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The Collection
Nickel Plate Business Car No.
6
Southern California Chapter
Railway and Locomotive Historical Society
The article was taken from the December,
1979 Observation Platform, the publication of the Southern California Chapter
of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc.
Chairman Bill Fletcher has been dissatisfied
with the designation of our new car as simply, "an ex Norfolk & Western
Pullman" feeling that the many non-Pullman type changes indicated a far
more interesting lineage. So he did some heavy researching and it
has been a pleasure to participate in some of this.
True, the car did originate at Pullman in
mid 1923 as one of a group of twenty 10 section open ended lounge observation
Mountain Class cars named the Mountain City, Pullman plan 2521C.
In September, 1937 Pullman remodeled the car
to an 8 section buffet lounge car and renamed it the Carleton Club.
This involved enclosing the open observation platform as part of the large
dining section at the end. Large rear windows and additional chairs
were provided. We have found the name Carleton Club stamped into
the bottom of one of the metal cash drawers.
In 1951, Pullman sold, the Carleton
Club to the Nickel Plate Railroad (New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad
Co. ) who rebuilt it at their Calumet Shops as a 12 passenger Business
Car; second NKP No. 6, replacing the first No. 6 which was relegated
to a camp car No. X-58522 at the same time. The second No. 6 would
have a self contained, circulating heater placed at the porters end in
place of a section. Other changes included an odd phone and head
set on an end table and additional air conditioning equipment.
A most unusual group, the Palos Verdes Peninsula
Railway Company, slightly top heavy with "brass" having on president, Mr.
Bay Blaney, and nineteen vice presidents, were on the lookout for a private
car for their personal use. Learning of the pending absorption of
the Nickel Plate by the Norfolk & Western Railway in 1964, Mr. Blaney
wrote Nickel Plate officials inquiring as to the possible availability
of any cars. In a historically significant letter, dated October
15th, 1964, NKP President M. B. Phipps wrote that "as of midnight tonight
the Nickel Plate would be merged into the Norfolk & Western Railway"
and that they would refer his letter to the proper parties.
The N&W quickly declared Business car
No. 6 excess and advised Mr. Blaney of its availability. He rushed
to Chicago for a personal inspection, followed by an official inspection
by the Santa Fe General Passenger Car Inspector. Other than some
defective wheels which were changed out and a bit of roof repair the car
was accepted and purchased for $4,800.
The car was dead-headed free of charge to
Kansas City where it was turned over to the Santa Fe on a Wabash Railroad
Bill of Lading overprinted as "Norfolk & Western Ry-Wabash District"
on July 7, 1965. It had already been stenciled PVPRC No. 6.
This constitutes the sum total of the Norfolk & Westerns part of the
cars history.
Since it was expected that the car would get
down Mexico way occasionally, it was appropriately named El Vagabundo
but the color it should be painted was a problem. Here wise men turned
this knotty problem over to a committee of their ladies. They got
together at "Julies," a popular pre Coliseum game gathering place.
"Palos Verdes" is "green place" - the napkins at Julies were green, so
green was the perfect color, just match Julies Apple Green napkins.
As Mr. Blaney was a member of the City Council
of Rolling Hills Estates and a delegate to the League of California Cities
about to meet in San Francisco, it seemed logical that several of the other
Vice Presidents also being delegates, that the car would be the ideal vehicle
to attend the convention in. It went north on the end of the
Southern Pacific Daylight.
The observation car ahead was strangely empty
until arrival in Santa Barbara, whose delegation to the convention had
reserved half of the car only to find the green El Vagabundo in their view.
The Daylight diner and bar was not noted for its quality at that time so
Mr. Blaney and friends frequently made trips to the front end of their
car to exhibit examples of their cuisine and liquor cabinet to less jovial
Santa Barbarians.
A major trip was planned to Guadalajara, Mexico.
The car was sent empty by freight to Mexicali leaving El Vagabundo to the
tender mercy of the U.S. Customs Service, telling them that they never
did have keys to open some of the compartments. Customs wasn't buying
that story and called in their own locksmith who opened every door in the
car.
When PVPRC members entered the car upon its
arrival home they found that they had purchased more than they thought.
They found two large silver serving trays engraved in large letters:
NICKEL PLATE CAR 25
Now Nickel Plate No. 25 was an antique of another
era. It had been in service prior to 1911 and at times doubled as
the Pay Car. Renumbered in 1911 as No. 27 it was retired in 1920
with its silver service apparently going first to first No. 6. Also
located were silver bread trays "simply" marked NKP.
Then there was a stack of equipment diagram
books of locomotives, updated through 1954 diesels, passenger cars - not
including No. 6, freight car plans and freight train schedules. One
could spend hours poring over these.
The PVPRC proved so popular that they doubled
their rolling stock by purchase of Union Pacific Private Car No. 123 renamed
El Presidente. After a number of good trips the group disbanded prior
to Amtrak and held a huge wake where they ate and drank up the balance
of their treasury.
Mr. Blaney has been very helpful since learning
that we have his El Vagabundo and Bill and your Editor enjoyed luncheon
with him while he relived some of their experiences. He also presented
Bill with a nice check to help defray the cars moving charges. An
invitation for former PVPRC members and their ladies to come out to Pomona
to see the car was issued and accepted.
Our thanks to Mr. Blaney for his assistance
and to Bill for his persistence in determining the lineage of this car.
Epilogue
After the PVPRC owned the car, an Orange County
real estate developer, The Robert P. Warmington Company, used this car
as a showpiece at their sales headquarters. They have gone to great
lengths to restore the car. Deciding to dispose of it, the R&LHS
chapter was approached and asked to accept and move the car. The
car was eventually moved to its present location at the Pomona Fairplex.
The car was named William Fletcher in honor
of our late chairman, continuing a railroad tradition of naming a car after
an individual who made a significant contribution to our organization.
Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail for larger picture)
One BIG picture
Outside view
 Passenger
seating
 Parlor
portion of car
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Page last revised - 3/06/02
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