Private Rail Car Trips


Dortoh1

Dortoh1

Member
Has anyone taken any private rail car trips? One of the guys in my modeling group organizes trips for the St. Louis chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society with private cars behind Amtrak. I was lucky enough several years ago when the economy and my business were better to take two. The first was a trip from St. Louis to San Antonio and back with three cars. The Frisco 14-4 sleeper Cimarron River, the lounge Chouteau Club and the CB&Q California Zephyr sleeper Silver Quail. The next year we took the Cimarron River from St. Louis to Minneapolis-St.Paul, with a day stop both ways in Chicago. What a blast. Both trips were "Picnic Class" as my friend calls them where you bring your own food which made them affordable. I spent less than I would have driving and staying in hotels. What a relaxing way to travel, standing in a vestibule seeing the sites. On the Minneapolis-St.Paul trip there was nothing behind our car most of the trip so you had a great view out the rear of the vestibule. If the economy and my business ever picks up I'm doing it again.
The less than handsome guy on the right in the Chouteau Club is me. Doug
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I almost had a car once but had to sell it because it had asbestos in it and I couldn't move it without abatement. (big bucks!) I believe the group that bought it scrapped it but only after cleaning it out, wasn't in the best of shape to start with.
I know guys with cars but have never been on a trip. That is my retirement plan!
I'm with you on the economy and business thing!
 
Dortoh1 said:
Has anyone taken any private rail car trips? One of the guys in my modeling group organizes trips for the St. Louis chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society with private cars behind Amtrak. I was lucky enough several years ago when the economy and my business were better to take two. The first was a trip from St. Louis to San Antonio and back with three cars. The Frisco 14-4 sleeper Cimarron River, the lounge Chouteau Club and the CB&Q California Zephyr sleeper Silver Quail. The next year we took the Cimarron River from St. Louis to Minneapolis-St.Paul, with a day stop both ways in Chicago. What a blast. Both trips were "Picnic Class" as my friend calls them where you bring your own food which made them affordable. I spent less than I would have driving and staying in hotels. What a relaxing way to travel, standing in a vestibule seeing the sites. On the Minneapolis-St.Paul trip there was nothing behind our car most of the trip so you had a great view out the rear of the vestibule. If the economy and my business ever picks up I'm doing it again.
The less than handsome guy on the right in the Chouteau Club is me. Doug
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Sounds like some serious fun. I don't know of anyone in my area doing that (wsh they were).
 
Unfettered said:
Oh....I would love to take a trip like that...

I was also planning to take an Amtrak run on the Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle, but with all the flooding currently going on, much of the route has been forced onto other routes. So my trip may have to wait until next year as while a beautiful trip, it isn't a wintertime excursion.
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The trip to St Paul was behind the Empire Builder. As far being forced onto other routes by flooding, that is whats known as a rare mileage trip. When a passenger train uses track that passenger trains usually dont use. Very coveted by private car riders :)
 
We're very lucky here in the St. Louis area that the local NRHS chapter has people like my friend Rick that are ambitious enough to deal with Amtrak and the private car owners to arrange the trips. My first train trip was a steam engine excursion put on by the Frisco 1522 people and the St Louis chapter of the NRHS. What a way to get your first train ride. It was their start of the year break in trip from St. Louis to West Quincy Mo. where we turned on the Wye and came home. Not a long trip, about 140 miles each way, but great for your first trip. It's been about ten years ago and I'm not sure, but I think there were about 10 cars in the train. I really enjoyed walking the through the train and checking out all the vintage equipment. Somehow I got conned into helping them dump the toilets on the cars when we got back to Union Station in St. Louis. Not as bad as it sounds and it did give me plenty of time to get a good look at the Frisco 1522 and the passenger cars. I cant remember if it was that trip, or another day trip I took to Kansas City with the St. Louis NHRS that the tail end car was the L&N observation car Royal Street. Very Nice!
Doug
 
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