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C and I are going back to ride the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad's excursion train. Last year, we rode aboard the former California Zephyr half-dome car, "Silver Feather." This year, we will ride on the single-level Streamliner car seen in the picture, below. I don't know the history of that car but hope I can find out. Both coaches were manufactured by The Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
I don't really know why I'm so partial to Budd cars. Certainly, Pullman has a better-known provenance. After all, Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Abraham Lincoln, was once president of The Pullman Company. Still, I turned down a chance to ride aboard a Pullman coach in favor of riding aboard the Budd.
Perhaps, it goes to riding to and from work each day on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) in its earliest years (June 1992 - August 2000). When new Mafersa coaches failed to arrive on time, the VRE hastily purchased Boise Budd coaches from the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) in order to begin service between Manassas and DC. Service between Fredericksburg and DC began a month later.
Provided by and used courtesy of the Virginia Railway Express
Boise Budds began life as rail diesel cars. The MBTA sent them to the Morrison-Knudsen plant in Boise, Idaho, to be converted into standard coaches. The Detroit diesel engines were removed, as were the vents midway through the car and on the roof. In the picture below, you can see the "scar" left on the roof when the engines and vents were removed from the last Budd in VRE inventory.
Trains have a fascinating history, and they are great fun to ride!
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