A crew member rides the rear of a former Seaboard Air Line observation car owned by the Blue Water Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society during an excursion pulled by Pere Marquette No. 1225.
A Michigan group plans to donate its tavern lounge observation car to the North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation.
The streamlined car was built in 1947 for the Seaboard Air Line and was for many years a fixture on excursions operated by the Bluewater Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
The chapter is disbanding and disposing of its collection of passenger equipment.
No. 6604 is an 85-foot stainless steel rail car featuring a hidden bedroom for hostesses and a rounded observation section with swiveling chairs.
Most recently the car has been used by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“I’m happy to return this car to its home rails,” said Bluewater President John Moore.
During it days at the SAL, No. 6604 ran in the consists of such New York-Florida streamliners as the Silver Meteor and Silver Star.
It was saw use on the Silver Comet, running between New York and Birmingham, Alabama.
The North Carolina museum plans to use the 6604 for such special event train rides as Brew & Choo, The Polar Express, and Wine & Dine.
Plans are being worked out to move the car to Spencer, North Carolina, after its lease with the TVRM expires.
Tags: Blue Water Michigan Chapter NRHS, National Railway Historical Society, North Carolina Transportation Museum, observation cars, Seaboard Air Line, Seaboard Air Line passenger cars, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
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