Here is Port Stanley Terminal Rail's approach in Ontario, Canada:

https://www.pstr.on.ca/passenger_cars.htm

Also, here is the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag, Minnesota, from an old thread. It is a closed loop operation.

http://rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38558

I think what he means is that the only real modification needed in the car structure is to unplate the plated-over windows, and the trucks are (although admittedly potentially hazardous) nominally a high-speed design optimized for 'passenger' service. So most of the problems mentioned in the thread so far are irrelevant to that ex-troop-sleeper (re)conversion to passenger service.

Someone with the interest might go back and look at the detail changes the New Haven made in their acquired cars when it became 'advisable' to replace the Full Cushion trucks in (for NH) high-speed M&E service. As I recall they did a fairly good analysis right in the period the Chrysler research on high-speed three-piece trucks was going on.

3040 (it's New haven number) is in service on the Naugatuck, but was re-trucked by the New Haven with express car trucks. What I find interesting is that it has two sets of air brakes; valves, reservoirs and all, one for each truck. I guess this was the easiest way to get brake systems during World War II? Just standardize on freight car components, like the car itself?

An interesting car, to say the least. Plans are for it to be a part of the regular passenger train consist, when they resume running , and to eventually have a toilet and to be the generator car for lighting the consist. RMNE does have another troop sleeper/express car, used as a shop car, still on Allied Full Cushion trucks.

Greetings:
Valley Railroad had former L&NE gondola No.728 as it's open car when I first started there in 1986. One of it's numerous problems was the ride quality which was quite poor. We put caboose trucks with "elliptical springs" under it and the ride quality was greatly improved. It was not popular with the general public on the trip back to Essex as it was coupled right behind the locomotive (steam of course!) and after a few chuffs a goodly percentage of the passengers would move to the coaches to escape the cinders.
Eventually, we (after doing an engineering study) converted a former DL&W trailer coach to a open car by removing every other window post and installing wooden seats. Lately, the car has been re-purposed by installing large, removeable plexiglass windows and a base board heating system so when not in use as an open car, it can be a dining or lounge car.
Be well,
J.David

It was certainly popular with my 15-year old self. You couldn't dislodge me from that gon on the to return Essex. But yes, I would agree now the DL&W trailer is a vast improvement in every respect over a freight car.

I recall now that in the early days Conway Scenic had a couple of outside braced boxcars converted to open cars, which I attribute to Yankee frugality. They too have long been retired.

- Alan Maples

You are correct, sir! Also, as EDM said, we (RMNE) have two troop sleepers used on the New Haven as express cars. The 3040 received a truck swap. I’ll take some photos and post next time I get to the shop for reference.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the fleet of cars at Cass. All of them were built on either logging flats or caboose frames. It's three years since I've been there, but all but one back then had roofs, and one or two were fully enclosed, with windows.

A few miles away, the Durbin Rocket has a nicely done excursion flat, far better thought out than some of the '2 by 4 and chicken wire' conversions I remember seeing years ago. They also have a D&H RPO with many added seats.

RE: LNE gon 728 at the VRR-- while the car may not have been popular with all the passengers, it was quite popular with some of the 70s era engine crews, due to a well-appreciated combination of the car's ride quality and the mid-summer attire of some of the younger female passengers.

RE: NH 3040 express car at RMNE/NAUG-- New Haven, like many roads operating a fleet of these cars converted to express/mail storage, found the Allied trucks prohibited in interchange at the behest of the mighty PRR. A 1955 PRR mail and express train derailment was caused by a failed swing hanger on an Allied truck. Those swing hangers and associated parts were difficult to routinely inspect, and that problem led to the interchange prohibition. The New Haven replaced the Allied trucks with GSC BX (Box-EXpress) drop equalized trucks and with some Symington flexible trucks (XL, I think) in the mid-50s. I do not recall seeing any evidence of Chrysler-design trucks on these NH former troop sleeper express cars. 3040 came to RMNE on BX trucks, with no brake beams, no brake levers, no brake rods, no brake valves, etc. All of that was obtained/fabricated and installed on the car.

Our two B&M milk cars (1958-vintage) do have the Chrysler trucks.

Howard P.

Wow, I remember those when I was a kid. We pretended we were surfing when walking on them, as they swayed so much. I didn't know that by riding on them behind the steamers we were shaking hands with danger until I was an adult.

Both of our ex-troop sleepers still have the Allied Full Cushioned trucks, even the one we use as a coach. We are not interchanging and we go no more that 15 miles an hour, so using the trucks in service are not really an issue.

They put a lot of work into those cars too. They went so far as to lower the roof on them to reduce the high center of gravity. They put plywood or some kind of sheathing inside, seating etc. It was rustic, but functional and looked pretty nice. They cut nice large window openings. I can't find a photo off hand, but they were similar to the Blue Ridge Scenic one that Alan posted.

However... As John mentioned, they were made from stock cars. One thing they didn't do was to put any kind of sheathing on the outside. Probably simply to save money. Now, that rustic cattle car look does fine on the Cumbres and Toltec, but not so much when it's a more modern steel car. As the train pulled into the station, I heard more than one person exclaim "Those are cattle cars!" and not in an "I'm impressed by the adaptive re-use approach to the operation" sorta way. :)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/abandon ... 9262119228 At least 2 of the cars are still extant, close to active rail.

Here is an image of one of the GSC BX trucks under NH 3040, now at RMNE. Looks right, and rides nice!

Always a good answer to 'what can I put under something to make it ride right'!

Now -- who has pictures of the three-piece trucks New Haven reportedly put on some of the conversions? Those are the ones that might be 'poster children' for what to modify on a modern boxcar converted for 'passengers'...

Dumb question from someone too lazy to check: How many of the 'target' cars for conversions have jacking pads built into their underframes, and are they always on or near the transverse bolster centerline?