N&W Passenger Cars

[NW Mailing List]

Many years ago, Maine's Chuck Wagon Restaurants acquired three N&W passenger
cars for its eatery in Lewiston, Maine. Two coaches and a diner were
outfitted to serve patrons, with the coach seating replaced with sets of
four seats and a table between the rows. The 470 Railroad Club of Portland
used to hold its annual meeting dinner there. After the restaurant closed,
the cars were acquired by a Downeast Rail Group which wanted to operate them
on former Maine Central Railroad branch lines. Refurbishment took a lot of
time and money which the group did not have. The cars lost their N&W maroon
color scheme as volunteers tried to repaint them. The cars were left unused
on a siding in Waldoboro, Maine, and started to weather badly.  Now, the
Conway Scenic Railroad in New Hampshire is acquiring the dining car for its
train service. According to the mostrecenmt issue of the newsletter of the
470 Railroad Club, preparations are being made to move the car to North
Conway: recertified air brake valves have been installed, ready for testing
to permit the car to be interchanged between railroads en route to its new
home. Replacements have been ordered for five missing exterior hand holds,
laminator fluorescent light systems for the dining and stewards compartment
have been re-wired and tested with external electrical connections. The CSRR
will re-wire the cars electrical distribution system to suite their
requirements. The Maine Eastern Railroad, operator of the former Maine
Central branch between Brunswick and Rockland, Maine, has offered to move
the car to Rockland for a trial run before it is released to its new owner
which will schedule the move to its new home base at former Boston & Maine
Railroad facilities in North Conway now owned by CSRR. I used to have the
data on each car, but cannot locate it. Can anyone help me with car numbers,
original numbers, builders date, service usage, etc? I sure would appreciate
any info available. Thanks.

Ron Palmquist, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

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