Arizona Rail Passenger Association
ARPA extends its thanks to the
for providing the historic trainset for our
Historic Train, ARPA Awards Dinner, December 1997
(Photo: Marc Pearsall)
Sleeping car, 4 double bedroom - 4 compartment - 2 drawing room. Built by Pullman as one of nine cars in lot number 6571 to plan 4069D. The order was entered in December 1938 and delivered in July 1939. When delivered the car was named Imperial Estate and saw service on the 20th Century Limited. The car was sold to the New York Central in 1948 with the breakup of the Pullman monopoly. The name was changed to Imperial Manor in 1950. The number l00l7 was added in 1952. In l962 the car was sold to the Illinois Central Railroad and renamed Hazelhurst. Car was retired in 1968 and sold to private tour operator Midwest Travel Services in Oklahoma city. It was renamed "7777 Mistletoe" and was finally sold in 1980 to Rail Passenger Services of Tucson, Arizona. R.P.S. has placed the car on long term loan to the museum for restoration. The car is being restored to its original bedroom configuration. The project is about 60% complete. Some interior steel work and electrical are remaining. The exterior will require some body work as well as air conditioning and generator set.
44 Seat coach, Santa Fe. Built by Pullman as one of 51 cars in lot number 6734 to plan number 7503. The order was entered in August 1944 and delivered in April 1947. The car entered service on the first all coach streamliner on the Santa Fe, the El Capitan, running between Chicago and Los Angeles, via Winslow, Flagstaff and Kingman. The car became part of the Amtrak fleet in 1971 receiving the number 4484. The car was retired in 1976 and sold to the Pullman Pizzeria in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Sold again to Jim Bennett of Las Cruces in 1981. This car was donated to the museum by Mr. Bennett in 1990. The car has been restored to its coach configuration by museum volunteers. The project is about 90% complete. Remaining items include an air conditioning system and a generator.
Private car, Rock Island. Built by Pullman as one of 11 cars in lot 6764 to plan 7523. Ordered in May 1945 and delivered in April 1947 as a 68 seat coach for service on the Twin Star Rocket, running between Minneapolis and Houston. Originally named Des Moines, the car was rebuilt by the Rock Island in 1962 and numbered 330. This car later saw service on the Golden State which ran between Chicago and Los Angeles via Tucson, Chandler, Phoenix and Yuma. The car was operating on the Quad Cities Rocket when the Rock Island shut down in December 1979. In 1984 the car was sold at a trustee auction to a group of investors from Oklahoma. Stored for 5 years, it was purchased by museum member R.J."Bart" Barton in 1989. This car has received extensive mechanical and electrical rework and meets current Amtrak and F.R.A. criteria. The car is stored and serviced at the museum and is often used for display.
Your Train Awaits... Platform at Mission Palms Hotel, Tempe, Arizona
(Photo: Marc Pearsall)
Engine Runs Around Cars at Tempe, Pulls Onto "Creamery Branch"
(Photo: Bill Lindley)