What Railroads operated the 60’ Harriman pessenger cars and when? Who manufactured these types of cars and till when. By what year were most of them retired? Thank you in advance.
E.H.Harriman controlled the Union Pacific, Southern Pacific and Illinois Central and some other roads. The UP and SP were large users of Harriman arch roof cars, but most of these were longer than 60 feet, most 80 feet.
I recall seeing Harriman cars on San Francisco commuter trains in 1973 - 1980, but I think these were about 70 feet long. The Athearn arch roof coach would represent these best, but I don’t think it is available ready to run in plain SP grey with white lettering. These trains were hauled by SDP45s, FM Trainmasters, GP40P-2s ans SD9s and GP9s.
The Roundhouse 60 feet baggage could be used with the Athearn cars for non-commuter trains. These cars were usually mixed with clerestory roof pullmans on long distance trains, but SP and UP had 80 feet Harriman diners.
E.H Harriman was credited as the person who chased “Butch Cassidy” and the “Sundance Kid” out of the USA, at least in the movie!
M636C
I always thought it was the guys from “Pinkerton’s”…“…Those Guys Are Good!!”
While, of course, it wasn’t Harriman himself who did the chasing, wasn’t there a scene where the crew of one of the mail cars says that he works for E.H.Harriman, and he would have them hunted down?
To answer other questions and get back on topic, the 1919 Car Builder’s Cyclopedia illustrates UP Harriman Mail cars (60 feet) and Baggage cars (69 feet), both built by Pullman. So we have a builder and an approximate date (pre 1919). We know the coaches lasted until 1980, and the baggage cars were painted for the Daylight trains and probably lasted until the 1950s.
Hope this helps
M636C
In Sept. 1945 the UP had the following “Harriman” cars on their roster :
- 191 Coach
- 150 Baggage
- 61 Postal Storage
- 25 Baggage/Coach
Thank you very much. This will get the ball rolling.
M636C mentioned the diesels that hauled the Harriman commuter coaches. But please don’t forget that they were previously hauled by destreamlined (and once and a while streamlined) and nonstreamlined 4-8-4s, by 4-8-2’s, and by Pacifics and possibly ten wheelers.
I am most interested in the era that would have used Pacific type loco’s.
IC had a fair amount of Harriman coaches that were used on the mini-Corridor (Chicago-Carbondale) and some other trains right up to May 1, 1971.
The UP System Form 70, effective 1/1/30 shows the following Common standard ( ie. Harriman) cars on the roster:
- Baggage 262
- Baggage (Horse) 20
- Baggage and Mail 89
- Baggage Buffet! 7
- Coach 356
- Dinners 117
- Mail & Coach 6
- Observation 47
- Postal 20
- Postal Storage 42
In 1930 locomotive hauled passenger trains on the UP were handeled by 4-4-2s, 4-6-2s and 4-8-2s