Any idea what year the first 80 foot wood passenger cars were constructed? Even a ballpark figure? Were they common in 1895? Thanks for any help![:D]
Jeff
I don’t know, but this book “The American Railroad Passenger Car”
by John H. White probably has the answer. Unfortunately the book is at home and I can’t check it right now.
Enjoy
Paul
From John White’s book The American Railroad Passenger Car
" In the competition for passenger traffic the NYC attempted to outdo its rivals by the creation of supercoaches. Surely the largest all-wood coaches ever built, they were inspired more by a desire for a spectacular exhibit at the Columbian Exposition than by any practical operating considerations. The West Albany car shops built two 80-foot cars for the Empire State Express. These cars were shown at the 1893 Chicago Fair together with the celebrated 999 locomotive.
The exterior was painted Tuscan red, with gold and black lettering. The trucks were finished in dark brown. The interior was paneled in mahogany, and carving was held to a minimum. The seats were covered in copper-red plush. The head lining was painted white and gold."
Thanks for the information![:D] I appreciate the effort![tup]
Jeff