pretty good. I did find in my notes a listing for Southern 726, which was indeed originally CG 390 (the blue and gray baggage/passenger combine built for the Nancy Hanks II.) The only information I have shows that it was sold during the big sale of Southern steam-excursion equipment several years ago in Birmingham. But I don't know where it ended up.

Allen Tuten

-- Allen Tuten (allen@cofg.org), October 03, 2001.

Greg and Allen, Relying only on my creaky memory, I believe 726 was the former Nancy Hanks combine, 390. 726 was of course its Southern number after the car was repainted and relettered for SR. It was indeed used on the steam specials quite often. I don't know where it ended up.

BTW Allen, an outstanding article in the new Right Way on CofG lettering!

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), October 03, 2001.

Greg,

As far as I can determine, the Central of Georgia never owned a passenger car numbered 726. In fact, there were apparently only a few passenger cars numbered in the 700 series. There were a couple of steel "postal cars" (711-712, blt. 1911), two wooden parlor cars (798, blt. 1892 and 799, blt. 1893; both rebuilt in 1910), and two steel parlor cars (798-797, blt. 1918).

There were, however, at least two former CofGa combines renumbered into Southern's 700 series after the 1963 merger. Car 727 was originally CG 391 (Fort Mitchell.) It survives at the Cuyhahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Ohio. Car 728 was originally CG 374 (374 had been converted from coach 520 in 1951.) I don't know of its disposition.

Allen Tuten

-- Allen Tuten (allen@cofg.org), October 03, 2001.