Lightweight Sleeping Car

The Fairfax River was built for the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad in 1950 by the American Car and Foundry Company at a cost of $126,776.32. Leased to the Pullman Co. from March 1950 to October 1966, it served on elite Florida trains running between New York and Florida during the long cold northeast winters. Its distinctive purple letterboards identified it as the railroad's only river series car, and it had an unusual configuration of 14 roomettes and 2 drawing rooms. Retired from revenue service in 1966, it sat idle for 2 years before being overhauled in July 1968 and returned to service as a maintenance of way car. From 1968 to 1980 it operated as K.D.S. #204 on R.F.&P. work trains, a role that took its toll. In 1980 it was sold for scrapping to the Everyready Machinery Company of Bridgeport, Conn., but after sitting idle for a couple of years awaiting demolition, it was purchased in 1984 by the Tidewater Chapter of the N.R.H.S. and moved to Little Creek, Va. The chapter used it on several excursions on the Eastern Shore Railroad between 1984 and 1991, but in 1991 it was declared mechanically unfit for operational service. After remaining idle until 1994, it was purchased by Mr. John Bates of Pocomoke City, Maryland, moved to the Eastern Shore Railway Museum, and slated for restoration as nearly as possible to its original configuration for use on local train excursions.

Parksley, Virginia · United States