A writer friend of mine in Paris recently wrote a poem about a train trip she took. I’m an artist and photographer, among other things, and the visual imagery in the poem was inspiring to me so I’m interested in doing a painting or piece of graphic art based on it. Even though her actual trip was on a modern train, literary trains, as you probably know, are canonically classic ones.
I live in Chelmsford, MA (near Lowell) and I’m looking for a classic passenger car within reasonable driving distance of here that I can get close enough to to do some photographic studies of (just the outside) for this artwork. There’s actually a classic steam engine on Dutton Street in Lowell itself but it doesn’t have a real passenger car attached to it.
I believe the Green Mountain Railway in Bellows Falls VT has two classic Rutland Railroad cars dating back around 100 years. However, these cars are likely put away for the winter and probably not accessible for photographing, as they are likely hemmed in by other passenger equipment. I don’t think they keep them in the engine house for the winter. At any rate, you would need permission to be on the property at the North Walpole engine house/yard to see the cars.
One other throught is a former New Haven “wire car” that has just been moved to the Steaming Tender Restaurant in Palmer MA (former station). I do not know the age or history of this car and it needs some cosmentic work, but the restaurant owners might know the history of the car. Below is a picture of the car at its former home in Grafton MA.
Conway Scenic has an 1890s wood observation/parlor car, the “Gertrude Emma”, a true gem. They also have an ex-GN dome-lounge, as well as a pair of B&M F7s, and ex-VIA/CN FP9s.