News & Reviews News Wire Bluewater Michigan Chapter donates former Seaboard observation to North Carolina museum NEWSWIRE

Bluewater Michigan Chapter donates former Seaboard observation to North Carolina museum NEWSWIRE

By Angela Cotey | October 24, 2019

| Last updated on November 3, 2020


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SAL6604
North Carolina Transportation Museum
SPENCER, N.C. – The North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation, the support group for the museum, will be the recipient of the Seaboard Air Line (SAL) No. 6604, a streamlined passenger rail car from the post-World War II era. Built for SAL in 1947, the 85-foot stainless steel rail car features a tavern lounge, a bar, a hidden bedroom for hostesses, and a rounded observation section with swiveling chairs.

The donation comes from the Bluewater Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. As the chapter plans to dissolve this year, new locations are being found for the chapter’s rail equipment. President John Moore says, “I’m happy to return this car to its home rails.” The No. 6604 had been a fixture on the Bluewater chapter’s rail excursions during the past three decades. Most recently the No. 6604 has been in use at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The No. 6604 originally served as the rear car on one of Seaboard’s five daily New York City to Florida trains, such as the Silver Meteor and Silver Star. It was also used on the Silver Comet, running between Birmingham, Ala., and New York. Seaboard’s routes served North Carolinians passing through Raleigh, Southern Pines, Hamlet, and Monroe.

Executive Director Kelly Alexander says, “This will be a first-class passenger car aboard special event train rides like Brew & Choo, The Polar Express Train Ride, and Wine & Dine.” Alexander says special tours are also planned when the car is not in service.

Plans are still being finalized to move the No. 6604 to Spencer after its lease period at TVRM is completed.
–From a North Carolina Transportation Museum press release

6 thoughts on “Bluewater Michigan Chapter donates former Seaboard observation to North Carolina museum NEWSWIRE

  1. While glad to see this car head homeward it is bittersweet for this resident of the Wolverine state. I have fond memories of Bluewater excursions back in the ’80s, and remember this car passing by my boyhood home along GTW’s Romeo Sub during the Chapter’s erstwhile Circle Trips around SE Michigan along the Grand Trunk Holly, Mt. Clemens and Flint Subs. Of course, that boyhood, backyard railroad is now a bike path but time marches on I suppose.

  2. This is wonderful. I live about a mile from the SAL’s former passenger main between Hamlet,NC and Columbia, SC. I WISH I could have witnessed SAL passenger service. As a poor substitute, Amtrak does come through. Peter, just a clarification: you are an expat (‘expatriate’), not an ex-pat (‘ex-patriot’).

  3. According to Wayner, SAL 6604 was built by Budd in June, 1947 as a tavern-lounge observation car. 6600-6604 later received diaphragms (while remaining round-ended); after that they usually ran midtrain in the Silver Star while SAL’s other round-end obs cars served the Silver Meteor’s coach passengers on the hind end and the distinctive ceiling-windowed Beach series (renamed by SCL to the Sun series) 5 Double Bedroom-Buffet Lounge cars served the Pullman passengers midtrain.

  4. It surely would be nice to see this car crossing over the old C& WC tracks in Fairfax, SC on the tail end of the Meteor or the Star. Thanks to the NRHS for saving it for posterity. Sorry to hear the chapter no longing in operation.

  5. I was unaware that the Bluewater Chapter was dissolving. As a Michigan ex-pat it is a sad thing to hear. I didn’t ride many Bluewater excursions, but I did have an enjoyable trip on the Ann Arbor to Toledo, Ohio about three decades ago.

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