Powhatan Arrow observation cars

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It's been interesting to read the accounts of the effect of the 1958 recession on the N&W.  The dates of the articles are in the same time frame that the tavern-observation cars were removed from the Powhatan Arrow.  Does anyone know for sure if that move had to do with the change in leadership when R.H. Smith retired, or if it was an economy move because revenue was down drastically across the board?

The January 1958 public timetable was the last one where the observation cars were listed as train features.  They were gone from the April 28, 1958 timetable.  However the timetable noted still that no checked baggage was handled on the Arrow.  By October 1958 checked baggage was handled between Williamson and Cincinnati because the Arrow had picked up the Cavalier's head end work when that train was dropped west of Williamson.

I remember seeing the observation cars stored end-to-end with other out of service passenger equipment on the side of Roanoke shops next to the Shenandoah Valley line.
This would have been in '58 or '59, I guess.

Rick Morrison

   
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