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B&O Business car Monomoy Island
https://rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45936		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Pat Fahey [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 8:40 am ]
Post subject:  B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Hi All
I would like to know What ever happened to the B&O Business Car # 903 known as Monomoy Island that was part of the Steamtown collection in Bellows Falls, Vt.

Was the Business car ever sold, did it get moved to Scranton, and forgotten about. I also looked on the website of the Passenger car photo index.
I did find one photo when the was privately owned before it when to Steamtown, in Vermont.
As usual Thank you, Pat.
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 9:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
The business car was stored out in the yard under a tarp for many years. Prior to Railfest 2011 the tarp was removed. After the boiler and other parts of the K-4 that were stored on the track along the wall in the roundhouse were moved back to their owner, the business car was moved to the spot vacated by the K-4 parts. If this is the car you are interested in, I have some exterior photos from Railfest 2011 and interior photos from 2012 that I can post if you'd like. My recollection is that I was told that this was a wood car that had been sheathed in steel and water had gotten in such that the wood inside the walls is all rotten. My recollection is that I was told this by the same Park Service employee that was responsible for the failed paint job on the Big Boy so take it for what it is worth.
Author:  Pat Fahey [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 10:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Hi Scranton Yard.
First thank you for your reply, Yes I would be interested in seeing your photos. The last time that I was at Steamtown many years ago, I asked about the car, to one of the park rangers.
The answer I got the car was parked off site, along with a few locomotives, and I also was told, that they were ( MOTHS) now living inside the car. I know the answer sounds crazy, but that was the answer I got. again Thank you Pat.
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 10:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Anytime. This has always been one of the unrestored cars on the site that most intrigued me. She is a beauty with interior cabinetry much like in what is identified as B&O Office Car 97 on pages 363 and 364 of John H. White Jr's "The American Railroad Passenger Car". Attached are the photos of the exterior. In the photos taken outside, the car is behind the shops. The track in front of the car holds the stainless tender that was built for 3254. Behind the car are the wheel tracks and behind that is the track going into the paint area. The small temporary white tent was in place as part of the asbestos abatement. The photo of the car behind the F3 in the roundhouse does not show much but is included for locational reference. Date of photo is noted in file title. I will resize and post the interior photos when I have time. Hope this helps.

Attachments:
B&O Office Car 9-4-11 E1.jpeg
B&O Office Car 9-4-11 E1.jpeg [ 178.07 KiB | Viewed 7171 times ]
B&O Office Car 9-4-11 E2.jpeg
B&O Office Car 9-4-11 E2.jpeg [ 173.25 KiB | Viewed 7171 times ]
B&O Office Car 9-4-11 E3.jpeg
B&O Office Car 9-4-11 E3.jpeg [ 188.19 KiB | Viewed 7171 times ]
B&O Office Car 8-13-16 E4.jpeg
B&O Office Car 8-13-16 E4.jpeg [ 243.07 KiB | Viewed 7171 times ]
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 12:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Does anyone have a floor plan for this beautiful car or something similar that they could post in order to help me sort through my interior photos before I post them? It's been nine years and my memory is a bit vague. Thank you.
Author:  Al P. [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 1:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
I thought this car is now in the Museum? the last time i was there there was a car on display that basically you could walk thru but had Lexan panels keeping you out of the rooms some where in the complex. There is also the B&M Mountaineer Diner some where on the property.The sister car (907)at the Railroad museum of N.E. that is privately owned that at some time in the future will move to Conway NH. of identical floor plan. this car has been keep under cover for the past 10 years or so for the same reason of the steel plate over wood siding.

Al P.
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Al P. - You may be right. I may be crazy....

The car inside the museum that you walk through looks like a business car in other pictures I have taken but I failed to note any identifying information at the time. My recollection is that the car inside is Erie 3. If so, it was built by Pullman Car and Manufacturing Co, circa 1929 and was originally NKP 2, later renumbered to 27. It was built with two staterooms, two bedrooms, and one porter's room. Unfortunately, I could not figure out where on the STEA website they have a discussion of the indoor exhibits/cars and do not have time to scour to confirm.

