The Two Rivers is a sleeper lounge car. Built in 1949 by Pullman-Standard in Lot #6790 to Plan #4123 as New York Central 10 roomette 6 Double Bedroom sleeping car #10223, the Scioto River, 1 of 97 such cars (#10140-#10236) built in that Lot; part of an order for 200 cars placed by NYC in December 1945. The 97 10-6 sleepers were delivered between September 1948 and March 1949. Today it belongs to Gloria and Roger Stabler of Woodland, CA.
The car originally wore the modern version of its classic two-tone grey color scheme. The railroad named all of the 97 cars in this series for rivers crossed by the New York Central Lines. In early years of service the car was frequently assigned to all Pullman sleeping car trains such as the 20th Century Limited between Chicago and New York City. The cars were popular offering the most often requested bedrooms to the passengers. The Scioto River also saw assignment on other named trains of the NYC such as the New England States, the Empire State Express, and the Lake Shore Limited.
In 1965, the New York Central was in the midst of rationalization of it’s passenger service and found it had a surplus of equipment. Many cars of this series were sold off to other railroads or owners. Sister cars went on to new lives for further service in Mexico and in Canada. The Scioto River was 1 of 20 of these sleepers sold in 1965 to CN as #2075-#2094. It was renamed as the Hay River and give the number of 2092. It was used on many trains across the country. The CN later repainted the car in their attractive cream and black paint scheme with the modern logo.
The car went to VIA Rail, Canada’s answer to Amtrak as that country’s national rail passenger service on April 1, 1978. Painted in the blue and yellow standard VIA scheme, it remained in passenger service until it was retired in March of 1982. The car came back to the US in February of 1983 was it sold to Excursion Lines Limited, of Rochester, New York. I believe the car may have seen service on a short-line railroad after that time, but have seen no information to confirm it.
The next chapter in the life of the car began in 1987 as it went to Atlanta and became car number 2000 in the fleet of the New Georgia Railroad. The New Georgia operated steam and diesel powered excursions on two routes – a loop around Atlanta and trains to Stone Mountain. The latter included dinner trains on Saturdays nights.
Good friend Ken Mitchroney was a volunteer at the New Georgia and recalls car #2000 being used on the dinner trains for additional seating to allow passengers to relax before and after their meals served on other cars.
When the New Georgia ended operations, most of the equipment was auctioned off. Car 2000 entered life as a privately owned railcar as it was purchased by Tom Whitted of Easley, South Carolina in August of 1995. Tom altered the floor plan of the car by the removal of 9 of the 10 roomettes and creating a very unique open galley and lounge where the roomettes had been. He painted it a dark blue with white stripes and named it the Palmetto State. It was assigned the number of 800032 for operation on Amtrak as a privately owned railroad car.
From talking with Tom, the car most often would be operated on day trips to destinations such as Washington D.C. or New York City. Trips further a field for overnight travel did happen, but were more the exception than the rule. It was part of a number of the AAPRCO (American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners) annual convention trains. In March of 2006, the car was sold to Gloria and Roger Stabler.
In part two, we will learn more about the car coming west from South Carolina to California and the restoration as the Two Rivers.