Snead and his sons Ned (1929-2015) and Bill worked together to make Texas Crushed Stone (which still operates out of Georgetown) the most productive limestone quarry in U.S. history. He also founded Georgetown Railroad in 1958 to enable hauling of limestone from Georgetown to Austin, Texas, the state capital.
Eldest son Ned later went on to create GREX, a rail solutions company that helps maintain and repair track throughout North America. Bill followed in his father’s footsteps and is now president of Texas Crushed Stone and majority owner of Georgetown Railroad.
GREX hosted today’s event as a way to thank the Snead family for their contributions to the rail industry and the Georgetown community. GREX Business Car 400 Edwin Brazelton Snead was a fitting venue for this celebration, as it recently made a permanent move to its new home at GREX where it will host special events, customer meetings and charitable events.
This lavish 1920s-era rail car even played a special role in U.S. history. President Harry Truman used it for his 1948 re-election “whistle-stop tour” when he gave speeches throughout Texas and the Midwest from onboard the train. President Dwight Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower used it frequently for travel in lieu of flying. And many prominent Texas lawmakers, national lawmakers, business leaders and even celebrities have spent time on the GREX Business Car 400.
Georgetown Railroad purchased the business car in 1971, with ownership transitioning to GREX in 1993. Ned’s five children, Bonnie, Cindy, Jeannie, Jennifer, and Vernon, grew up around the car, and it has remained a unique treasure for the entire family, including the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At this point, four generations make up a Snead legacy of 26, and growing.
Since 1993, Georgetown Rail Equipment Co. has been putting technology to use to develop solutions that solve some of the oldest problems in the railroad industry. The privately held company is based out of Georgetown, Texas, and works in collaboration with customers across the globe to deliver custom solutions designed around their specific needs. GREX pinpoints where ballast is needed and automates its delivery, locates track flaws to keep operations running smoothly, helps railroads monitor bridges remotely, and much more. From the pioneering DumpTrain ballast delivery system to the new Aurora XivTM track inspection system, GREX products stand out among the rest as more technologically advanced, safer and more efficient. GREX’s portfolio of solutions includes SENSR, a structural monitoring company.
More information is available online.
— A GREX news release. Jan. 29, 2018.
Can the car actually be used in a train? If I owned it, one would see a switch to the ‘outside world’.
I visited Austin & Georgetown last fall and went by their quarry. It is huge! Also saw a lot of loaded hoppers parked there.
Hideous paint scheme for sure!
Roald Amundsen was a sister car to the Ferdinand Magellan. Per Wayner, the two cars were built in August 1929 as Lot 6246, Plan 3972B. Both were used as POTUS cars until WWII when the Magellan was sold to the US Gov’t and armored as the primary car. In the 1945 FDR Funeral train, the Magellan was assigned to the Roosevelt family; President Truman rode in the Amundsen.
The definitive book on POTUS PV’s is “The President Travels by Train” by Bob Withers, published by TLC Publishing in 1996. After the Magellan was armored in 1942, it made most, but not all, POTUS trips. If the Magellan were not available, one of the other Pullman PV’s or the nicest office car a handling road had, such as the GREX car (then MKT 400) could substitute. For example, after the Magellan was retired and sold, JFK rode PRR 120 to the 1961 Army-Navy game in Philadelphia.
Interesting story. Glad it’s being recognised, but that livery is not my favourite. The POTUS use is odd, always thought he travelled on the Magellan as others mentioned. I am glad the car was pressed, but sad it’s not longer in official company use, rolling along, but I can see why it isn’t, older Heavyweight cars need more and more work to keep running actively.
Lawrence Beck, The only reason for the use of it would have been weight restrictions. The Ferdinand Magellan weighs more than some locos.
Charles Landry, There was only one car in the government inventory for the President along with two controlled by the Army for the US Army Signal use. Any other cars would just have been on a lease or rent plan.
Pictures of the FM in Austin,Texas on the 1948 campaign trip makes this story kind of flaky. This car formerly was the MKT 400. All photos of the 1948 campaign I have seen show the FM throughout the tour.
Funny you should ask, Mr. Beck. According to the Wikipedia page on the Ferdinand Magellan, President Truman did indeed use that car for his whistle stop campaign, and the famous photo of Truman with the Dewey Defeats Truman headline was taken on the Magellan’s rear platform. Also according the article the Magellan was used by Ike to travel home to Gettysburg and to Ottawa, and it’s last run was to take Mamie to CT to christen a new submarine.
So why all the claims about the 400? Darned if I know.
Lawrence Beck – An interesting question. Perhaps (pure conjecture on my part) there was more than one POTUS car in the fleet. Just as there is more than one Air Force One airplane at any given time.
Why was this car used instead of the Ferdinand Magellan?
You know, it wasn’tthat hard ton hunt down the history of this car…………
Georgetown 400, previously named “Houston,” was built in December 1929 as Missouri-Kansas-Texas 400. It was sold to GRR as their 400 in January 1971.