I am fairly certain that car that was outside and then stored in the roundhouse has a floor plan also similar to a business car and is Baltimore and Ohio Business ("Office") Car No. 903 built by Pullman Palace Car Co., 1895 and was originally wood and then steel sheathed in 1923. Floor plan included a kitchen, crew quarters, three bedrooms, dining room and observation room. It slept 5 passengers and 2 crew. Does the window arrangement in the exterior photos I posted give any indication as to what type of car it is?

The dining car you may be thinking of could possible be the Boston & Maine Dining Car 84 built by Pullman Car Co. in December 1930 originally as the "Maine". It is an all-steel car that was modified in 1947 to be a diner-lounge with seating for 22 diners and 14 in the lounge and renamed the "Mountaineer". Unfortunately, this car is out in the yard with the equipment that we discussed in the thread regarding the locomotives and it too has not seen any care since it moved to Scranton. I may have some photos of the interior from about ten years ago if you have an interest. I think there is another B&M car out there with it along with the hospital car.

Thanks.
Author:  Mike Tillger [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Car in the museum is Erie business car #3, B&O car is in roundhouse.
https://www.nps.gov/stea/planyourvisit/erie-3.htm
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Mike - Great to hear from you. Hope you are well. I beat you by a split second with the response. I have not been up there in a long while so I'm a little slower with my recall. Thanks for the confirmation.
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Mike Tillger wrote:
Car in the museum is Erie business car #3, B&O car is in roundhouse.
https://www.nps.gov/stea/planyourvisit/erie-3.htm

I'm a little slow today. How did you navigate to this from the STEA home page? I looked in "collections" and "Plan your visit" and just missed it. Thanks.
Author:  Mike Tillger [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 3:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
You would think the government would make it easy, unfortunately not. LOL I searched Erie buisiness car 3 in Google.
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Mike Tillger wrote:
You would think the government would make it easy, unfortunately not. LOL I searched Erie buisiness car 3 in Google.

Genius! Thanks. You were always one of the first class guys when we were up there.
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 3:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
I had a little time to work on this but the rest will have to wait for another day. Photos starting at the observation end in the observation room and ending looking down the hall past the bedrooms towards the Dining Room.

Attachments:
B&O 903 Observation Room A 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Observation Room A 5-19-12.jpeg [ 265.41 KiB | Viewed 6981 times ]
B&O 903 Observation Room B 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Observation Room B 5-19-12.jpeg [ 229.5 KiB | Viewed 6981 times ]
B&O 903 Observation Room C 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Observation Room C 5-19-12.jpeg [ 261.53 KiB | Viewed 6981 times ]
B&O 903 Observation Room D 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Observation Room D 5-19-12.jpeg [ 256.23 KiB | Viewed 6981 times ]
Author:  Al P. [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 4:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
I had forgotten about Erie #3. it was sort of off limits in my time. used to be a runner. the B&M diner had lived in the engine house at one time while still operated by the foundation, as it had in Vermont, where it lived in the pole barn because it had know roof leaks back then. probably a small disaster inside now.

Al P.
Author:  Scranton Yard [ Mon Oct 04, 2021 6:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: B&O Business car Monomoy Island
Leaving the Observation Room and starting down the corridor towards the Dining Room there are three bedrooms and a bathroom. The last photo looks back down the hall from the Dining Room to the Observation Room.

Attachments:
B&O 903 Bedroom 1 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Bedroom 1 5-19-12.jpeg [ 243.76 KiB | Viewed 6808 times ]
B&O 903 Bedroom 2 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Bedroom 2 5-19-12.jpeg [ 242.02 KiB | Viewed 6808 times ]
B&O 903 Bathroom 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Bathroom 5-19-12.jpeg [ 219.86 KiB | Viewed 6808 times ]
B&O 903 Bedroom 3 A 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Bedroom 3 A 5-19-12.jpeg [ 211.51 KiB | Viewed 6808 times ]
B&O 903 Bedroom 3 B 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Bedroom 3 B 5-19-12.jpeg [ 202.12 KiB | Viewed 6808 times ]
B&O 903 Dining-Observation Hall 5-19-12.jpeg
B&O 903 Dining-Observation Hall 5-19-12.jpeg [ 165.74 KiB | Viewed 6808 times ]
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