Old rail cars found

[thelakelander]

While looking at aerials of some of Jax's rail lines, I stumbled across this image from the property appraiser's site.  It appears to be a few old abandoned passenger cars sitting on an overgrown siding behind a warehouse off Dignan Street, near the CSX Trans-Flo Terminal west of McDuff/Beaver.  Here's the zoomed in image uploaded.



Anyone know what's the story behind these?

[jbm32206]

They're on the CSX lot. I don't know why they're just sitting. I recall seeing them every day when I go to work and they never seem to have been moved in a good 10-15 years.

[Ocklawaha]

These are former "OFFICE CARS" or for the non-railroaders out there... ever see "THE WILD WILD WEST?" Plush, incredible quality cars that have been retired for some reason or another. The current Office Car fleet is easy to see right off McDuff at the old Seaboard Shops area.

Rail cars require certain updated safety appliances, tight-lock couplers, roller bearings, and HEP or "Head End Power" meaning they no longer have steam lines and appliances but now run off cabled electrical from the locomotive or "HEAD END". Otherwise they can not be used on Amtrak or off the parent road. Worse, if the brake inspections (at several Thousand dollars a pop) are not done every so many months, they are tagged "BAD ORDER" and CAN NOT BE MOVED. (that one is federal).

Now, that's not to say if the car is restoration material that it couldn't be up-dated and ready to run in weeks, months or whatever... Anything is possible. Some may take deep pockets and others not so deep. For those without the resources to let them roll again, there is always the option of cosmetic restoration inside and out and movement to a farm, ranch, office park,  or camp somewhere... Where else can you get a 10'x85' palace that weighs 100,000 pounds, for junk price?

The history of each is as unique as the millionaires that once owned and traveled in them. From Flagler (THE RAMBLER), to Vanderbilt (THE WAYFARER) each and every one was a contest to one up the "guy next door". The cars usually had names, and wore the colors of the home railroad, so the window band of Vanderbilt's car would have said "NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM" the gold leaf under the window "THE WAYFARER". (The Wayfarer last seen in Orlando, was site of an international incident, when Vanderbilt had an affair with the Cuban Ambassadors wife in the car...) Currently Georgia Railroad Number XXXX (one of the few with a number rather then a name) is in Orange Park and can be viewed at Kingsley at the Railroad. These are fully operating and ready to roll, so don't get too close! It is kept company by the Southern Railway's, "Intrepid".

Ocklawaha

[Timkin]

Wow .. how cool is that?   These should be relocated to the Terminal and restored.. maybe turn into a small attraction of some kind.  too bad theyre just sitting hidden behind a building .

[Coolyfett]

Can we get a closer look/articles on these "officer cars"?

[PROTRANSIT]

Maybe these cars can be restored and moved to the Downtown Train Station when AMTRAK moves back as part of the Jacksonville Transportation Center project.  Someone should start a non-profit to fund the restoration and to establish a permanent exhibit.  They represent an important era in both Florida and railroad history.

[thelakelander]

That would be nice.  They could add the old abandoned subway car in Springfield to that collection as well.  Actually, we have enough isolated exhibits around town that if we threw half on them in one location, we'd have a transportation museum.

[mtraininjax]

So find the land, build a building, move the cars, and start the work, who has the first dollar for the work? 

There are sooooooo many projects to spend money on, this is number 1,354 on the list. We will get there some day.