Budd observation car on the Great Smoky Mtn. Ry.

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Can anyone tell me something about the Budd blunt - end tavern - lounge observation car that is in use on the Great Smoky Mountain Ry. in North Carolina. The car, I know, use to be owned by American Zephyr... is this not an ACL car?

A photo that shows the car in use can be found at the link below:



-- Jerry M. LaBoda (laboda@bellsouth.net), May 02, 2004

Answers

Interesting - when I saw ACL 257 on GSMR, in the late 90s, it was lettered that way, black lettering on stainless steel, and I didn't notice any evidence of previous lettering or paint. ACL and SCL identified passenger cars with die-stamped numbers in the upper right corner of each truck sideframe. So assuming this car has its original trucks, that would be one way to confirm its original number.

-- Larry Goolsby (lgoolsby@aphsa.org), May 04, 2004.

I have found the April 1985 issue of Passenger Train Journal which listed the various passenger cars that were available for chartering at that time. The observation car on the GSMR I know previously had been owned by an outfit called "American Zephyr" out of Bethseda, MD. and as such is listed as being "American Zephyr" 3331, ex-AMTK 3331, exx-SCK 5831, nee-ACL 252. A photo of the car as AZ 3331 can be found at:

At the time that I visited the GSMR (Spring of 1994) it and the former AZ diner 8015, ex-AMTK 8015, exx-SCL 5915, nee-SAL 6110) were being used to host a visiting group (don't remember who it was but the cars had banners on their sides... I have slides... somewhere... of these cars). Both still had evidence of the AZ lettering in their numberboards and were both still in unpainted stainless steel.

Looks like I will need to soon plan a trip to the GSMR to find out for sure what equipment is still in use up there, and to see if the 8015 is still a part of their equipment roster.

-- Jerry M. LaBoda (laboda@bellsouth.net), May 03, 2004.


Jerry, yes it's ex ACL 257, built 1947 by Budd. The car was used on the Champions and the Florida Special. Rosters show it going to SCL 5836 and then Amtrak 3336. After that I don't know its full history, but during the mid-80s it was owned by Dick Noble. GSMR got it some years back, late 90s I think. I'm glad they have it and are taking care of it, but it "needs" to be back in purple as God and Champ Davis intended....

-- Larry Goolsby (clgoolsby@att.net), May 02, 2004.

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