Old railcars off Dillon St

[jbroadglide]

This may be old news to those who have been long time members of MJ. I was doing some perusing of Bing Aerials and came across what appear to be three old passenger cars sitting behind a CSX building on Dillon St over in West Jax. Obviously can't tell from the aerials what railroad they belong to. Anyone have any clues?

[Dog Walker]

Didn't Ock or one of the other RR experts once post that they were refurbished Pullman cars that were used to house visiting CSX employees?

[CS Foltz]

DW..........I believe your correct, but will wait for confirmation for Ock, hizself! I know someone who could use one of those cars!

[jbroadglide]

I sent the picture to a contact with the ACL/SAL RR Historical Society and he replied back yesterday that they are not refurbished but in really, really poor shape. They belong to the North Florida Railroad Museum in Green Cove Springs who are trying to figure out a way to move them down there so they can be refurbished. One is an old ACL Pullman car.

[mtraininjax]

NHRA folks own the cars, for many years the freight baggage cars held records that were removed from the terminal station, they are now in the possession of Jerry Spinks of the Jacksonville Historical Society. There was a semi trailer on site that did house some of the benches from the terminal, not sure where they are now, but Jerry might know.

These cars were in bad shape 5-6 years ago and I am sure they are worse now.

[Ocklawaha]

Railroad junk y'all.  Perhaps worth saving if someone has deep enough pockets and a great museum project, trouble is the trucks, couplers, brakes, and perhaps frames are condemned and buddy that ain't chicken feed to repair.

These were the type of cars that the wealthy would have ridden in during the halcyon days of the Gilded Age, starched collars and silk top hats.

Glad to hear that the old papers that were inside were "rescued" prior to somebody making a camp fire out of them.

The confusion over the "visiting executives" is understandable, they once were those type of cars. One can still see some very active private cars (aka: Private Varnish or PV's) at Mc Duff and the old Seaboard west Jax shop site, or on Kingsley Avenue at the CSX crossing (Orange Park Station) where the car president Obama used stays.


OCKLAWAHA

[Timkin]

Man, Ock!  you amaze me with your knowledge of Railroad stuff .  Too bad its too late for the cars.

I presume the railroad museum in Green Cove Springs to be on the Old Clay County Courthouse Property.  G.C.S.  was my hometown.    Really miss the Navy Base that used to be there.. (Lee Field) ..only a couple of buildings remain, and there is very little evidence now that there was once a base there.

Not to get too far off topic...  These cars could not be transported via Tractor-trailer and cosmetically restored?  I can understand a total overhaul being a small fortune! 

[jbroadglide]

Actually timkin that group, the NRHS, is located down in Reynolds Industrial park off SR16. They are open on weekends should anyone like to see what they have on site.

http://www.nfrm.org/

[Timkin]

thx JB..may have to check that out.. Reynolds Industrial Park is the Former Lee Field Navy base I was speaking of in the last post. I did not know that was where it was located .  Thanks .