Termite7 wrote: There was never a wall between the dining room and observation lounge in the Seminole...the two were one. There was however an additional stateroom that was removed. There is a picture in "Mansions on Rails". It was not an office car but a private car, hence the "unusual" configuration. It was a very poor purchase. I think some of the people whom they "ran off" bought it.
The C&O coach was rebuilt by Amtrak. The picture you presented has rust along the sidesheet. Not illustrative of how this car would have operated in Amtrak service. Inspect it sometime. Too recent to be a C&O rebuild. Perhaps C&O rebuilt it too...but the most recent rebuild was by Amtrak.
Your assertion about Seminole is incorrect regarding the stateroom and the partition. I have held the very contract for it's construction and original drawings in my hands at Newberry and Illinois Ry Museum when many of the drawings were still in insulated boxcars. You are correct in that I mischaracterized it as an "office" car as it was indeed built as a private car for Mr. MacComber. It was later an office for REA and then Ontario Northland. Were you there when the car was purchased?
As for the C&O car, it is widely known that C&O did MAJOR rebuilds to a number of coaches, sleepers, and other cars in the very late 60's, possibly even as late as 1970. There is a sister coach at TVRM with the similar rebuilt sides. Further, having owned one of the fluted below the window C&O cars which did not receive the same type of rebuild (it had gone to MoP, then CNJ), I am very familiar with these cars. I am particularly acquainted with 1650 and its history with Old Smoky. Better example of these rebuilds: http://www.bcoolidge.com/Amtrak_71-75_Pix/JW%20Riley%20leaving%20Back%20Bay,%20Boston_02_72-c.jpg
Your assessment of the overall situation at Old Smoky is indeed correct - the president there, well I have nothing nice to say about him or the rest of crowd that should have been put to pasture 20+ years ago. Everytime there were signs of life, they always managed to stifle it within a couple of years. Two splinter groups would likely not have existed but for their incompetence and intransigence.
Best,
Mike
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