American
Freedom Train
Car #201 Sleeping Car A former Southern Pacific Golden State 4-4-2 (4 double bedrooms, 4 compartments, 2 drawing rooms) Pullman sleeper, this car provided quarters for the small number of staff members who actually lived aboard the AFT. It was built in 1942 and delivered/leased to the SP painted two-tone gray as "Golden River", #212. In 1946 it was painted red/silver. In 1947 it was sold to the SP by Pullman. In '53 it received a new red/silver paint job with a red letterboard -- and its name was replaced by its new designation, #9111. By the early 1970s, the sleeper was owned by the Herb Reichhold and stored on the Sierra RR. Mr. Reichhold got the contract to convert several NYC baggage cars into AFT display cars at an old Liberty Ship factory in Richmond, CA near San Francisco. He brought the SP sleeper that became AFT 201 to Richmond too, along with his SP triple unit diner, which was also procured by the AFT Foundation AFT (but ultimately only partially outfitted and painted for the AFT). |
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| In May 1969, the car was part of the train the Southern Pacific sent to Ogden, UT for the 100th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike. Here, the car peeks out from behind a Union Pacific flat car carrying a replica of one of the locomotives present at the driving of the Golden Spike in 1869 (actually Virginia & Truckee locomotive #22 INYO in disguise). |  |
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Years later, on July 1, 2003 (Canada Day), the car was presented by BC Rail to the Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum in Prince George, BC Canada, which also owns former AFT #202 -- the "Pie Car" (see below). As of August 2006 it was indoors undergoing restoration. Much of its history presented here comes from Mr. Mike Mangini, AFT veteran and Southern Pacific historian. Shown at Pittsburgh, PA July 1976. Click on image for a larger version. The car featured five staterooms with a capacity to sleep 12. All of the staterooms had their own showers. Image: William Brandon, photographer. George Elwood scan. |
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The car was named for the late Vice President of Operations. His career spanned from 1954 to 1985. Donation of the car was coordinated by J. Singh Biln, Manager of Corporate Affairs for BC Rail. Image: BC Rail Inside Track (employee newsletter) August/Sept 2003. Photographer: Rob Pasowicz of BC Rail. In 1996, the car appeared in an episode the the TV show The Sentinel. Read more... |
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Former AFT sleeping car #201 as BC Rail "Norman A. McPherson" at Prince George, BC. Indoors and in the first stages of restoration at the Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum in Prince George, BC Canada. Click on image for a larger version. Image: Todd Schannuth, August 2006
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