While working in Richmond this AM, I heard a train working its way up the S line through the Hermitage Yd area toward Acca. I reflexively glanced up and then did a doubletake....a long silver round end car (with dome) was plodding along uncermoniously on the end of a mixed freight. I went closer and could only discern the markings "RPCX1875" on its proud, but worn silver flank. Any idea what this was...where from...where to ? Darn it, I've loaned out my 'Lines South" edition that earlier profiled these great cars. Greg Hodges

-- Greg Hodges (ghodges@smpsfa.com), December 16, 2002

Answers

Greg: One thing you may be sure of is that this car never belonged to the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Airline, Florida East Coast or Seaboard Coast Line Railroads! None of these roads ever had an observation car with a dome. The only dome cars regularly operated by these roads were three dome sleeper cars from the never to be run "Chessie" as well as dome sleepers leased from the Northern Pacific on the South Wind and City of Miami. The City of Miami also featured ex-Missouri Pacific dome coaches in its later years.

By the marking, I tend to think that this car is or was owned by Railroad Passenger Cars Inc and was an ex C&O, ex DRG&W observation dome coach. This was one of three cars also built for the Chessie- with a small dome for tight eastern clearances. These cars were sold to the Rio Grande and used on the "Royal Gorge" and "Yampa Valley" trains.

If the car had a small profile dome, then this is the car. A sister car is the "Silver Holly" owned by Chapman Root.

-- Michael W. Savchak (Savchak@mnr.org), December 17, 2002.