Just wanted to let everyone know that today, the Milwaukee Road Super Dome and Cedar Rapids Skytop Observation cars will be arriving into Chicago Union Station. They are coming down from Minneapolis/St. Paul on the back of the Amtrak #8 Empire Builder. Saturday, the Super Dome will be behind the Amtrak #381 Carl Sandberg, on a one day trip out to Quincy and back. For you Chicago fans, it will leave CUS at 7:30am, Naperville at 8:10am, and Plano at 8:33am.
Hope to see everyone, Jim
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Jim,
Thanks for the heads up. How many of those super domes were made? I think there was one in Cincinnati 20-25 years ago when the local museum stored it in a small yard 3-4 miles west of downtown. I was told it was the heaviest multiple produced passenger car manufactured.
John
I'm pretty sure the answer is not very many. The eastern railroads didn't own any that I've heard of. The GN had 6. Santa Fe had some. Both of those roads cars were made by Budd. Of course Milwaukee Road had some, they were Pullman Standard. They only came into existence in the early 50's, and by then railroads weren't adding a lot of new equipment. My guess would be less than 100 total, maybe even less than 50.
I actually rode in one of the ones that Amtrak had back in the late 70's. One slight problem, it was a hot day and The AC wasn't working. It was like riding in an oven, but it was still a thrill.
Hmmmmmm I'm in Plano...may have to run down the street then....
Jim,
Thanks for the heads up. How many of those super domes were made? I think there was one in Cincinnati 20-25 years ago when the local museum stored it in a small yard 3-4 miles west of downtown. I was told it was the heaviest multiple produced passenger car manufactured.
John
I'm pretty sure the answer is not very many. The eastern railroads didn't own any that I've heard of. The GN had 6. Santa Fe had some. Both of those roads cars were made by Budd. Of course Milwaukee Road had some, they were Pullman Standard. They only came into existence in the early 50's, and by then railroads weren't adding a lot of new equipment. My guess would be less than 100 total, maybe even less than 50.
Here's the totals for full domes as listed in "Dream Trains 2" from Kalmbach's Classic Trains and "From Zephyr to Amtrak" by David Randall:
ATSF: 14 - Budd #506-513, #550-555
CB&Q: 1 - Budd painted/lettered for GN's Empire Builder #1395 River View
MILW: 10 - P/S #50-59
GN: 5 - Budd #1390 Glacier View, 1391 Ocean View, 1392 Mountain View, 1393 Lake View, 1394 Prairie View
SP: 5 - SP shops, slightly shorter dome, rebuilt from P/S flat roof cars w/Budd components. No car # information.
Total: 35
Rusty
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