Unknown Lineage of Interurban Diner Being Refurbished.

Classic Trains General Discussion
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I have highlighted some interesting but cryptic information for traction fans that are within this news article on a new excursion operation. Two interurban “parlor” cars of 1913 vintage are being refurbished for this operation. Interestingly, one is identified as a diner. Well, as most of you know, there were’nt that many of these in operation. Could this be one of the Interstate Public Service cars? I know one of the sleepers survived… Anyone know the lineage of these cars or what Alabama company is the contractor?

EXMORE - Plans to run passenger railway excursions from Cape Charles to Exmore next year met a warm response from Exmore business owners Wednesday.

Larry LeMond, vice-president of operations for Bay Creek Railway - the passenger division of parent Bay Coast Railroad - said at a meeting of the Greater Exmore Business Association that the railroad plans to begin weekend dinner trips from Cape Charles to Exmore in the spring.
LeMond said corporate outings and weddings, and themed events like tasting trips for wine enthusiasts and “pizza trains” for young people and are also in the works for the passenger line.

Two circa 1913 Interurban Parlor Cars, one a 42-seat passenger car and the other a dining car that seats 40, are being refurbished by an Alabama company for the new venture. The renovations are expected to be finished by February.

Conductors on the passenger train will also serve as hosts, and will be versed in local history of the towns the train passes through as well as on local railroad history, LeMond said.Much of the track has been upgraded to allow for passenger speeds up to 30 mph since Bay Creek Resort founder Dickie Foster took over railroad operations in a 30-year lease agreement signed last fall with the Accomack-Northampton Transportation Commission, owner of the rail line and equipment.

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The “circa 1913” date is too early for either the IPS or CD&M cars, all of which date to the mid-20s. I guess the question really becomes how large is the “circa” on that date? North Shore started buying its deluxe (parlor-diners, etc.) steel cars in the late teens, continuing through 1930. South Shore did not get into the deluxe car purchases until after the 1926 re-equipping of the line.

Hope this helps!

Art

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I agree, if you are referring to the AC&F cars. I should have been more specific in my musings. In other words, did the IPS have dining service aka dining cars prior to the delivery of the AC&F cars?

The mystery sort of deepens because the only extant CNSM diner I know of is safely ensconced at Seashore. Outside of buffet service on ITS or the South Shore cars that were converted to standard configuration, I am hard pressed to come up with even a short list of where these cars may have originated…

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Off the top of my head, I don’t recall IPS having any sort of parlor-diner services before they bought the steel cars (a look at CERA B-101 would clear this up). IUT had parlor cars in the wood car era (and perhaps some of these had buffet sections), but they couldn’t be confused with a 40-seat diner. In terms of “pure” diners in interurban service its really limited to North Shore or South Shore. Everyone else was in the parlor-buffet “club” including IT in the standard and streamlined era.